le i el Be i ee ie 
53 
mechanical barrier than asa poison. I mean that the curculio reaches the plum and finds. 
it is covered with a rough substance and leaves it. I do not believe it eats the poison 
and suffers thereby, but I believe it merely leaves the tree. 
The Secretary.—Do you not think it eats the leaves that are poisoned % 
Mr. Bivivrs. do not think so. 
The Secretary.—It has been found by confining the curculio in a box that it will 
eat plum leaves. 
Mr. Bititups.—I have found the curculio eating paper, sawdust and many other things. 
too; they are very fond of destroying things. 
A MemBer.—What do you think they feed on? 
Mr. Bitturs.—I think the curculio has very little need of feeding ; I think all the 
feeding is done in the larval state. They will live six or eight months without eating. 
The Memper.—-Well, [ do not agree with that. Can you account for the numerous 
holes in the plum leaves ? 
Mr. Bittups.—I think the insects are trying to find a place to lay their eggs. 
Mr. Perrit.—Have you noticed any difference in different grades of Paris green with 
regard to its dissolving in water ? 
Mr. Bittups.—-No; I did not know that Paris green would dissolve at all; I thought 
it was merely a suspended solution. 
Tho SecreTary.—Yovu are correct in that, but perhaps the gentleman may mean that 
some grades are heavier than others. 
A Memser.—With some the water will remain clear and with others the water iz- 
green. With some grades the particles are large and with others small. 
Mr. Bittups.—That is because of some glutinous matter in the Paris green which 
‘sets together the grains, and that glutinous matter would not be dissolved by cold water, 
but I do not think that either hot or cold water will give a chemical solution of Paris green. 
A Memper.—How do you account for potato bugs being poisoned ? 
Mr. Bitturs.—If you notice the leaf of the plum tree or potato you will notice a well 
defined mark of the Paris green. Ina chemical solution it is combined with the water, in 
@ suspensory solution the water evaporates. The only object of mixing Paris green with 
water is to secure its even distribution over a large area. If it is necessary to have a 
ehemical solution the use of ammonia is requisite. 
The Presipent.—We have a geutleman here, Mr. Morden, who knows something of 
chemistry : perhaps he can tell us something about this matter. 
Mr. Morpen.—-It is generally understood that Paris green is not soluble in water. 
This year I used Paris green for the currant worm for which I had previously applied 
hellebore. I dissolved the paris green in ammonia and applied it at the rate of a tea- 
spoonful of Paris green to five gallons of water, just half the strength. I have been in the 
habit of applying it in the suspended state and I had good result. In the suspended solu- 
tion it settles in drops on the surface of the leaf, and a considerable portion of the Paris 
green settles in that particular drop, just as in a pail of water, and it consequently can- 
not be as effective, because the insect may traverse a considerable portion of the leaf before 
it reaches that part. I am so much satisfied with the results that next year I am going 
to apply no hellebore at all, but the ammoniacal solution of Paris green. 
Mr. Craic.—l fancy the reason you find greater effect from the ammoniacal solution 
is owing to the fact that more of the Paris green is brought into contact with the leaves 
than there would be in a suspended solution. 
Mr. Morpen.—Ammonia is one of the best tests of Paris green we have. Pure Paris 
green will dissolve without sediment, but there is no pure Paris green on the market. [ 
would not object to a small quantity of sediment, but I do not think there should be over 
one-tenth. 
