48 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 157. 



Relative Cost of the Spraying Materials. 

 An absolute comparison of the prices of the three spraying materials is 

 not possible for the reason that they are not all sold in similar quantities. 

 A fairly good idea of the relative cost of the "Nico-Fume" Liquid and the 

 "Black Leaf 40," however, may be had from the figures which follow, 

 which indicate the cost per ounce of these materials in each of the quan- 

 tities in which they are on the market. 



"Black Leaf 40." 

 One ounce in ^ pound costs 10.62 cents. 

 One ounce in 24 pounds costs 8.12 cents. 

 One ounce in lOi pounds costs 7.44 cents. 



" Nico-Funie'' Liquid. 

 One ounce in i pint costs 11.76 cents. 

 One ounce in 1 pint costs S.82 cents. 

 One ounce in § gallon costs 8.08 cents. 

 One ounce in 1 gallon costs 7.72 cents. 



It is thus seen that, on the whole, the " Black Leaf 40 " is slightl}^ cheaper 

 per ounce than the "Nico-Fume" Liquid. The "Nico-Fume" Liquid, 

 however, possesses a possible advantage in that it may possibly be used 

 at a slightly lower strength, Mr. Nicholson using it at the rate of 1 part 

 to about from 430 to 450 parts of water, while from his own experiments 

 with "Black Leaf 40" the writer prefers a -^l-^ solution of the latter to that 

 of Sk^\^ solution. It is quite probable, however, that where spraying will 

 be practiced regularly, as is Mr. Nicholson's practice, the "Black Leaf 40," 

 used at the same strength as the "Nico-Fume" Liquid, may prove just 

 as efficient as the "Nico-Fume." 



The tables also show very clearly the advantage of buying eithe)- material 

 in the larger quantities. 



"Nicoticide" as a spray is entirely too expensive as compared with 

 "Black Leaf 40" and "Nico-Fume" Liquid. It costs $1 more per pint, 

 $3 more per | gallon, and $4.50 more per gallon than the "Nico-Fume" 

 Liquid, and one pays 17.5 cents per ounce when buying it in | of a pound 

 quantities. 



Conclusions and Recommendations. 



It is the opinion of the writer that in a general way the method of com- 

 bating the Marguerite Miner followed by Mr. Nicholson (see "Nico- 

 Fume" Liquid) might be used by others, certainly by large growers of 

 marguerites and those other plants which the insect attacks. The method 

 has proved itself both effective and economical in the hands of a practical 

 and successful florist, and it has stood the test for several years. However, 

 if one has never been troubled by this insect, and if his practice is to 

 fumigate rather than spray against aphids, spraying should begin with 

 the first signs of the operations of the insect. The second application may 



