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The substance found most effective for the treatment of seed corn was a mixture 

 of oil of lemon and wood alcohol. To 1 gallon of wood alcohol add 1 pint of oil of 

 lemon, and sprinkle and thoroughly stir 3 fluid ounces — that is to say, 6 tablespoon- 

 fuls — of this mixture into each gallon of corn shortly before planting, making sure 

 that the fluid is equally distributed and that each kernel of corn has its proper 

 share. A thorough stirring after the application of the mixture is all that is neces- 

 sary. The odor of this compound, which will last for weeks in the ground, is 

 extremely offensive to the cornfield ant, and these insects will not enter corn hills as 

 long as it continues. As the root lice can not get access to the corn or maintain 

 themselves there except by the aid of the ants, the hills remain virtually free from 

 both insects for at least six weeks. 



The wood alcohol should not cost more than §1 a gallon nor the oil <if lemon more 

 than S2 a pint, and the above amount of the mixture will be sufficient to treat the 

 seed for 45 acres, making a cost for materials of less than 10 cents per acre. Care 

 should be taken to buy these substances from thoroughly reliable druggists, the oil 

 of lemon especially being subject to adulteration. If the mixture is not entirely 

 clear when shaken up the materials are imiuire. 



Doctor Forl)es has in some cases succeeded by this means in reducing 

 the number of root aphides 89 per cent and the number of ants 79 per 

 cent, which is certainly a very creditable showing for this mixture. 

 The mixture of wood alcohol and oil of lemon is so easily made and the 

 application so inexpensive and simple that it is to be hoped that farmers 

 who have suffered from the ravages of this pest will give the prepara- 

 tion a thorough trial in their fields. While local conditions may pre- 

 vent the putting into practice of any or all of the other measures of 

 relief here advised, it is difficult to conceive of a situation that woidd 

 prevent a farmer from treating his seed corn before planting, as 

 recommended. 



Approved: 



James Wilson, 



Seereta/'i/ of Agricidture. 



Washington, D. C, AjyrilS, 1907. 



[Cir. Wi] 



o 



