1884 



GLEANINGS IN l3EE CULTURE. 



80? 



The genus Pyrethium belongs to the family of 

 ComposltcB, and includes many of oui- commonest 

 plants, such as the Golden Feverfew, now so plen- 

 tiful in gardens, and the Ox-eye Daisy, a too com- 

 mon weed in the Eastern States. P. Cincrarice FoU- 

 wm, has a profusion of flowers, on stems from one 

 and a half to two feet high, very similar to the Ox- 

 eye Daisy. 



Mr. Milco writes us that the plant is in full bloom 

 In May, when the field is almost as white as snow, 

 but that it continues to yield a few blossoms until 

 the heavy frosts set in. The insect powder is made 

 by grinding the dried flowers, which are gathered 

 for the purpose -when in full bloom. All parts of 

 the plant, however, seem to be impregnated with 

 the volatile oil which is so destructive to insect life, 

 and may, therefore, be used in the form of a decoc- 

 tion that may be cheaply and effectively applied to 

 trees and plants. Professor Hilgard of the Univer- 

 sity of California writes as follows in regard to this 

 use of the plant: 



Like all volatile oils, the essence of Pyrethrum is 

 slightly soluble in water, and I think, from my ex- 

 periments, that tlic tea or i)}fiisi<)ii prepared from the 

 J!ow'6rs, which need not be ground up for that pur- 

 pose, is the most convenient and efficacious form of 

 using this insecticide in the open air; provided that 

 it is used at times when the water will not evapo- 

 rate too rapidly, and that it is applied, not by pour- 

 ing over in a stream or even in drops, but in the 

 form of a syringe, with fln<^ holes in its nose. In 

 this case the fluid will reach the insect in spite of 

 its water-shedding surfaces, liairs, etc., and stay 

 long enough to kill. Thus applied T have found it 

 to be efficient even against the arnini-cd scale bug 

 of the orange and lemon, which falls oil in the coui-Se 

 of two or threp days after the ap])lic;it!()ii, while the 

 young brood is almost instantl.\- disUM.\cd. As the 

 flower tea, unlike the whale soaj), Iraxcs the leaves 

 perfectly clean, it is preferable on that scori' alone, 

 and in tiie future it can hardly fail also t<i he the 

 cheaper of the two. This is more lilcely, a-- rlie tea 

 made of leaves and stems has similar, although 

 considerably weaker ettects; and if the farmer or 

 fruit-grower were to raise the i)lants. he wouM save 

 all the expense of harvesting and grinding the 

 flowei'-heads, by simply using the header, emering 

 the upper stems, leaves and flower-heads all togeth- 

 er, as he would hops, and making tea of this materi- 

 al by the hogshead. It should be diligently kept in 

 mind that the least amount of boiling will seriously 

 injui-e the strength of this tea, which should be 

 made with briskly boiling water, but then covered 

 over closely, so as to allow of as little e^'aporation 

 as possible. The details of its most economical and 

 effective use, on the large scale, remains, of course, 

 to be worked out bj' practice. 



Some observations reported to me seem to render 

 it probable that the cultivation of the Piirrthrum be- 

 tween the rows of other plants, will in a great 

 measure protect these from the attacks of insects, 

 as, of course, the plants themselves are let severely 

 alone by theiu. It might even seem worth while to 

 try this plan against the phylloxera, in^^o far as the 

 winged insect could scarcely escape the deadly ef- 

 fects of the pyrethrum, thus preventing its spread. 



Professor C. V. Riley, Chief United States Ento- 

 mological Commissioner, devotes considerable space 

 in his report to an account of the successful appli- 

 cation of the California-grown powder to the de- 

 struction of the cotton worm in the Southern 

 States. He writes as follows: 



Some interesting experiments nuide during the 

 past year on different insects by William Saunders, 

 of London, Ontario, show tliat the use of this ])(>w- 

 der may be satisfactorily e.vtended beyond the 

 household, while a series which I nuulc in the sum- 

 mer of 1SV8 with the same powder on the cotton 

 worm showed it to have striking destructive pow- 

 ei'S, the slightest puff of the powder causing certain 

 death and almost instant droi)i)ing of the worm 

 from the plant. Repeated ou a still more extensive 

 scale the present yeai- at Cohimlais. Te.xas, the pow- 

 der proved equally satisfactory in the field. 



Here, then, we have a remedy far exceeding any 



other so far known in efficacy, and harmlessness to 

 man and plant, and the only question in my mind 

 has been to reduce its cost. 



In regard to the cost of the material, he says: 



The powder is now selling In California at whole- 

 sale, in eight-pound packages, at il.25 per pound; 

 but 1 rom facts kindly communicated by Mr. Milco, 

 it aijpears that he raised as much as 647 pounds 1o 

 an acre, and that the cost of the production, mill- 

 ing, etc., on a large scale, need not exceed six to 

 seven cents on a pound, because in the experiments 

 attending the introduction of the plant many obsta- 

 cles and expenses incident to new enterprises have 

 had to be met. The plant is wonderfully free from 

 insect enemies, and blooms all through the sum- 

 mer, and there seems to be no reason why it should 

 not grow in most of the Southern States. 



Besides the uses above referred to, the powder is 

 successfvilly applied to the extermination of all 

 kinds of household pests, including flies, fleas, bed- 

 bugs, mosquitos, ants, roaches, and moths. It is 

 used to rid cattle and horses of vermin, and to de- 

 stroy weevil in grain stored in warehouses, while a 

 decoction has been used effectively in curing scab 

 in sheep. The writer has frequently, by the use of 

 a teaspoonful of the powder, blown from the hollow 

 of the hand, so as to diffuse it through the air, de- 

 stroyed every fly in a room, though they numbered 

 thousands, and in one hour from the time the ap- 

 plication was made the dead insects could be swept 

 up from the floor. One of the emploj'es of the Bul- 

 le.tin, whose duties frequently take him long jour- 

 neys in the country, never goes unprovided with a 

 bottle of the insect powder. If he chances to lodge 

 in a locality where mosquitoes are plentiful, all he 

 has to do to secure a quiet night's i-est is to blow a 

 little of the powder into the air of the room before 

 going to bed. Unlike many insecticides, it is per- 

 fectly harmless to man. 



Following are the directions given by the Stock- 

 ton Company (who offer to purchase all properly 

 cured flowers) for cultivating the plant on a large 

 scale: 



SOWINO THE SEED. 



Before sowing, ureiiare a seed-bed three feet by 

 fifteen, completely jtulverizing the whole surface 

 of the bed. Pill a tin jian with sand or some finely 

 sifted loam, and mix the seed thoroughly with the 

 soil in the pan; sow this mixture over the bed as 

 evenly as possible, and sift fine loam or sand on top, 

 just covering the seed about an eighth of an inch in 

 depth; then cover the entire bed with a thin mulch 

 of dry grass or straw. Sprinkle carefully ever.y 

 evening tmtil the seed sprouts; afterward once ev- 

 er\- three days will be sufficient. When weeds ap- 

 pear they nuist be carefully removed l>.\- hand, un- 

 til the jihints have five or more leaves, when they 

 are tit for transplanting. All ti-ansiihiiuing should 

 be done during the rainy season. tli<> best time be- 

 ing the months of Deceiiilier and .laiiuary. While 

 they will flourish on any exc-e|it alkali land, sandy 

 or loamy soils are best adapted to the growth and 

 vigor of the plants. 



TUANSPL.A.NTING AND CULTIVATING. 



Before transplanting, plow the ground ten to 

 twelve inches deep, and |)nt the plants four feet 

 apart each way, which will re(|uire ~7.'.';i plants for 

 each acre. Cultivate both wa.\s with a one-horse 

 cultivator three or four times during the spring of 

 the year, using the hoe freely around the plants 

 whenever weeds appear. The jilants grow i-eadily 

 without irrigation in any country where the rain- 

 fall reaches tweh-e inches during the year. If irri- 

 gation should become a necessity, apply it in fur- 

 i-ows or shallow ditches between the rows, and in 

 the same manner as with corn. Never plant on 

 land subject to overflow, as flooding will surely kill 

 the plants. 



GATHERING AND CURING. 



They usually begin blooming in .April or IMay, and 

 the flowers should be picked wlien in full tilooni, 

 and before going to see. I. Place the flowers, when 

 gathered, in clean, tight-bottomed boxes, and dry 

 them in the sun, stirring them several times each 



