494 PREVENTION AND DESTIUJCTION OF INSECT PESTS. 



spring and summer. An improved emulsion has been made by Mr 

 Cousins, called Paranaph. It is a paraffin-naphthalene emulsion, in 

 which the oil does not separate at all from the soap. 



4. SvZphw washes are employed for mites, such as red -spider 

 and ourrant-gall mite, and are of much value as remedies for tkrips. 

 The best form of sulphur to use is liver of sulphur. Add 1 ounce 

 of the sulphur to every three gallons of paraffin emulsion for these 

 acarine pests. Another good mite-wash is formed in the following 

 way : Put 30 lb. of liver of sulphur in a barrel, with 2J gallons of 

 water, and mix into a stiff paste ; then add 20 lb. of 90 per cent 

 powdered caustic soda, and stir well together. This soon becomes 

 hot, boils up, turns brown, and liquefies : keep stirring until the 

 boihng ceases, then strain off the brown liquid, and add to this 

 liquid 16 gallons of water ; jput in an air-tight barrel, and keep for 

 use. Wlien required, add 60 gallons of water to each gallon of wash. 

 In mixing, one must be careful not to get the sulphur too liquid, 

 and to vise a large barrel, as it boils up rapidly. For red-spider 

 two or three applications, at intervals of three days, are necessary 

 to kill the young as they hatch out. 



5. Soft-soap and Quassia wash forms a very useful cleansing wash 

 for aphides. It is made of from 5 to 7 lb. of soft-soap, 5 to 10 lb. 

 of boiled quassia-chips to 100 gallons of water. The quassia should 

 be boiled separately for two hours, with just sufficient water to 

 keep it liquid. The soft-soap should be also boiled, and then added 

 to the strained extract of quassia ; after both have been well mixed, 

 they may be added to the 100 gallons of warm water. For many 

 bugs (Heteroptera) strong soft-soap washes are the only remedy we 

 can employ, and this only in their wingless stages. 



6. Caustic washes are used with great success in the winter as 

 egg-destroyers, as well as agents for ridding the bark of trees of their 

 vegetal incumbrances. The best "egg- wash" is made by mixing 

 10 lb. of caustic soda and 10 lb. of caustic potash- with 100 gallons 

 of water. If the trees are very dirty, add 10 lb. of soft-soap to the 

 wash. Used as a winter wash this is most valuable as a means 

 of destroying the eggs of the red-spider of fruit (Bn/obia pruni), 

 chermes, winter moth, aphides, &c. It must not be used until the 

 sap is well down the tree. Trees washed with this soon present 

 a clean healthy appearance, and can be told at once. 



Fvmdgating may often be used to advantage. For underground 

 insects — such as the root aphides found on the apple {Schizonmra 

 fodims and S. lanigera), grubs of the swift-moth, &c. — the only 



