1903 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 65 



watering-pot, but the sime projjortion of the salt to the space must be preserved, viz. 1 pound 

 to the square rod. 



Root Crops. 



Roots in most places were an excellent crop throughout the province, but there were 

 various injuries from insects. The Cabbage or Radish Maggot {Anthomijia radioim, Bouche) 

 did much injury to turnips as well as to cabbages and cauliflowers in gardens. It was, how- 

 ever, irregular in its occurrence, doing much harm in one place, while in another very clo.se to 

 its it hardly appeared at all. The Onion Maggot {Phorbia ceparum, Meigen) appeared in the 

 same irregular manner but was the cause of more loss, some fields of onions being entirely des-. 

 troyed. We have still to find a satisfactory remedy for these troublesome root maggots. In, 

 the case of the Cabbage Maggot when attacking cabbages or cauliflowers, the best remedy is, 

 undoubtedly the application of the disks of tarred paper recommended by Prof. Slingerland, 

 We have now used them at the Central Experimental Farm for several years and always with 

 great satisfaction. Where these have not been put on early, a remedy which may be used is 

 to pour a small quantity of a strong decoction of pyrethrum insect powder (4 ozs. to the gallon 

 of water) around the root of each plant after drawing away the earth right down to the root- 

 lets ; the earth must then be put back again. Half a teacupful will be sufficient for each 

 plant. For onions and radishes, dusting white hellebore along the rows, as soon as the young 

 plants appear, has given good results when the insects are not abnormally abundant. Kerosene 

 euiulsion has also been used by some people with satisfaction. For garden radishes, undoubt- 

 edly the best application is Prof. Cook's Carbolic Wash, made by adding one quart of soft soap 

 (or one pound of hard soap) to a gallon of water ; heat to the boiling point, and then add half, 

 a pint of crude carbolic acid. When required for use, take one part of this mixture to fifty of 

 water and sprinkle directly upon the growing plants once a week from the time they appear 

 above the ground. The chief trouble in the case of root maggots is that gardeners trust too 

 much to chance that the plants will not be attacked ; but, as a matter of fact, in every part of 

 Ontario it must be expected that cabbages, radishes and onions will be attacked, and, unless 

 preventive measures are adopted, there will be considerable loss every year. 



Some experiments undertaken by Mr, W. T. Macoun, the Horticulturist of the Central 

 Experimental Farm, during the past summer with the object of producing early tobacco and 

 vegetables of high quality, have an important entomological bearing, which is well worthy of 

 mention here. An enclosure was made with a light frame work of wood six feet in height and 

 covered entirely on the top and along the sides with cheese cloth. In this tent tobacco and 

 various kinds of vegetables were sown or planted, and a similar duplicate plot was also plantecj 

 just outside, with the same conditions of soil and soil moisture. The rows of this plot were 

 practically in continuation of the rows within the enclosure. The experiment was very satis, 

 factory as far as forcing all the plants grown to earlier maturity ; but the important observation 

 was made by Mr. Macoun that this cheap protection prevented entirely the attacks of many 

 kinds of injurious insects. Radishes, onions, cabbages and cauliflowers were absolutely free 

 from root maggots. Nothing was attacked by the troublesome Tarnished Plant-bug {Lygus 

 pratensis, L.), or the Four-lined Leaf-bug {Poecllocapsus lineatus, Fab.), and cucurbits of all 

 kinds were entirely free from injury by the Striped Cucumber Beetle. In fact, this experi- 

 ment has furnished us with a sure means of growing many vegetables of which, from the difli- 

 culty of getting them in perfect condition, gardeners had in some places given up the cultiva- 

 ion. This is particularly the case with cauliflowers, ftabbages, radishes and onions, and other 

 plants of only moderate height, which could be entirely protected by a frame-work only three 

 feet high and three feet wide for single rows. With such a covering it would be impossible to 

 cultivate between the rows ; but the cost of building an enclosure in which a man could work 



with ease and where several hundreds of plants could be grown, is so little, that paying results 

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