Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-23
FORMULAS FOR SPRAYS TO SAVE
HOME GARDENS FROM PEST RAVAGEE
Special Treatments for Biting and Chewing Insects and
Fungous Diseases-How to Mix in Quantities Suf-
ficient for Small Gardens-Rules and Precautions
BY JOHN BARTRAM

THIS article gives formulas for dealing
i with the numerous varieties Of insect
and other plant enemies. The caution Is
urged at the very beginning that users real
ize the deadly character Of these chemicals
and handle them with the utmost care keep
ing bottles properly labeled, and in a safe
repository away from children. II Is also
advisable to remember that the whites Of
eggs, ipecac and mustard ward are good
emetics tn a physician can be summoned.
CHEWING INSECTS include bugs, bee
ties, slugs, Caterpllars, worms, etc, Of
varied species. These have true mouths and
are best dosed with poisonous inSeCtCide,
except fruit that is near maturity or foliage
crops, Of which the foliage is eaten such
az cabbage, lettuce, brussels sprouts, celery.
The best poisons for general purposes are
arscnate Of lead Paris green and helebore.
Non-poisonous insecticides are effective in
some cases Of these Persian powder (Bu-
hach), kerosene emulsion, whale oil soap,
fir tree oil soap, tobacco essence, and some
Of the patent powders may be mentioned.
SUCKING INSECTS include scale, green
fly, black fly, red spider, mealy bug, eN
They do not eat, but have sharp little
bcaks, which penetrate beneath the sur
face Of the pant and extract the juices
hence they are not affected by poison doses
They can be eliminated by contact sprays
or powders, which are skin-irritating.
Among the agencies used are kerosene
fir tree oil soap.
FUNGUS DISEASES and some scales
are treated with Bordeaux mixture, am
| moniated copper, lime sulphur solution and
flowers Of sulphur.
TREE BORERs are handled by cleaning
out their burrows with a stifr wire. Insects
that crawl up the trees are handled by
painting tho trunk thick with whale oil
soap solution and by bands 90 tanglefoot
or fly paper.
Poison sprays should never be applied
| 10 fruit trees in blossom as they kill the
bees and stop pollination.
Liquids should be applied with spray
| pumps, syringes Oor howers) or hand
sprayers. Powders should be applied with
bellows perforated cans.
IL is always wise to spray in advance of
| the appearance of insects other pests
| as a means of prevention. This often kills
| off the first brood from last seasons eggs
| and stops the pest entirely for the season,
In succeeding articles the pests, insect
| or fungous, that attack specific plants will
| be described and the remedies prescribed.
BORDEAUX MIXTURE, so called from
| its origin in France near the city Of that
| name, is fungiclde for black rot, blight,
mildew, rust, etc It can be bought ready
| prepared in packages from one pound up,
| with directions for use. II is prepared in
| various strengths, the most usual of which
| are $3.50 2-3-5O, 1880 and 1-1-50. These
| pounds each Of bluestone "copper" sulphate)
| and fresh lime. For small users the pro-
| portions may be lime, one and one-half
| tablespoonfuls copper sulphate, one table
| spoonful, and one gallon water, Dissolve
| copper sulphate in about half gallon of
water and slake the lime in the other half
| gallon, then mix two in a third vessel
II should be strained and used fresh. This
| is the best all-round summer funglcide. The
| 2-2-50 strength is good for general use in
| the truck patch. For larger usage strong
| Bordeaux is made by using the following
| formula; Four lbs. copper sulphate, lbs. of
| fresh lime and so gallons Of water. A
| weaker solution is made by using a 3-4-5O
solution, and a still weaker solution, for the
spraying of grapes and other tender plants,
| by a $3.50 solution. Any proportionate
| ratio of these can be reCkOned out Dissolve
| the copper suphate separately in a wooden
| vessel and slake the lime in another vessel,
| Each of these solutions should be diluted
| before mixing otherwise undesirable chem
| ical action reSults. Apply Bordeaux within
| twenty-four hours after mixing the two So
| lutions, since II deterlorates quickly stock
| solution of copper sulphate and lime can be
| mixed and used as needed. The separate
| solutions will not deteriorate.
When foliage Is growing and expanding
rapidly, It is advisable TO make applications
| of Bordeaux every two weeks.
LIME-sULPHUR Is another good summer
| insecticide and some prefer it. 1t is also
used as a winter spray for the San Jose
| and other scales IL is more trouble TO pre-
| pare as II must be boiled, for which reason
| IL is best bought prepared. IN general II Is
| good to use lime-sulphur for fruit trees and
Bordeaux for garden crops, Lime-sulphur
| is diluted for winter one part TO ten OF
| twelve of water-the lesser strength be-
| fore and after real cold weatheT-and for
| summer use one part to forty of water.
| Homemade wash,-Place in a large kettle
| 20 pounds stone lime, Add boiling water
and stir is lbs. flowers of sulphate. Stir
| constantly, add 10 TO 10 gallons hot water
| and boil for at least forty-five minutes. Add
| water to fifty-gallon total; strain carefully
| and apply while hot for best results in dor
| mant spraying.
Self-boiled lime-sulphur solution foI
| peaches and plums,-Gradually add q gal
Ions water to twenty pounds stone lime in a
oarrel When shaking well. sift IN twenty
lbs. hne sulphur gradually add water, and
Htr constantly until ane paste is formed