New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 475 



One of the principal difficulties in the waj of obtaining good 

 results with the so called whale-oil soaps, is the fact that much 

 of the soap of this nature sold on the market is of little or no 

 value as an insecticide. Among the brands of whale-oil soap 

 which have proven satisfactory in the hands of careful experi- 

 menters is that known as Good's Caustic Potash Whale Oil Soap 

 No. 3, manufactured by James Good, 514-518 Hurst Street, Phila- 

 delphia, Pa. Also Leggett and Brother's Anchor Brand whale 

 oil soap, manufactured by Leggett and Brother, 301 Pearl Street, 

 New York. The price of strictly first class whale-oil soap varies 

 from 3^ to 4 cents per pound in wholesale quantities. 



It is sometimes desirable to make the soap at home. Accord- 

 ing to Lodeman* a good fish-oil soap may be made after the 

 following formula: 



Crystal potash lye 1 pound. 



Fish oil 3 pints. 



Soft water 3 gallons. 



" Dissolve the lye in the water, and when boiling add the oil 

 and boil for two hours." 



Tobacco. — As an insecticide tobacco has a wide range of use- 

 fulness. It may be used dry or in the form of a decoction. If 

 used dry it should be finely powdered, the finer the better. To- 

 bacco decoction may be made after the following formula: 



Refuse tobacco 1 pound. 



Water 2 to 3 gallons. 



The mixture should boil for thirty minutes or more, or until 

 a dark brown tea results. It should be kept covered until cool 

 and may be sprayed, undiluted, upon the infested plants. 



Concentrated extract of tobacco. — There are several preparations 

 of this nature now on the market each of which is sold under a 

 different name. A brand called " Nikoteen," manufactured by 

 the Skabcura Dip Co., Ninety-ninth Street and Torrence Avenue, 

 Chicago, 111., has been used at the Station with excellent results. 

 This insecticide may be used either in the form of a vapor or as 

 a spray. For use in the latter form against plant lice, 1 part 

 nikoteen to 600 parts water is recommended. 



• Spraying of Plants, p. 14«. 



