178 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



been called to the use of a banding substance termed Razzle 

 Dazzle, which has been employed to some extent on trees. 

 This substance was sent in to us from one of the towns in 

 the vicinity of Boston, with the report that it was doing 

 damage to trees. We made a test of the substance on various 

 herbaceous plants, and found that it killed them in a very 

 short time. The substance appears to be made of resin, castor 

 oil and some other oil-like petroleum which is injurious to 

 vegetable tissue. We found that Razzle Dazzle has altogether 

 too low a melting point. It commenced to run at about 90° E., 

 and flowed freely at 100° F. 



Bug Stop. — This substance is apparently made out of 

 resin, oil and some form of grease, which causes injury to 

 vegetable tissue. We found on testing this that it was very 

 similar in its effects on tissue to Razzle Dazzle, aud has a 

 melting point ranging from 79° to 91:° F. Besides the in- 

 jurious effects which it has on vegetable tissue, it has a melt- 

 ing point entirely too low to make it a desirable banding 

 substance. 



Printer's Inh and Tarred Paper. — Printer's ink applied 

 to tarred pa]3er has been used to some extent for many years 

 as a banding substance, and no ill results arising from its use 

 have met our observation. We find this substance used ex- 

 tensively in the city of Medford on General Lawrence's estate. 



Other Injurious Substances. — In one of the cities in the 

 neighborhood of Boston crude petroleum or gas oil, such as is 

 used in the manufacture of water gas, has been extensively 

 used in spraying the trunks of trees for the purpose of kill- 

 ing gypsy moth eggs. This substance penetrates the bark 

 very readily, and kills the vital layer. There are numerous 

 instances where trees have been completely girdled, and have 

 died in a very short time from the use of this substance. 



Gas oil and creosote are used extensively for treating gypsy 

 moth nests, and when mixed with lampblack they appear to 

 cause little or no injury. Both of these substances are capable 

 of causing injury to plants, either when used alone or when 

 mixed with lampblack. We have not discovered any injury 

 to trees from the use of these substances, however, when mixed 

 with lampblack and used as a paint for the treatment of gypsy 



