RF.PORT OF THE -ENTOMOT.OGIST. 275 



penso, such as spreading a thick coatLujj; of salt over the ground, &c. I therefore 

 tried hard to find a repellent or proventive to keep them, if possible, from either 

 climbing on or cutting the plants. This conld be done only by dusting or sprink- 

 ling. I therefore made powders of different strength with limo and coal-tar, which 

 are obnoxious to most insects, avoiding, however, making them too strong lest tho 

 crop might be injured. The people all agreed with me that if these powders had been 

 put on about three or four weeks previous, when tho skin of the caterpillars was 

 young and tender, it would have killed them and saved tho crop ; but it was hard to 

 inake it stick without wetting the leaves, and the people in their present disheartened 

 state, I knew, would not undertake to do it. This wetting could have been done 

 easily from the ditches when the plants were about 3 or 4 inches high and the grubs 

 small and tender, but now at this date the young onions are largo, over a foot high, 

 and spread about, and the watering would involve a great deal of labor. I next made 

 solutions of alum and also of niter (nitrate of potash) separately, and combined in 

 equal proportions— made my formulas by weighing the quantity and measuring tho 

 water. This also was only partially successful, and of course I conld not recommend 

 it. I next tried a solution of soft soap, which, by reason of the caustic potash which 

 it contains, is an excellent insecticide. This proved very good. I sprinkled the 

 solution on six rows across a lot by means of a whitewash brush, and when we went 

 out at night to try its effects we could only find three small worms eating on the six 

 rows. I made this solution on the 24th instant, at 11 a. m., and to try its eflcct I 

 wetted about half a pint of the worms on a piece of old sacking cloth, and in about 

 twenty minutes they all appeared dead. This gave great encouragement. I kept 

 them till next day and on coming away at 9 o'clock all who saw them agreed they 

 were dead. Certainly the solution was strong — about a quart of soft soap to about 

 7 quarts of water. I also tried a strong solution of kerosene and soft soap— 1 pound 

 of soap boiled in 3 quarts of water and 1 quart of kerosene added and stirred into it. 

 I put 1 quart of this mixture to 4 quarts of water and sprinkled it on with a brush. 

 I thought perhaps the kerosene would kill the onions, but it did not, and what ap- 

 pears strange, it did not seem to have much better effect than the soit soap alone. 



I also tested soft soap and Paris green, soft soap and tar-lime powder. These were 

 very good, but could not say that onions were entirely free from worms. 



The remedies I have recommended are as follows : 



Soon after the onion crop has been gathered lot a good coating of gas-houno lime 

 and salt be spread over the ground. Let these lie two or three weeks and then be 

 lightly plowed in and han'owed thoroughly so as to mix well with the soil. Also 

 the drains or open ditches must be cleaned up in the fall of all grass and weeds, and 

 the sod which had been suffered to grow out 4 or 5 feet in some places must be 

 plowed off or skinned off with the spade and then burned. I was told they must 

 leave a foot or more to keep the frost from crumbling down tho edge. " Very well," 

 I said, '•' then let a sprinklmg of salt or gas-house lime be put over the sod as well as 

 over the rest of the ground." These ashes must be gathered up and kept dry till 

 spring and though not nearly so good as wood ashes will servo a good purpose. In 

 early spring, or before, these people must procure a sufficient quantity of wood ashes 

 and mix in the proportion of about one of wood to about four of sod ashes, and this 

 quantity then well mixed with at least one-half its bulk of fresh slaked lime. After 

 plowing in the spring and just before sowing the seed, these ashes and lime must be 

 spread over the ground and harrowed in. It would also be tlie better at the same 

 time for another light dressing of salt. The gas-house lime must be in a fine state, and 

 not iJut on, as we often see it, in large lumps. 



To those who cannot get enough of gas-house limo, I have recommended a good 

 substitute, namely, gas-tar. This can easily be reduced to a fine powder by running it 

 into a bed of sand, sawdust, or dry peat gathered from the surface with hoes. After 

 absorbing all it will take in, it can easily be reduced to a fine powder and can be 

 spread equally and very readily over the ground. This also will destroy both eggs 

 and larva of all moths and other insects. 



Both lime and ashes are excellent as a manure for onions, and I think together with 

 the salt and gas lime, which will be given in the fall, will yield a plentiful croj) 

 without the stable or New York manure ; besides, insects cannot breed inthese mate- 

 rials. 



To those who cannot procure the above-mentioned remedies I would ejimestly 

 recommend a change of crop, for one year at least, especially in those plats which are 

 badly infested with either Cut-worm or maggot. 



I have no doubt but great numbers of tho i)arent moths could be trapped dnrinff 

 the summer by flambeaus and torches and four-faced lanterns, but I think this will 

 not bo necessary if the means of the destruction of the worms wliich I have recom- 

 mended, be fully carried out. 



I am, sir, most respoctftilly yours, 



THOMAS BENNETT. 



Prof. C. V. Rmer, 

 U. S. Entomologist. 



