PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



435 



ti tin can with a cover that screwed on. Tlie two kerosene liquids both killed 

 the lice most thoroughly. Indeed, after their use it was hard to find a live 

 louse. The foliage, however, when the soap liquid was used, seemed much 

 brighter than did that treated with the milk. Indeed, I think this soap and 

 kerosene mixture applied with a force pump, with a cyclone nozzle, or bv 

 use of a spraying bellows, so that it surely is dashed against the insects, is 

 going to prove one of our best insecticides. The foliage brightens up at once, 

 as if the bath was most agreeable and life giving. 



Prof. W. W. Tracy reports that bisulphide of carbon, which we nave found 

 80 effective in our battle with such insects as the cabbage maggot, that work 

 underground, is not effective in clay soil, and that it does sometimes injure 

 very vigorous, rapid growing plants. We have not noticed any harm from its 

 use, but we have tried the kerosene and soap mixture with great success. It 

 kills the insects and does no injury to the plants. This is also cheaper and 

 more easily procured than is the bisulphide. The fact, too, that this is non- 

 explosive is in its favor. Carelessness might cause serious injury from the 

 presence of the bisulphide. We have invented an instrument to apply such a 

 mixture. 



It is possible that by use of this instrument and the kerosene and soap mix- 

 ture, the work of fighting successfully the old peach borer will be considera- 

 bly lightened. 



INSTRUMENT DESCRIBED. 



Take a 1^ inch gas pipe ten inches long (Fig. 13), and get a blacksmith to 

 I fashion four inches at one end into the form of a cone. Two 

 [inches from the point of the cone drill a one-half inch hole 

 at c through one side of the pipe, and four inches above 

 I this a second hole the same size. Screw into the upper end 

 of this a three-quarter inch gas pipe {g) twenty inches long. 

 On the side of this get a tinner to strap a gallon tin can (J) 

 with a tight screw cover. Connect the can from the bot- 

 tom by use of a tin tube with the upper pole made through 

 the larger piece of gas pipe. Inside the larger gas pipe fit a 

 piston i^A) with a rod {D) which shall reach through the 

 smaller gas pipe and have a convenient ring at the end of 

 riiis rod to grasp with the hand. When the piston is pushed 

 down it shuts the opening from the gallon can, so that any 

 liquid in the latter can not pass out. If the piston is raised. 

 the liquid at once runs into the hollow cone, when by push- 

 ling down the piston it is forced out the hole at c, and at the 

 I same time the opening is again closed. By use of a T joint 

 [afoot rest can be attached to the side of the larger piece 

 Fig. 12. of gas pipe {G) which may be useful in pushing the point 



into the ground, and holding the instrument down as we raise the piston. Of 

 course earth will fill the hole in the conical point, but as the piston is forced 

 down this will be crowded out. 



This will be used much as we manipulate the common hand corn-planter, 

 and by its use kerosene can easily and quickly be made to kill such insects as 

 root lice, cabbage and radish maggots, strawberry crown borers and girdlers, 

 etc. I think by having the instrument made with care it may be economically 

 used to apply bisulphide of carbon in like cases. 



