Early History of Liquid Applications. 15 



valuable for the destruction of coccus, or scale insects ; it was 

 made as follows : 



Soft soap 1 pound. 



Flowers of sulphur 1 " 



Tobacco I " 



Nux vomica 1 ounce. 



Soft water 4 gallons. 



These materials were well mixed with the water and then 

 boiled until the amount of liquor was reduced to three gallons. 

 It was then allowed to cool, and was ready for use. Plants 

 which were not in active growth, and whose foliage was not too 

 tender, were dipped into the mixture. For overhead syringing, 

 the liquid was diluted one-third with water. 



Hamilton's recipe is also given: 1 



Sulphur 8 ounces. 



Scotch snuff 8 " 



Hellebore powder 6 " 



Nux vomica 6 " 



Soft soap 6 " 



Cayenne pepper 1 ounce. 



Tobacco liquor 1 quart. 



Water (boiling) 1 gallon. 



Stir and render as fine as possible, and then strain through a 

 rough cloth. Hamilton did not appear to feel very confident of 

 the action of even this array of death-dealing matter, so he 

 advised in addition that the plants be washed with it, and the 

 insects removed while washing. When so used it would doubt- 

 less act as a specific. The recipe is also interesting from the 

 fact that it contains hellebore as one of the ingredients; for 

 at that time the use of this poison was probably somewhat 

 limited. The insecticidal value of decoctions made of the wood 

 of quassia was also known to a limited extent; but the material 

 has been more widely recommended than used. 



Hemery, a French nurseryman, made a compound 2 which he 

 said would destroy mildew on peaches if only one application 

 were made. It contained some materials which unquestionably 



1 " London's Encyclopaedia of Gardening," 1878, 785, quoted from Speechly, 

 "Treatise on the Pine," 1779, 60. 



* Bevue HorticoU, 1849, Sept. 15, 360. 



