150 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



water, in the proportiou of a large tablespoouful to a gallon of 

 water and sprayed. 



Hellebore is well known as fatal to the common Gooseberry and 

 Red Currant Worms and to the larvre of Sawflies, on roses and 

 other plants. Besides being mixed in water in the proportiou of 

 about an ounce to two gallons, it is very often used as a pure pow- 

 der, but it may be more economically applied by first mixing it 

 with several times its own bulk of fiour, in which case it will still 

 prove very effective. 



These two poisons are well adapted to common use in a small 

 way as tliey are much less dangerous to man than the arsenical 

 mixtures, the latter being also more likely to injure foliage than is 

 the kerosene emulsion, which is a safe insecticide to handle. Of 

 course a great many of the patented insecticides are effective and 

 valuable. But they are usually very expensive when compared 

 with the actual cost of the arsenical poisons, the kerosene, or 

 other materials upon which they are largely based. Where large 

 quantities of the poisons are to be used it is generally much more 

 economical to prepare one's own insecticides. 



Discussion. 



Benjamin P. Ware said he was surprised that the borer infested 

 locust trees to such an extent as the lecturer had so clearly shown, 

 and that these pests accomplished so much damage in so short a 

 time. The Apple Tree Borer requires three years to complete its 

 round*of life, yet does no more, and perhaps not as much damage, 

 individually, in all that time, as the Locust Borer does in its less 

 than one year of existence. 



Mr. Jack said that one borer might kill a tree. Such a result 

 would be brought about by one or more borers working in the 

 sapwood until it was practically girdled. Borers in the heart of a 

 tree are usually less dangerous to its life than those near the bark. 

 He then referred to the use of kerosene emulsion on grass land, to 

 destroy the grul) of the May-beetle, and said that one part of the 

 emulsion in ten was entirely safe, but that one part in fifteen 

 would be strong enough for the purpose. He added that in no 

 case was the gr:iss injured in the least by the use of the emulsion. 

 He believed it should be tried in greenhouses, to rid the soil of 

 small, white grul)s and othei' insect life that is sometimes more or 

 less injurious to the roots of the plants. 



Profess(n- George F. H. Markoe said that clear kerosene did not 

 seem to be injurious to grass or to tree trunks, especially if, sooa 



