238 Maine Agricultural Experiment Station. • 1917. 



were situated along the margin of a vegetable garden. At a 

 distance of about 315-565 feet from this farm, currant and 

 gooseberry bushes were present in 5 door-yards. 



The farmer informed us that the bushes had been growing 

 in the same place for a period of 15 years, and that in some 

 years he had lost about one-half of his crop due to insect pests. 

 As a remedial measure during a number of years, he had placed 

 coal and wood ashes on the surface of the ground under the 

 bushes. The ashes had formed a hard crust under some of the 

 gooseberry bushes. 



On May 25, the foliage of the currant and gooseberry 

 bushes were sprayed with two gallons of water mixed with two 

 ounces of arsenate of lead (paste) to control the imported cur- 

 rant worm (Pteronus ribesii Scop.). 



The proportions of the ingredients of a poisoned bait spray 

 recommended by Winter (1913, p. 11) to control the Mediterr- 

 anean fruit fly in Bermuda, was used in our work, but sodium 

 arsenite was substituted for arsenate of lead. The following 

 formula was used : 



Molasses 2 qts. 



Sodium arsenite 1 oz. (dissolved in 1 qt. of boiling water). 



Water 1 gal. 



The poisoned bait was applied to the lower branches of the 

 currant and gooseberry bushes and to the grass under the bushes 

 with a bucket pump, while the upper branches were baited with 

 a paint brush. The trunk and lower limbs of the fruit trees near 

 the gooseberry bushes were also sprayed. 



Four baitings were made during the season. Table 32, 

 shows the quantity of insecticide used, the dates of applications 

 of the spray and data on precipitation : 



