»iuci>. by \^■Ilk•ll much loss will be preveuted, because those insects which are 

 most injurious to crops are naturally common species, and the life histories 

 of nearly all of these have been worlced out. and already practical remedies 

 have been discovered. 



There is at the present time in Xorth America a large and earnest Ixidy 

 cif students working at jn-oblems connected with tlie discovery of new remedies 

 or tlie improvement of old ones, by means of which insects which injure crops 

 may be controlled. Something new is being learnt every day as to the means 

 of either making or applying remedies, and day by day new facts are Iteing 

 learned concerning the life histories and habits of the insects which are the 

 causes of loss. In the present bulletin an effort has been made to supply 

 Canadian farmers with the best remedies and the latest developments in 

 methods of applying tliem. So much is written nowadays iu magazines, new.s- 

 pajiers. etc.. concerning insect injuries and the best wa.vs of preventing them, 

 that a great many experiments have been necessary to find out how relialtle 

 some of the proposed reme<lies were, and the i)resent bulletin gives only the 

 best results of such experiments as have been actually tried by officers of tlie 

 Division of P>ntomology. 



App.\r.\tus. 



Nearly all insecticides may be used both a.s dry powders or in liquid. In 

 tlie case of the useful arsenical poisons, it is necessary to mix them with some 

 other substance as a diluent, on account of their caustic action upon tender 

 vegetation, and also for convenience of distribution and to economise the 

 material. For dry applications, suitable diluents will be found in flour, land- 

 plaster, air-slaked lime, finely sifted ashes, or even road dust. The Important 

 point is tliat the powder shall be perfectly dry and in a very fine state of 

 division, so as to mix thoroughly with the insecticide and thus insure even 

 distribution. There are several implements for distril)uting dry in.secticides 

 such as bellows, insect guns, dusting Itoxes. etc.. many of which will be found 

 mentioned in the catalogues of our leading seedsmen. A convenient method 

 for distributing dry poisons is to place the powder in a small bag of very fine 

 muslin, then tie this to the end of a short sticlv so that it swings freely. If 

 the bag is tapped lightly with another stick held in the other hand, the opera- 

 tor can walk erect and do much better work than liy stooping along over his 

 •crop with an aching back. Dry mixtures should be applied in still weather 

 and. if possible, when the plants are wet with dew. It is found b.v experience, 

 however, that during the .si)ring montlis when insecticides are most needed, 

 there are often periods of several days when these conditions do not occur. 

 It tlierefore becfimes necessary to apply the poison in some other way. so that 

 tlie material may be evenly distributed over the plant to be protected, and not 

 blown away by the wind. For this purpose, mixing witli water and then 

 applying with a spraying pump is tlie most convenient plan. 



I have no doubt that it will repay any one who has to apply insecticides, 

 even in .i small garden, to go to the expense of jirocuring a pair of proper 

 bellows for dry mixtures, and a force pump witli a spraying nozzle for liquid 

 ainilications. Makeshift contrivances, sucii as watering cans, whisks, and even 

 bunches of leaves, wliich are frequently u.sed. actually cost far more in wasted 



