34 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA : 



glass houses, the old-fashioned, but wonderfully successful, 

 Gishurst compound is to be highly recommended. Unfor- 

 tunately, in roses, the tiny beasts get right into the centre 

 of the blooms, thus rendering the task of successful spray- 

 ing even with tobacco or kerosene exceedingly difficult. 

 I have great hopes that suitable light canvas covers 

 may be successfully used, as cyanide gas, if applied 

 by an expert, would be the most effective way of dealing 

 with them ; where the most careful spraying would fail 

 to come in contact with the insects, the gas would be 

 almost instantaneous. 



Various materials have been recommended for use as 

 mulching, but where it is to be obtained grass hay 

 is the cleanest and best, and is not likely to be 

 scraped away by birds. Stable manure, although most 

 useful and desirable, is a harbour for thrips, flies, and 

 other insects, so that, in rose gardens at any rate, the use 

 of crushed bones would be preferable. In trying to avoid 

 the attacks of thrips, some growers have resorted to blood 

 manure and other powerful soil stimulants, but with roses 

 especially these must be used with some discretion. 



In America, the favourite spray for thrips is whale-oil 

 soap, one pound to each gallon of water used, and applied 

 at a temperature of 130 degrees Fahr. According to the 

 California Fruit Grower, the use of lime in the following 

 proportions has been highly recommended : — 35 lbs. of lime 

 to 100 gallons of water. Where requisite, a stronger spray 

 from 50 to 15 lbs. of lime to the 100 gallons of water, was 

 used with the best results. In Victoria, we have had the 

 best results with benzole soap, the preparation suggested 

 by this Branch, and manufactured by Mr. S. Lowe, of 

 Victoria-street, Abbotsford, under the name of " Benzole 

 Emulsion." 



The thrips question is even now a very serious one, 

 as so large a number of plants are subject to its 

 attacks, and no one knows where the trouble is going 

 to end. It behoves all growers to look this trouble 



