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Much information is now in demand con- 

 cerning m>?ic)i, 7iou', and what solution to 

 use in spraying, to kill noxious insects. 

 The following valuable article on this sub- 

 ject is from the American Agriculturist 

 for May, and will answer hundreds of ques- 

 tions in the minds of our readers, or which 

 have been sent to this office for reply : 



The spraying machine has become a rec- 

 ognized part of the equipment of the suc- 

 cessful farmer and gardener. The uses to 

 which it can be put are being increased 

 yearly, and the indications now are that 

 within a few years we shall be able with it 

 to combat successfully the great majority 

 of insects and fungous diseases attacking 

 field, fruit and vegetable crops. There is a 

 great variety of spraying-machines now on 

 the market, the majority of which do effec- 

 tive work. The main points of a successful 

 outfit are that the pump shall be strong, 

 durable and easy to work, but throw a 

 forcible stream ; that the nozzle shall pro- 

 ject a fine spray a considerable distance, 

 and be so constructed that the size and 

 quality of the stream can be regulated at 

 the will of the operator. In these days, 

 when so many people are using or getting 

 ready to use copper-sulphate solutions as 

 fungicides, it is desirable that the parts of 

 the pump touched by the spraying-fluid be 

 made of brass, as the copper solutions cor- 

 rode iron. 



INSECTICIDES TO USE. 



A large proportion of the insecticides 

 now in use may be appUed with the spray- 

 ing-machine. The most important of these 

 are the arsenites, Paris-green or London 

 purple; but there are also many others, 

 including hellebore, pyrethrum, and kero- 

 sene emulsion, which are especially effec- 

 tive when applied in a water spray. 



Pakis Gheen' is a chemical combination 

 of arsenic and copper, containing about 55 

 per cent, of arsenic. It is practically 

 insoluble in water. For spraying apples, 

 pears, cherries of the varieties resembling 

 Early Richmond in foliage, and the so- 

 called foreign varieties of plums, it may be 

 used in the proportion of one ounce to 10 

 gallons of water, or a quarter of a pound 

 to a 40-gallon barrel. It may be used 

 against a large number of insects, includ- 

 ing the codlin-moth, plum-curculio, canker- 

 worm, leaf-rollers, potato-beetles, and, in 

 fact, nearly all biting insects infesting 

 plants to which poisons may safely be 

 applied. The Paris gieen-and-water mix- 

 ture must be constantly stirred, to prevent 

 the poison settling to the bottom of the 

 vessel. 



London Pitrple contains nearly the same 

 per cent, of arsenic as Paris green. It is 

 cheaper, and remains in suspension better, 

 but is generally considered to be more 

 liable to scorch foliage. It may be used in 

 the same proportion as Paris green, and is 

 applicable to the same trees and for the 

 same insects. 



Heli-ebore is a vegetable poison, but 

 much less dangerous than the mineral 

 arsenical poisons, and it kills insects both 

 by contact and by being eaten. It may be 

 applied in water mixture, in the proportion 

 of 1 ounce to 3 gallons, or a pound to a 

 barrel. It is especially valuable for 

 destroying the imported currant-worm, the 

 cherry-and-rose-slugs. It usually retails at 

 about 25 cents per pound. 



Kerosene Emulsion is made by adding 

 2 parts of kerosene to one part of a solu- 



tion made by dissolving half a pound of 

 hard soap in one gallon of boiling water, 

 and churning the mixture through a force- 

 pump with a rather small nozzle until the 

 whole forms a creamy mass which will 

 thicken into a jelly-like substance on cool- 

 ing. The soap solution should be hot when 

 the kerosene is added, but of course, must 

 not be near a fire. The emulsion thus made 

 is to be diluted before using, with 9 parts 

 of cold water. This substance destroys a 

 large number of insects, such as the chinch- 

 bug, cabbage-worm, and white grub, and is 

 a comparatively cheap and effective insec- 

 ticide. 



Pyketiirum is an insecticide made from 

 the powdered flowers of plants of the genus 

 Pyrethrum. There are three principal 

 brands upon the market, known as Persian 

 insect-powder, Dalmatian insect-powder, 

 and Buhach, the latter being a California 

 product. The greatest obstacle to the use 

 of pyrethrum has been the difficulty of 

 obtaining the pure, fresh article. If ex- 

 posed to the air, the poisonous principle 

 volatilizes, and the powder is worthless. 

 Hence, dealers should purchase a fresh 

 supply each season, and should keep it in 

 air-tight vessels. Pyrethrum is used mainly 

 either as a dry powder or in water (1 ounce 

 to 3 gallons) , but may also be used in the 

 form of a tea, or a decoction, a fume, or an 

 alcoholic extract diluted. For use as a dry 

 powder it may advantageously be diluted 

 with 6 or 8 parts of flour. It is especially 

 exceUeut for clearing rooms of flies and 

 mosquitoes, and for killing the common 

 cabbage-worm. It is practically harmless 

 to man and the higher animals. 



CROPS TO SPRAT. 



The following crops are among the more 

 important which may advantageously be 

 sprayed to prevent insect injury : 



Apple. — Spray for codlin-moth and cur- 

 culios soon after blossoms have fallen, 

 when apples are from the size of a pea to 

 that of a hickory-nut, with London pur- 

 ple or Paris gi'een, one ounce to 10 gallons 

 of water. Repeat application in a week or 

 10 days. 



Plum. — Spray foreign varieties (Lom- 

 bard, Green Gage, etc.) soon after the 

 blossoms have falle7i, with London purple 

 or Paris green, 1 ounce to 10 gallons of 

 water. Repeat the applications once or 

 twice at intervals of 10 days. Varieties 

 of the Wild Goose class are almost as ten- 

 der in foliage as the peach, and should be 

 sprayed carefully, and with a weak mix- 

 ture, if at all. 



Cherry.— If cherries are generally 

 "wormy," spray Early Richmond, and 

 varieties similar in foliage, with London 

 purple or Paris green (1 ounce to 10 gal- 

 lons of water) soon after the blossoms fall. 

 Repeat the application once or twice at 

 intervals of a week or 10 days. 



Peach.— If sprayed at all, this fruit 

 should be treated very carefully. Do not 

 use London purple, but rather Paris green, 

 seeing that it is kept constantly stirred, and 

 do not use a solution stronger than 1 ounce 

 to 15 gallons of water. Spray late in the 

 afternoon, after the blossoms haite fallen. 



Cabbage.- To destroy the cabbage-worm, 

 spray with pyrethrum, a pound to a barrel 

 of water, at intervals of a week or 10 days, 

 from the time the worms appear until the 

 crop is ready to harvest. 



Foiil Itrood, so-called, is reported in 

 many places, and F. I. Sage & Son, of 

 Wethersfield, Conn., on AprQ 34, 1890, 

 write as follows : 



We have read much about foul brood ; 

 still we know but little about its manage- 

 ment. We would like to hear from some 

 one or more as to what is the best thing to 

 do now — this spring— to eradicate it from 

 a yard. Will it not be better to begin 

 operations before the bees get to breeding 

 very much ? or would it be best to make 

 one grand pile of bees, hives and fixings, 

 and have a grand illumination — in other 

 words, are they worth fussing with '. We 

 would like to hear from those who have 

 been successful in eradicating this disease 

 from a yard. 



Advice will vary by our readers ; but our 

 opinion is that when the disease has a good 

 hold, it will not pay to " fuss " with cures. 

 The best way is to commit the whole to the 

 flames. 



Liuclc. — Bees can be kept by most per- 

 sons, but there are some so careless and 

 negligent that they would have "no luck." 

 These "bad luck" fellows cannot have a 

 gai-den, for the weeds grow up and choke 

 it; no corn, for the hogs will get in and 

 destroy it; no wheat, for the cattle tramp 

 it down on account of poor fences ; while 

 the bees will not succeed as well as these 

 others, on the " let alone " plan. — Selected. 



In our notice of the loss by fire of 

 G. B. Lewis & Co.'s factory last week, we 

 relied upon the telegraphic reports in the 

 daily papers, when stating that their stock 

 of hives, sections, etc., were all destroyed. 

 We find that they had a large stock stored 

 in a warehouse which was not destroyed, 

 and are very glad to make this correction. 



Xlie Report of the proceedings of the 

 20th annual session of the International 

 American Bee- Association contains, besides 

 the interesting report, the new songs and 

 music then used, and engravings of the 

 present officers as well as the retiring ones. 

 In all, it contains 36 pages. It is for sale 

 at this office. The price is S5 cents, post- 

 paid. 



Convention I^otices. 



I^ew ^'ataloRiies and Price-Lists for 

 1890 are received from — 



J. B. Mason & Sons, Mechanic Falls, Me. 

 —16 pages— Bee-Keepers' Supplies. 



J. H. M. Cook, 78 Barclay St., N. Y.— 4 

 pages — Supplies for Bee-Keepers. 



t^r The next meeting of the Carolina Bee-Keep- 

 erS^Association will be held in Charlotte. N. C., on 

 Thursday, J uly 17, 1890. N. P. Ltles. bcc. 



»»- The spring meeting of the Northern Illinois 

 Bflp-Keeoers' Association, will meet at the residence 

 M?-lWr, in Cherry Valley, IHs.. on May ..th. 



ZW The 12th annual session of the Texas State 

 Bee-Keepers' Association, will be held at (^reen- 

 vme. Hu?,t Co., Texas, on May 7 ""I «• l|«i- A" ">■ 

 terested are invited. J. N. UUNTEB, ifc. 



1^- The next annual meeting of the York and 

 Cumberland Bee-Keepers' Association, will be held 

 at Buxton Centre, Maine, on May 10, 1890, sessions 

 Rt 9am and 2 p.m. An interesting programme is 

 assured 'a cordial invitation is extended to all 

 fnterested to be present. C. W. Costellow, Sec. 



B^-The spring meeting of the Capital Bee-Keepers' 

 AsMiciation will be held in the Supervisor's Room 

 of ?heCou?t House at Springfield Ills at lO a.m., 

 on May 7, 1890. The foll.iwing subjects will be dis- 

 cussed- "Production and Care of Comb Honey." by 

 iHsA Stone: "Prevention of After-Swarms." by A. 

 Lewi?; and •••Creating a Home Market," by G V. 



