The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-28
FOR THE FARM

kinds will attack the tender vegetation
and unless proper steps are taken, great
damage may be done. The only success
full method of fighting injurious insects
that prey upon our vegetables and crops
is to dust or spray the plants with the
right kind of insecticde. Every farmer
should know something about the lie
and habits of all the common insects
which are injurious, in order that ne
may more effectively prepare proper rem
edies as an insecticide which is death 70
some species of insects, has no eject
whatever upon others.
Certain kinds of insects may be readily
killed with a cheap and simple insecti-
eide while the larger, hard bodied IN
sects can only be exterminated w'th
poison in some form | shall endeavor N
this article to give the formulas for a
few of the principal insecticides now gen.
orally in use, and describe as fully as
possible the kind of insects which the
formulas are intended to destroy. 1t may
be some trouble and a little extra eX-
pense to buy the ingredients, prepare the
| solutions, and apply Insecticides but this
is far better than allowing Indifference
to permit millions of insects to take pos
| session of our premises and destroy most
of the vegetables planted.
| The biting or gnawing insects are those
which actually chew and swallow portions
of the solid substance of the plant, such
as the wood, bark, leaves, flowers or
fruit. They include the principal injur-
ious larvae, many beetles and locusts.
These insects may be destroyed by apply
ing poisons direct to the leaves or other
parts of the plant, and which will be
swallowed by the insects with their food.
This is the surest remedy except where
the plants to be treated are to be used
as food within short period of time. The
sucking insects are those which injure
plants by the gradual extraction of juices
from the bark, leaves or fruit, and in
clude the plant bugs, place lice, scale in
sects and plant feeding mites. The appli-
cation of poisons to the plants infested
with these insects will do but little good
and it is necessary to use substances
which will act externally on the bodies
of such insects, either as caustic or to
smother or stife them by closing the
pores through which they breathe
In addition to the above two classes of
insects described, we also have insects
which work under ground, such as white
grubs. root maggots, root lice, etc.
EXTERNAL BITING INSECTS.
The arsenical compounds have practi-
cally supplanted all other remedies for
insects falling under this head Paris
green or London purple are the two ar
sen.cals most commonly used, although
Sheele's green and arsenicate of lead are
sometimes used but are not so easily
obtained. There are three principal
methods of applying arsenicals. The wet
method, which consists in using the poison
in water and applying in the form of
spray. The dry method, which consists in
mixing the poison with flour or lime and
applying as a dust over the plants
For the wet method. Paris green may
be used at the rate of l pound to 100 to
$50 gallons Of water, or / ounce to 6 to Is
gallons of water The stronger mixtures
are for heavy foliage like the Irish potato
in treating the Colorado beetle, and the
greater dilutions for more tender foliage
like the peach and plum. For general
purposes an average of l pound to $50
gallons of water or / ounce to 10 gallons
of water. Paris green will cost about
20 cents pound. The poison in proper
proportion, should be first made into
thin paste in a small quantity of water,
and quick lime added in amount equal
to the poison used so as to take up the
free arsenic and lessen the danger from
scalding. A little too much lime will do
no harm. Strain the poison thus mixed
into the barrel or vessel used, and APP
ply to the foliage of the plants with a
spray pump or watering can with good
perforated nozzle, Spray above and I'M
derneath the leaves. but not to the extent
Of allowing too much of the mixture to
run down and settle about the roots OF the
plant
For dry method, mix / pound of the
poison with so pounds of flour or lime,
and dust the plants, either with hands or
hand bellows. For cabbages or other
plants to be eaten use one ounce of the
poison to pounds of flour or lime and
dust lightly As a poisoned bait for cut
worms, use l ounce of the poison to
ounces of bran slightly moistened and
sprinkle on small pieces of cabbage
leaves or clover and distribute along the
rows where cut worms are doing damage.
In the use of arsenicals or poisons of any
kind remember that proper precautions
should be taken to keep the mixtures
well protected from animals. The poison
disappears from plants entirely within 90
to % days after application and even if
the plants were eaten shortly after appli-
cation an enormous quantity would have
to be consumed in order to do any Sc
rious damage.
EXTERNAL SUCKING INSECTS.
D!ssolving half a pound of any good
soap in a gallon of water is effective in
destroying soft bodied insects, such as
plant lice and young or soft bodied larvae
Flowers of sulphur is one of the best
remedies for plant mites, such as the rep
spider, etc. The kerosense emulsion or
milk formula is also good insectitude
for general purposes during the growing
period of summer, and is made as follows:
Kerosene oil, gallons; sour milk,
gallon. Agtate the mixture by rapid
stirring for > or 8 minutes until thick
buttery consistency takes place. For
plant lice and other soft bodied insects.
dilute the emulsion with from 10 TO 20
parts water and spray affected plants