98 THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 



Station, referring to the application of the mixture, states : " The damp mash or 

 bait should be sown broadcast in the infested areas early in the morning, on about 

 the time the grasshoppers are beginning to move about from their night's rest. It 

 should be scattered in such a manner as to cover five acres with the amount of bait 

 made by using the quantities of ingredients given in the above formula. Since 

 very little of the bran is eaten after it becomes dry, scattering it broadcast in the 

 morning, and very thinly, places it where the largest number will find it in the 

 shortest time. Sowing it in this manner also makes dt impossible for birds, 

 barnyard fowls, or live stock to secure a sufficient amount of the poison to kill them. 

 Inasmuch as the poisoned bait does not act quickly it will be from two to four days 

 before the grasshoppers are found dead, and these will be more numerous in the 

 sheltered places. It does not require much of the poison to kill them. Even a 

 small portion from one of the poisoned flakes will be sufficient to cause death." 



In view of the remarkable success in Kansas in the control of locusts, by 

 adding to the poisoned bran the juice of lemons or oranges, the Entomologicial 

 Branch decided to test out this remedy, near Ottawa, and also to experiment with 

 other mixtures. These experiments were conducted at Bowesville, where a large 

 section of the country is heavily infested with these insects. The results obtained 

 were indeed very promising and would indicate that the Kansas formula, partic- 

 ularly when lemons are used, will be found of equal value in Canada, at least in 

 the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. In addition to the Bowesville experiments, 

 applications were also made, under our direction, in Quebec Province near St. 

 Etienne de Gres where locusts have been extremely destructive, and owing to which 

 farms, on which the insects have been breeding for several years, have been 

 abandoned. 



The initial Bowesville experiments were conducted on the farm of Mr. 

 Freeman, Sr., and we are particulady grateful for assistance received from Mr. 

 Dowler Freeman. On June 18, I visited Bowesville and arranged to treat five 

 different fields, of about four or five acres each, with the following mixture? : 



Field No. 1— Bran 20 lbs. 



Paris green 1 lb. 



Molasses 2 qts. 



Bananas 3 



Water 31/2 gals. 



Field No. 2. — Same as 1 with juice of 3 lemons instead of 3 bananas. 



Field No. 3^ — iSame as 1 with juice of 3 oranges instead of 3 bananas. 



Field No. 4 — Same as 1 but with no fruit and instead of Z>V'> gals, of water, 3 gallons 



and 1 half gallon of coal oil. 

 Field No. 5— 'Griddle Mixture. 



These five mixtures were applied as soon after the above date as weather and 

 time would permit. The locusts were very numerous and only a few, compara- 

 tively, had wings. The mixtures were broadcasted early in the morning and 

 counts were made four days later in all the fields except that in which the mixture 

 containing the oranges was used. Unfortunately, owing to a misunderstanding no 

 counts were made in this field. The following are the results obtained: 



Field No. 1 — 35 to 75 dead locusts to the square yard. 

 ' " " 2 — ^50 to 414 dead to the square yard. 



" " 4 — 'Average 35 dead to the square yard. 

 " " 5 — Average 50 dead to the square yard. 



As regards the mixtures containing the fruit, that with lemons will probably 

 give the best results. This fruit too is easily squeezed and of course, is cheaper 

 than oranges. 



