230 



HORTICULTURE 



March S. 1919 



THE ONION MAGGOT. 

 i II nhni uiii antiqua L.) 



The well known ''onion maggot" 

 which has caused such tremendous 

 damage throughout the country, and 

 particularly in certain onion-growing 

 sections for a considerable number of 

 years, is apparently a species which 

 has been introduced from Europe. 



Onion growers are thoroughly fa- 

 miliar with the "maggot" stage of this 

 pest, as it is found working in the 

 bulbs of the young or developing 

 onions. Probably few of our growers 

 are aware of the fact that the adult 

 stage of the "onion maggot" is a fly 

 about the size of the ordinary house 

 Hy, but with a slightly longer and more 

 pointed body, and is somewhat buff in 

 color. 



Our investigations have proven that 

 there are three broods of the onion fly 

 each summer. The adult flies of the 

 first brood generally lay their eggs 

 about the middle of April, or soon 

 thereafter. These eggs hatch to 

 "maggots" and after a few days pupate 

 for a short period, from whence issue 

 the adult flies late in May. These 

 adult flies again lay their eggs and 

 the entire life history is repeated as 

 above, a third brood family appearing 

 late in the summer. 



For many years no satisfactory rem- 

 edy had been determined for this se- 

 rious pest, although many efforts by 

 entomologists had been directed 

 toward the problem. All previous at- 

 tempts at the control of the pest have 

 been directed against the eggs or 

 larvae (maggots) already in the 

 ground, or in the bulb of the onion. 



After working out the life history 

 of this pest, and finding that three life 

 cycles occurred in this state, it seemed 

 reasonable that if we could find a 

 method to kill the adult female fly be- 

 fore the eggs were deposited, a rea- 

 sonable control might be secured. 



A poison bait spray was found 

 which was quite successful in attract- 

 ing and killing the adult flies. This 

 consisted of one-fourth of an ounce 

 of sodium arsenite or white arsenic 

 dissolved in one gallon of boiling 

 water to which one-half pint to a pint 

 of black New Orleans molasses was 

 added. This poison bait is made much 

 more attractive, as later experiments 

 show, by soaking chopped onions in 

 it for a time, until the bait acquires 

 a strong onion odor. 



Application of the bait is best se- 

 cured by sprinkling it in coarse drops 

 about the onion field and on adjacent 

 vegetation where the flies will be at- 

 tracted. No attempt should be made 

 to cover the plants with the spray 

 material, but rather large drops should 

 be sprinkled about, using a whisk 

 broom, or a coarse hand sprayer, so 

 that the flies will readily find the 

 drops and feed on them. 



Apply this poison bait twice a week 

 from the time the onions first appear 

 above the ground until along in June. 



Cabbage Maggot — A similar poison 

 bait made attractive by soaking 

 chopped radishes, cabbage or turnips 



MICHEL'S NEW CROP 



Asparagus Plumosus Nanus 



GREENHOUSE GROWN SEED 



1000 Seeds $3.00 10,000 Seeds $25.00 



5000 Seeds 13.75 25,000 Seeds 56.25 



LATHHOUSE GROWN SEED 



1000 Sped* $2.00 10,000 Seeds $18.50 



5000 Seeds 9.75 25,000 Seeds 43.75 



Special prices on larger quantities. 



* Also all other Seasonable Seeds, Bulbs 



and Supplies. SEND FOR OCR NEW 



WHOLESALE PRICE LIST IF YOU 

 HAVEN'T A COPY. 



HENRY F. MICHELL CO. 



518 MARKET ST.. 



PHILADELPHIA 



in it will act as an attractive poison 

 for the adults of the destructive cab- 

 bage and radish maggot, which has 

 similar habits, although a different 

 species. J. G. Sanders. 



Economic Zoologist, State Department of 

 Agriculture, Harrisbug, Pa. 



CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



William Tricker, Arlington, N. J. 

 Descriptive circular of water lilies. 



N. A. Hallauer, Ontario, N. Y. — Se- 

 lect List of Gladioli, Dahlias, Roses, 

 Hardy Plants and Shrubs, Spring, 1919. 



John Connon Co., Hamilton, Ont. — 

 Wholesale Price List of Plants, Bulbs, 

 Trees, Roses, Shrubs, Vines and Per- 

 ennials, Spring 1919. 



Williams Seed Co., Norfolk. Va — 

 Annual catalogue, 1919. A full list of 

 vegetable and garden seeds and gar- 

 den requisites, illustrated. 



J. Bolgiano & Son, Baltimore, Md. — 

 Special February edition Bolgiano's 

 "Big Crop" Seeds. This edition lists 

 vegetable and grass seeds exclusively. 



Elm City Nursery Co., New Haven, 

 Ct. — 1919 Price List of choice trees, 

 evergreens, shrubs, vines, roses, etc. A 

 carefully compiled list of choice ma- 

 terial. 



J. J. Broomall, Eagle Rock, Cal. — 

 Dahlia Guide, 1919. A comprehensive 

 list of the many varieties of dahlias, 

 including a history of this popular 

 flower. 



Peter Henderson & Co., New York 

 City. — Henderson's Farmers' Manual. 

 1919. Grasses, field corn, etc., are ful- 

 ly listed, also miscellaneous agricul- 

 tural seeds. 



S. S. Pennock Co.. Philadelphia, Pa. 

 — Original and Exclusive Designs in 

 Florists' Fancy Baskets. A very com- 

 plete list of the very latest in florists' 

 baskets, fully illustrated. 



Fraser Nursery Co., Huntsville, Ala. 

 — February Surplus List, for nursery- 

 men and dealers only. The list in- 

 cludes fruit trees, small fruits, ever- 

 greens, shrubs, shade and ornamental 

 trees. 



Mr. Walker's 15th catalogue, and 

 some choice dahlias are described and 

 illustrated therein, as well as cultural 

 notes. 



D. Hill Nursery Co., Dundee, 111 — 

 Hill's Spring 1919 Wholesale Trade 

 List for Nurserymen, Florists, Seeds- 

 men and Dealers. A well arranged 

 and fully illustrated catalogue by this 

 well-known house, founded in 1855. 



Vaughan's Seed Store. New York 

 City. — Annual Spring Catalogue, 1919. * 

 This enterprising seed house has been 

 in business for forty-two years. This 

 year's catalogue fully describes the 

 best in vegetable and garden seeds. 



A. E. Kunderd, Goshen. Ind. — Kun- 

 derd's Gladiolus. 1919. This is the sec- 

 ond edition of this catalogue, beauti- 

 fully illustrated. A great many new 

 varieties are listed, and gladiolus lov- 

 ers will find much to interest them. 



Bobbink & Atkins, Rutherford. N. J. 

 — World's Choicest Roses Grown in 

 America. A beautifully printed rose 

 catalogue profusely illustrated. In ad- 

 dition, a supplementary list has been 

 sent out. enumerating varieties not 

 listed in this catalogue, making in all 

 a most complete collection. 



Currie Bros. Co.. Milwaukee. Wis. — 

 I'urrie's Farm and Garden Annual. 

 Spring, 1919. This is the 44th year 

 of this enterprising seed house, whose 

 growth has been steady all the while. 

 The present catalogue of 100 pages is 

 profusely illustrated, nasturtiums in 

 color adorning the front cover and a 

 basket of vegetables on the back 

 cover. 



George H. Walker, North Dighton, 

 Mass.— Choice Dahlias. 1919. This is 



PATENTS GRANTED 



1.291.772. Cultivator. George A. Cur- 

 rier, St. Louis. Mo. 



1.291,882. Seed-Planter. William A. 

 Hicks, Chillicothe. 111. 



1.291,973. Seed-Planting Device. Wal- 

 lace McLaughlin, Fort Scott. Kas. 



1.291.995. Seed-Drill. Nels Melland. 

 Sawyer. Wis. 



1.292.082. Seed-Tape Planter. Paul 

 T. Sanford. Bemidji, Minn. 



1,292,306. Attachment for Seed-Drills. 

 Dayton H. Gilson. Rushville, Ind. 



1.292,376. Weed-Puller. Alfred L. 

 Romero, Oakland, Cal. 



1,292.704. Garden-Tool. George K. 

 Caviness, Seymour, Iowa. 



