STATli POMOLOGICAI, S0CIE;TY. 121 



Mr. Wooster: iMr. Kirkland's talk on the subject of fer- 

 tilization is especially applicable to the apple, pear and plum 

 trees. Now that he has told us how our friends among the 

 insects help us, perhaps he will tell us how to destroy our ene- 

 mies in that family. 



Mr. D. p. True : What is the poison for the gypsy moth 

 which the Commission is using? I have not heard of any one in 

 Maine using it, and I should like to know more about it. 



Mr. Kirki^and: It is certainly a pity if it is not used in 

 Maine, for it is very effective. We use four or five tons of the 

 poison every year on the gypsy moth, and get first-class results. 

 W^e manufacture it ourselves, using sugar of lead and arsenate 

 of soda. Dissolve the sugar of lead in water in a dish, 

 dissolve the arsenate of soda in a separate dish and pour 

 the two together. This gives a white precipitate, lead 

 arsenate ; about 1 1 parts of sugar of lead to 4 of arsenate of 

 soda is the proportion. This lead arsenate is very sticky, and 

 adheres to the leaves like death. This poison is now in the mar- 

 ket and can be obtained of Swift & Co., Boston, and of the Bow- 

 ker Fertilizer Co., of New York. They put it up in paste form in 

 size suitable for the small orchardist. It is best for those who 

 have large orchards to buy the ingredients and prepare the poi- 

 son themselves. Get your druggist to weigh out your lead and 

 sodium arsenate in packages, parts 11-4, dissolve in separate 

 dishes and mix. This precipitate should be dissolved in water, 

 proportion about one pound of lead arsenate to 10 gallons 

 w^ater, though we have made it one pound to four gallons water 

 and found it did no harm. The cost is about the same as Paris 

 green, but the labor is much less and the results far more satis- 

 factory. The lead arsenate applied in tlie spring will last until 

 the fall, and kill all insects coming in contact with it. Paris 

 green loses its eiTect after each rain and in the end does not 

 bring as good results and causes much more labor. 

 A Member: Will it injure animals? 



Mr. Kirkland: No, not as a rule. Some few instances 

 have been known as where a cow was tethered to an apple tree 

 lately sprayed, and could only feed on the grass directly beneath. 

 The cow was sick, but did not die. I also believe on one occa- 

 sion, some hens died from an over-dose of lead arsenate, but 

 with a little care there is no fear of harm. 



