176 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



HELLEBORE. 



White hellebore is the powdered root of a plant. It kills both by 

 contact and as an internal poison. It may be applied either dry or in 

 the form of a liquid. When nsed dry it should be mixed with three or 

 four times its weight of flour or of plaster and then dusted on the in- 

 sects. Applied wet, one pound should be mixed with twenty-five gallons 

 of water and this liquid applied as a spray. 



INSECT POWDER^ BUHACH, PYRETHRUM. 



This valuable remedy has one drawback, its cost. It is too expensive 

 for use on a large scale. It kills insects through their breathing pores, 

 but is harmless to man and beast. It will kill many of the insects of 

 the garden if dusted on or applied as a spray at the rate of one ounce 

 to two gallons of water. 



Use the powder when it is undesirable to use poison, but never buy 

 any unless it comes in tightly sealed packages. It loses its strength on 

 short exposure to the air. An hour will suffice to weaken it. It must 

 be applied from time to time, as it quickly loses its strength. 



aX)BACC0. 



Tobacco in the form of dust may be obtained of the large manufactur- 

 ers at a few cents a pound. 



It is useful in destroying root-lice, especially woolly-aphis, in young 

 trees, and in keeping insects from garden truck. For root-aphis, in- 

 corporate four to six handsfuls of tobacco dust into the soil about the 

 roots and induce a thrifty, healthy growth by using liberal quantities 

 of nitrate of soda or barnyard manure early in the spring. 



A strong infusion or tea made of waste will kill plant lice if sprayed 

 when they first apjjear. 



Nicotine is to be had now in concentrated form. It is more often 

 sold about 40% strong. This may be diluted many hundreds of times 

 before applying. As there is a diversity of grades and brands to be 

 had, it will be well to use the strength recommended by the makers. 



IIYDRATED LIME. 



Finely slaked lime is often useful because of its slight caustic proper- 

 ties. Against such larvae of saw-flies and beetles as are sticky, for in- 

 stance those of the cherry-slug and asparagus-beetle, it may be used as 

 a substitute for poison, if the latter, for some reason is undesirable. 



Stone lime may be slaked with a small amount of hot water, using just 

 enough to turn it to a dry powder. Such slaked lime is as fine as flour 

 and very soft to the touch, having very little grit. Use a metal pail or 

 kettle to slake in, as the heat may set fire to wood. Do not use too much 

 water, and where possible, use freshly burned lime. 



Hydrated lime may be used in making bordeaux-mixture, but it is not 

 as reliable as good, fresh, lump lime. It is less adhesive, not as strong 

 (so more should be used) and more expensive. The oue advantage is that 

 it is a little easier to use. 



Ground lime for making bordeaux-mixture acts exactly like lump lime, 

 if fresh, but this is difficult to determine as it is already in a powder. 



