Fee. I, i886.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



579 



la the oiie case the plaut is likely to be stiiuteil iu its 

 early growth, as well as deprived of the ilews of 

 August and Sept<"mber, and iu the other there is danger 

 that it may not have time to mature fully before the 

 frost. The plants are set very much as cabbage are, 

 by inserting them to the bud and jiressing the earth 

 well to their roots and stems with a peg. A plant is 

 said to be properly planted when the point of a leaf 

 breaks off iu the attempt to pull it up. The plaut 

 should never be suffered to wilt before they are set. 

 If this cannot be done as fast as they are drawn from 

 the bed, as many a,s can be planted in a single ilay 

 should be drawn while the di'w is on them, and kept 

 until needed in a shaded place, with their roots on damp 

 ground, their tops being occa,sionally sprinkled with 

 water. If the hills have been put up with a good season 

 iu them, they can ordinarily at any time iu May be 

 planted without a rain, if done late in the afternoon. 

 They .should also be clapped with the back of the lioe, 

 which clapping preserves the moisture and prevents 

 crumbling of the earth after the planting peg, and 

 should be lighter or harder, according to the dampness 

 of the soil. But. with the abundance of plants, should 

 the planter be blessed with a good season in Jlay or 

 ■Tune, uought else but planting is then to be thought of. 

 U is a maxim with hay-makers that they should work 

 while the sun shines. The reverse of this holds good 

 with the tobacco planter, and he promises to be but a 

 poor one who runs from a shower of rain. And yet 

 for the convenience of housing it is not desirable that 

 the entire crop should ripen at the same time ; therefore 

 it is not best that it should all be planted in a single 

 day, or even in a single season. Instead, then, of 

 hastening to get once over, it is better to look well to 

 the r'plautiug, in order to get a perfect stand in the 

 portion which has been planted — to do so and as 

 quickly as possible, shading or wateriug the replanted 

 hills, when necessary, is recommendetl. — I iidi'st rial 

 South. 



ORCHAKD INSECTICIDKS. 



(n'litten for the American Cultivator, hy I.. 11. 

 Bailey, Jr.) 



The iucrea.sing numbers of insects, which are 

 each year causing the production of crops to be 

 more laborious and insecure, must be met with 

 determination an i by effective insecticitles on the 

 part of the farmer. The number of these insecticides 

 which can be used to advantage iu the orchard are 

 nuuierous, and are each jear mcrcasing. Some of 

 the best thought of our scientists is turned iu the 

 direction of economic entomology. The habits of 

 many of our orchard insects are not yet perf(jctly 

 kuuwu, and there is abundant opportunity for new 

 aud effective iuMecticidus to be discovered or invented. 

 Mea.sures for lessening insect attacks niay be divided 

 into two c'assea — i)reventives and remedies. The 

 preventives which are of most general use in the 

 orchard are as follows: — 



I. O'lod cultiire and tidiness. Good cultivation is 

 the first aud most rigorous demaud mode upon the 

 orcbardist for the prevention of insect ravages, as 

 well as for inducing thrift in liis trei.'S. Tidiness 

 iu the prompt removal of all rubbish and litter, and 

 clean cultivation, are direct an<l important preventivftg 

 of insect depredations. It is almost tiseless to fight 

 the codling moth, cureulio, tlat-heuded borei-, bark 

 louse and numerous other insects in a slovenly orchard. 

 Weak trees are especial favr.rites of certain insect«, 

 especially the flat-headed borer and the hnrk louse. 

 The frequent turning and stirring of the ground de- 

 stroys the hiding places of insects, aiul exposes the 

 larv.x* t > birds and weather. Tb»j same turning and 

 stirring are the means of a/Iding fresh vigor to the 

 trees, enabling them to withstand the attacks of 

 insects. .V continuous cropping of high grass is 

 Dearly always liighfy detrimental to an orchard, 

 ©special!} on poor land. The casual observer can 

 easily demonstrate to himself the greater average 

 abuudauce of iusects in loug-smlded orchards than 

 in those which are always cultivated. 



2. 'Washing the Iruuks and main branches of trees with 

 soap and water and earl>olie acid, as a preventive of 

 egg-laying by borers and other iusects. 'I'he carbolic soap 

 wash, made hy boiling together one quart of soft 

 soap and two gallons of water, and adding a pint 

 of crude carbolic acid while the mixture is still hot, 

 is probably the best wash to be had. The odor of 

 the carbolic acid remains for a long time and it is 

 very disagreeable to insects. A good wash is also 

 made by adding to the above mixture a little sulphur. 

 Washes for trees are chiefly of benefit iu preventing 

 the attacks of insects, or iu dostoryiug the eggs, or 

 iu killing) such insects as bark lice, aphides, eic. The 

 soap wash is all that is necessary for this purpose. 

 I have never been able to ascertain any better results 

 from whitewashing than from soaiiwashing trees, al- 

 though I have St en it tried very often. There are 

 good reasons for supposing that some injury results 

 from whitewashing. It is certainly unsightly. Wash- 

 ing trei < may be either a preventive or a remedy, 

 although it is commonly used in the former capacity. 



3. Encircling trees w"ith freshly tarred cloth or some 

 similar preparation to prevent the ascension of the 

 canker worm and other insects. 



4. riantiug shrubs which will attract insects from 

 fruit trees, and from which they may be easily captured. 

 It has been fouud that some of the wild and cultivated 

 spirce as attract the rose chafer from grape vines and 

 fruit trees. 



5. L' Mg odorants which will repel the inaect*. 

 This might he included under No. 2. .\mmonia diluted 

 aud syringed through the tops of trees will repel 

 the cod iug moth. I'utrirl whale oil showered upon 

 plum trees is .said to protect from the cureulio. 



G. Protecting aud encouraging insectivorous birds. 



Among reme.iii s the following are the most general in 

 their nature aud the most importaut iu their results : — 



1. Syringing with I'aris green and water. A scant 

 tablespoouful of the poison; iu four gallous of water 

 is a common mixture for fruit trees. Some pietor 

 a stronger mixture. The quahty of the commercial 

 drug is so variable that the positive proportions 

 cannot be given. An urdiuary sjringe, which can be 

 made by a tinsmith, is all that is commonly required. 

 This syringe is filled with the poisonous water 

 by drawing back thepiston while the uo^zle is immersed, 

 and then by a steady push the liquid may be thrown 

 over the highest tree, A uozzle with one circular 

 oi)ening throws the Ibiuiil in one unbroken stream, 

 causing a great loss, while a broad nozzle with 

 many minute holes iloes not allow the liquid to past 

 out with sulhcient force to pass over a tree. The 

 best cheap syringe which 1 have ever used was 

 about 2.J feet lung, with a barrel three inches iu 

 diameter, the upper end beiug made of copper and 

 punctured with numerous holes au eighth of an inch 

 ill diameter. .Some of the numerous fountain pumps 

 which are now manufactured are much superior to 

 the syringe. Thiry throw a continuous stream with 

 little effort. Kor throwing liquhl over large orchard 

 trees, Prof. Liutner finds a Hat nozzle the best. 

 This spreads the hquid, causing it to strike a large 

 part of the tree at one time. Paris green is insoluble 

 iu water, aud the li(|uid containing it must ho often 

 stirred to keep the particles iu suopansion. Pari* 

 green can be used to destroy nearly all leaf-eating 

 iiLscets which work upon the tree before the fruit 

 is half ripe. It is the most efTactive of all remedies 

 against the canker worm. It is also a good remedy 

 f.<r the first blood of the codling moth larv:e or 

 apple worms. When the apples are first formed 

 they sUind upright on their stems. The moth lays 

 her eggs on ttie upper or " blow end'' of the little 

 apple. Paris green which is syringed over the tree* 

 lodges in this " blow end" and destroys the larv.-o 

 when they bepiu to feed. Later the apples turn 

 downwards and the rains wash away the poison. 

 Loiiilon purple is cheaper than Paris green, and is 

 to bo used iu much the same niauiier. 



•J. Koroseue oil is attracting much attention as 

 an insecticide. It is a d.»dly poison to nearly all 

 insects while it is Imrnilcss lo man. As it does 



