548 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Shave the soap fiue and dissolve it in the boiling water. Pour it 

 into the kerosene (away from fire) while hot, and churn it through a 

 force pump or sprayer until it becomes a thick creamy mass. It will 

 keep as long as desired. For use, thoroughly mix one part of this 

 with nine of water. Apply as a spray, thoroughly, to all parts of the 

 plants and on both sides of the leaves. It must come into contact 

 with the bodies of the inisects in order to kill them. It is especially 

 recommended for plant lice and Squash-bugs, but will kill all kinds 

 of insects with which it comes into contact. It has the advantage of 

 the kerosene mixture in the fact that it is not as liable to injure 

 foliage. 



8. Whale-oil Soap. This is made by dissolving two pounds of the 

 potash whale-oil soap in one gallon of hot w^ater. It is applied either 

 as a spray or as a wash. As the latter, it can be applied with a brush, 

 but it is a winter wash, mostly for scale insects, and under no circum- 

 stances should it be applied to delicate leaves. When Squash-bugs 

 are not on the living plants they can be killed with this. 



9. Carbon Bisulphide. This is explosive with fire. It kills by its 

 I»oisonous fumes, which are heavy. It is especially used to destroy 

 insects in stored grain, but can be employed as a fumigant. One 

 teaspoonful in any kind of a vessel or a clam shell under each of the 

 lents described as Mechanical Device No, 2, wdll kill everv kind of in- 

 sect present in less than an hour and will not injure the plant. It 

 should be sold by retail druggists at tv.'enty-five cents per pound, or 

 less. 



10. Gasolene and Benzine. The fumes of these substances kill in- 

 sects, but they should be left long enough to insure death, or should 

 be buried or burned when stupefied. Gasolene is the cheapest sub- 

 stance that can be quickly used under tents described as Device No. 

 2. When it is poured on the ground a greater quantity is needed than 

 when placed in vessels. 



11. Calcium Carbide. This is the substance that is used with w^ater 

 to generate the acetylene gas that is now used for illuminating pur- 

 poses. We do not know of its previously having been used in this 

 country as an insecticide, but our experiments demonstrate its value 

 tor this purpose. For insects infesting the soil, a smooth and shar- 

 pened stick should be pushed into the ground to as great a depth as 

 they are found (generally from four to six inches), and a tea- 

 spoonful of the carbide should be dropped into the hole and the 

 latter then firmly filled with damp earth packed into it. The carbide 

 readily absorbs moisture from the earth and generates gas which 

 permeates the earth and kills all kinds of insects found therein, as 

 does carbon bisulphide. We have killed most of the larvre and pup?e 

 of beetles around cucumber roots by four or five holes around each 

 hill. 



