The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-04-15

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and use preserved eggs in the duh
seasons.
because it means a saving Of
money"
Do you know how to preserve eggs
by the water glass method? Ask
your experiment station at your own
University of Florida to send you full
directions for this water glass pre-
serving method, or call upon your
county or home demonstration agent.
The Melon Aphis
Even the first appearance of this
insect indicates the seriousness OF its
presence, when the words much
dreaded are used in accounts of its
injury to watermelons. Owing to
their small size, the closest inspection
is necessary in order to see them.
There are two forms of this insect,
the winged and the wingless, which
occur throughout the year However,
the wingless form is most abundant.
and in size averages about one-fif-
teenth of an inch in length; in color IL
varies from light yellow in the numph
stage to dark green in the adult stage
of its development.
Just as soon as the melon vines be-
gin to run, an occasional plant will be
found with its foliage curled up and
whiting, and underneath will be found
masses of these melon lice with their
beaks penetrating the plant tissue and
sucking the sap of the plant. II al
lowed to multiply, and its natural
enemies do not prevent their increase,
they will completely ruin the melon
crop, about the time the melons begin
I to ripen
When only a few hills are infected
it is advisable to bury these hills and
thereby stop the insects spreading to
other parts of the field s.
These little aphids thrive in the
bright, warm weather and also repro
duce most rapidly under these condi-
tfons. while their development is re-
tarded very much by moist, cool wea-
Their
This plant louise is subject to the
attack OF several enemies. The value
of these natural enemies, of which the
ladybug beetle is a common one, is
difficult to appreciate, for much of
their work is frequently unnoticed
The most important factor to be
observed in carrying out the control
for this pest is clean culture, by de-
stroying the weeds and voluteer truck
crops which may carry the pest
over from the winter to the spring
crop. If aphids are found on the cit
rus trees growing adjacent to the
melon crop, these trees should be
sprayed as soon as the melons come
up, as the aphids will migrate from
the trees to the growing melon crop.
Control
The following treatment is recon-
mended by A. H. Boyer. assistant en-
tomologist. Florida Experiment Sta
ton: SUI
Use Black Leaf 40.in the proportion
OF part to 1000 to 1900 of water.
good formula is the. following: Dis
solve whale oil or other caustic soap
in a gallon of water. If the water to
be used for spraying is soft, use Q or
3 pounds of soap. IT, hard use more
Add rs of pint of Black Leaf 40
and heat gently for five minutes.
When ready to use, dilute with water
to so gallons.
In applying the spray, use nozzle
with an elbow. and be sure to spray
the under side of the leaves. because
it is there that the aphids are located
Millions Made In Florida Potatoes
Advance information on the United
States Department of Agriculture re-
port for 1920. which will soon be IS
sued. shows that Florida led all states
last year in acreage value or Irish
potatoes produced. The average for
Florida on this crop was 1910 an acre.
TAKE Sll Ie Tn
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