452 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



& second is to be made, it should be after an interval of about three weeks. 

 A heavy rain might make the second application very desirable. 



Third. The mixture should be very dilute. One pound of London purple 

 to one hundred (100) gallons of water is strong enough. This permits a 

 thorough application, so that each and every fruit shall receive a particle of 

 the poison, and yet the foliage will not be injured. 



Fourth. The liquid mixture should be applied with a powerful force pump. 

 This dashes the liquid on the tree, and it so scatters that every apple receives 

 the death potion. This point is equally important in applying liquid insecti- 

 cides of every kind to all kinds of insects that infest our plants. 



In this connection I wish to commend the Lockport force pump, which is 

 run with gearing attached to the wagon wheel, so that the horses that draw 

 the wagon also work the pump. I have also found the Climax nozzle, made 

 by A. H. Nixon, Dayton, Ohio, a very valuable auxiliary in spraying vegeta- 

 bles. It furnishea a spray equal to the Cyclone nozzle, and at the same time 

 permits more force, which is very desirable. 



APHID^, OR PLANT LICE. 



For the past two years, with their unparalled drouths, the aphides have 

 been exceptionally numerous, and correspondingly destructive. As sug- 

 gested last year, the kerosene and soap mixture is a sure remedy for these 

 destroyers. Dashed on to the lice with a powerful force pump, it is wonder- 

 fully effective. To make this I churn a quart of soft soap, a quart of water 

 and one pint of kerosene till all are permanently mixed. I then dilute with 

 water till the kerosene forms one fifteenth of the whole. In place of the 

 quart of soft soap, we find that we may as well use one-fourth pound of 

 whale oil soap. 



We were very pleased to learn from our experiments made in April last 

 (April 11th), that this liquid is equally powerful to destroy the plant louse 

 eggs, before they hatch. We also found it very efficient when applied to 

 plant lice just after they hatch. This is a very important matter, as it is 

 much easier to make the application thorough before the leaves put forth, 

 and before the lice are domiciled in the curled up leaves. As we have seen 

 before, success in this case depends upon thoroughness, and this thoroughness, 

 especially in treating large trees, is very difficult after the foliage is fully 

 developed, so here it is peculiarly true, that the early bird catches the worm. 



At the Tree Oaks Institute, Prof. Cook, speaking on the same subject of 

 injurious insects, said: 



CODLING MOTH. 



It is often stated that a pan of sour milk placed in an apple tree will 

 catch great numbers of the codling moth. This is an error. It will catch 

 many moths, but not one codling moth. Neither will lights in the tree 

 entrap them. 



Now, when the apple is the size of a pea, the moth lays its egg in the 

 flower end of the apple. It hatches and the larva eats through the apple 

 and comes out, and in June hides itself as a cocoon. In ten or twelve days 

 the perfect moth comes out and lays a second crop of eggs. When these go 

 into cocoons, though the weather be as hot as in June, and all other condi- 



