The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-14
DOES TSWORK EFFECTIVELY
Eagerly Sought by Pests and Kills
Them WhoIesaIe-As to Use
or Range.

~ IN 10 SAPSAA
ment station, in which is given some
interesting information concerning a
new agent for the destruction OF
grasshoppers, known as the Criddle
mixture. The knowledge it contains
may possibly prove OF value to the
farmers of this part of the state, as
it seemingly points a way to get rid
of a plague that last year caused
great damage and, according to many
accounts received so far this season,
promises to become annoyingly Sc
we're again this year..
Following is the bulletin:
Bozeman, June 10.-Ihe Criddle
mixture was first brought to public
notice by Doctor James Fletcher, do
minion entomologist of Ottawa, On
tario, Can, who at a recent meeting
of official ~entomologists at Washing
ton, d. c., made very prominent
ton of the substance and who since
said:
st has entirely replaced the cum
bersome and inadequate hopper
dozer."
One OF Doctor Fletcher's CORE
| spondent's, in speaking of the Criddle
mixture, says:
I'm this section all used poison and
only a few acres OF crop were de-
stroyed. | am convinced that had we
begun the fight earlier, hardly a bush
ell of grain would have been lost. 1t
is no exaggeration to say that dead
locusts could be gathered up in wagon
loads and at times be smelt for half
a mile"
Another correspondent stated: For
a space OF so yards from the edge of
this crop (wheat) where the remedy
had been only once applied two weeks
before, the ground was literally
strewn with dead grasshoppers, and
all along the edge of the headland,
where they had gathered during the
wet weather, the dead insects were
lying in such numbers as to resemble
a winrow. On one spot 1T were
| counted in Is inches square,"
How to Make Criddle Mixture.
The placing OF poisoned bran mash
where it will be eaten by insects of
various kinds is a well known meth
cd of killing insects. The use Of the
Criddle mixture is similar, but horse
manure is employed in place of the
bran. This substitution so reduces
the cost of the bait that it can be
used more lavlshly, and hence en-
ployed in destroying grasshoppers in
cultivated crops: One part (by meas.
ure) paris green, two parts salt, 40
to 100 parts horse n
Mix very thoroughly and add sufi-
cient water to make the mass soft
without being fluid. When ready for
use the mixture is taken into the
field and sown broadcast with4a wood
en- paddle, in quantities proportional
by the number of grasshoppers. II
is said that the young hoppers will
be attracted for a distance of 30 feet
The mixture is more effective wheI
the hoppers are young than wher
they become larger.
The original formula contained ont
part paris green to 40 parts of horse
manure, but in a letter to Professor
f. l.. Washburn, state entomologis
of Minnesota, Norman Criddle, whit
was the originator of the mixture tina
bears his name, states that much i'm
provement has been made in the mix
ture and that it is now made in the
proportion of one part paris green tt
100 of barn droppings. We recommend
that users in Montana experiment
with different strengths between thu
two extremes.
1t will of course be understood tina
the Criddle mixture is recommended
for use only under conditions where
the value OF the crop per acre is sui
ficient to warrant the labor and ex
pense Of it's application.
Its Use on the Range.
1t is out of the question to poison
the grasshoppers on the miles ant
miles of open range, though the mix
ture may we'll be used in destroyin.
before they acquire wings and scatter
Its greatest field of usefulness is il
the protection of grain and grass
fields against the invasion of the lo
t Gusts from the sides. There may be
: however, various other circumstance
, under which it's use is advisable. I'm
Outstanding the nature and method o