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16 



The Rorists^ Review 



Sbptbmbbb 30, 1020 



TUb Rose Midge. 



(Enlarged about thirty diameters: A, crks; B, younK larra: C, full-frrown iarra; D, cocoon; K, pupa; 

 F, adult male; G, adult female; H, female ovipositor.) 



ing from one-fourth to one-half Rich 

 deep. To prevent the larvae from enter- 

 ing the dirt walks of the houses, all 

 walks were sprayed with five per cent 

 kerosene emulsion. Simultaneously, 

 nightly fumigation with tobacco stems 

 was inaugurated and continued until 

 October 30, inclusive, and from that 

 date until November 8 the houses were 

 fumigated every other night. The ob- 

 ject of this fumigation was to kill all 

 adults before eggs were deposited. 



Although this control work was not 

 undertaken until October 12 its effect- 

 iveness was soon apparent, and by the 

 latter part of October it was difficult to 

 locate an infested bud. Not only was 

 the midge under control, but the owner 

 was enabled to bring on his fall crop 

 earlier thaU was the case the preceding 

 year. The following May these houses 

 were carefully examined, and only six 

 larvae were located. All plants at this 

 time were in excellent condition and 

 gave promise of producing a full crop 

 of flawers. 



The rapid elimination of this pest was 

 due no doubt to two causes, (1) nightly 

 fumigation, which killed off the adults 

 before egg-laying took place, and (2) 

 the application of tobacco dust, which 

 prevented the larvae from entering the 

 soil. Moreover, the tobacco dust served 

 a dual purpose, since it prevented the 

 larvae from entering hibernating quar- 

 ters and at the same time fertilized the 

 soil. 



In the case of light infestations, the 

 midge can be controlled by systematic 



nightly fumigations with tobacco fumes, 

 which should be continued until all 

 adults disappear; or by a careful appli- 

 cation, at the proper season, of tobacco 

 dust. Inasmuch as the broods probably 

 overlap during the summer, there is a 

 possibility that frequent syringing of 

 the plants would cause much of the dust 

 to wash down into the soil before all 

 larvae matured; hence there is a chance 

 that some would fall on and enter soil 

 where the dust had lost its effectiveness. 

 It would seem, therefore, that the most 

 opportune time to apply the dust, if not 

 accompanied with nightly fumigation, is 

 during the latter part of October or the 

 first three weeks of November, at which 

 season the last generation of larvae 

 leave the plants, enter the ground, and 

 construct cocoons. If dependence is 

 placed on the dust alone, it is impera- 

 tive that the application be so timed 

 as to be on the soil before the larvge 

 seek winter quarters. No hard and 

 fast rule governing the date of this 

 application can be recommended for all 

 localities, since temperature naturally 

 influences the final disappearance of the 

 larvjB. 



Orower's Solution. 



The superintendent of a large rose- 

 growing range in the central west which 

 suffered severely from the midge be- 

 lieves that cleanliness is the surest pre- 

 ventive of the midge. After trying 

 other methods of control, he armed his 

 men with rakes and brooms and cleaned 

 his houses as thoroughly as ever did a 

 housewife her parlors in spring. Every 



particle of trash was cleaned out from 

 under the benches and the surface of 

 the ground was scratched over to let 

 in the air. 



The next step in the process of sanita- 

 tion was to get a quantity of air-slaked 

 lime. If that is not to be had, one can 

 get the unslaked lime and make it 

 into a bed from six to seven inches 

 deep and pour enough water on it to 

 slake it. When it has become thor- 

 oughly slaked and is in a mealy con- 

 dition, say next day, throw it under 

 the benches and on the soil on the 

 benches until everything looks white. 

 You need have no fear of injuring the 

 plants. 



The following step in extermination 

 called for, in each house 285 feet long, 

 four small piles of tobacco stems. On 

 each pile were placed a tablespoonful 

 of red pepper and half a teaspoonful 

 of powdered arsenic. If, however, the 

 plants are soft and young, the propor>> 

 tion of arsenic and pepper will have 

 to be slightly reduced. In instances 

 where the plants are badly infested, it 

 may be necessary to make it stronger. 

 The smudge created by burning these 

 piles quite effectually kills the fly. 



The final step was to spray every- 

 thing with a strong solution of nicotine. 

 This spraying destroyed the worms or 

 bugs on the infested plants. 



One should be on his guard during 

 rainy or cloudy weather. This is the 

 time when the pest is most likely to 

 manifest itself. Apply the treatment 

 then. It is a preventive as well as a 

 remedy. On light, clear days, spray 

 freely with water. Another point of 

 importance to remember is this: The 

 use of the rake and the broom should 

 not be restricted to any certain time or 

 season. They should be used as regu- 

 larly as the broom and dust cloth in a 

 well regulated house. 



LEATHER NOT A FEBTTLIZEB. 



An inquirer in The Eeview, Septem- 

 ber 2, asked the value as a fertilizer 

 of refuse leather from a shoe factory. 

 About that time we received a sample 

 of the same thing from a local factory. 

 In order to be sure that its use would 

 be beneficial, I wrote the Pennsylvania 

 state agricultural department about it 

 and was answered as follows: 



Answering your Inquiry of September 16, In 

 our opinion there is no fertilizing value in refuse 

 leather and we do not recommend that you pur- 

 chase It for use as a fertilizer. Xherj is some 

 value In refuse leather as a source of nitrogen 

 or ammonia when It has been specially treated 

 with sulphuric acid, which can be done only by 

 an expert, such as the large fertilizer manufac- 

 turers. James W. Kollogg, 



Chief Chemist. 



I hope the reply will be of interest 

 to the inquirer. D. H. Mish. 



IS THE 8-HOUIt DAY ENOUGH ? 



I note in The Eeview of September 

 2 that George Allen is in favor of the 

 8-hour day. I cannot see how any green- 

 house establishment can run on the 8- 

 hour day plan successfully. I am an em- 

 ployee and I find it impossible at times 

 to have everything O. K. at the end of 

 my ten hours. 



Mr. Allen also states that the owner, 

 provided he has had a good year, should 

 give his men at Christmas one or two 

 months' salary. I say that one month's 

 salary is a whole lot too much. At that 

 rate he would pay out all his profits. 

 He should give his men who take an 

 interest in his business something nice, 

 at least, at Christmas and Easter. 



J. J. Howard. 



