THE ELM-LEAF BEETLE IN NEW YOEK STATE 26 



considerably. In the second place the mischief is checked at its 

 inception. To accomplish this end, Dr Smith recommends the 

 use of one pound of pans green or london purple to 100 gallons 

 of water. To avoid any danger of injuring the foliage, it is ad- 

 visable to add also one pound of quicklime to neutralize any 

 soluble arsenic that might be present. Two quarts of cheap 

 molasses added to the mixture will make it adhere longer to the 

 leaves. 



In most cases it will also be necessary to spray again at the 

 time the young larvae begin their work, although after the insect 

 has once been brought well under control in a locality, it is 

 possible that a single thorough spraying each year for the beetles 

 may be sufficient. This second spraying should occur at the 

 time the young are beginning to hatch, which in this latitude is 

 about the first week in June. In order to be successful, the 

 poison must be applied to the under surface of the leaves. The 

 reason for the latter statement is found in the fact that only 

 verj^ exceptionall}^ do the larvae feed upon the upper surface of 

 the foliage or even break the upper epidermis, consequently it is 

 impossible to poison them unless the arsenic be placed on the 

 under surface. As the larvae succumb more readily than the 

 beetles to the effects of poison, but one pound of paris green to 

 150 or 200 gallons of water is needed for the second spraying. 



The necessit}^ for subsequent sprayings is determined largely 

 by the manner in which the work has been done. Much depends 

 upon the man who holds the nozzle, even though he be under the 

 eye of one who understands the business. The mixture should 

 be applied evenly in a rather fine spray and so far as possible 

 to every leaf. If the poison be applied thoroughly and at the 

 right time, two sprayings should be ample to keep the beetle 

 under control. Otherwise it may be necessary to spray for the 

 second and even third broods. The proper time for later arseni- 

 cal sprayings must be determined by observation. In Albany 

 and Troy the spraying for the second brood should be done about 

 the latter half of July. 



