72 



THE HUMMING BIRD. 



[September i, 189 1 



its various modifications, and the Nixon. Prof. 

 J. B. Smith says (Bui. 75, N. J. Ag. Col. Exper't. 

 Station) : — " The Cyclone, with the ' Vermorel ' 

 modification for clearing the nozzle of obstructions, is 

 the most widely applicable for spraying low plants 

 and bushes, like cabbages, pumpkins, currants, black- 

 berry and others. This projects a fine spray in an 

 eddy from a central discharge orifice, and makes a 

 perfect and, for a short distance, forcible spray. 

 Fastened to a rod of convenient length, and set at an 

 angle with the rod, all parts of the cabbage can be 

 thoroughly wet in a few seconds. All who have ever 

 used this nozzle are delighted with it. It is manu- 

 factured by the Field Force-pump Co., Lockport, 

 N.Y." 



The Nixon nozzle is equally valuable for a some- 

 what different range of work. The stream is projected 

 through a small central nipple against a screen at the 

 end of a brass cylinder, and is broken there into a fine 

 spray, retaining considerable force. This is furnished 

 by the Nixon Nozzle and Machine Co., and is an 

 excellent nozzle for orchard use. 



The question of elevating the spray, so as to reach 

 the tops of trees, is merely one of attaching the dis- 

 charge pipe of the pump to one end of a small brass 

 or rubber tube, bearing the nozzle at the other end, 

 and running it through (or lashing it to the side of) a 

 bamboo or other light pole of the required length. A 

 wedge-shaped washer, cut out of thick sole leather, 

 placed just below the nozzle, will prevent the drip 

 from trickling down the pole upon the operator. 



REMEDIES. 



For convenience of reference in the latter part of this 

 Bulletin, I append a short statement concerning each 

 of the best known remedies, which will be referred to 

 by the numbers which precede them : — 



I. The Arsenites. — The best known of thess are 

 Paris Green (Arsenite of copper) and London Purple, 

 (chiefly Arsenite of lime). The former is in more 

 general use in Canada, and from my own experience 

 and that of my correspondents I consider it the safer 

 of the two to use on vegetation. The latter, however, 

 is highly praised by some who have used it, and it 

 will probably be found more useful than Paris Green, 

 on account of the lime it contains, for mixing with 

 Bordeaux mixture and other fungicides for the com- 

 bined treatment of insects and fungi. Paris green is 

 a sure remedy for all mandibulate or biting insects ; 

 but is also very poisonous to man and the domestic 

 animals. Care must, therefore, be taken to keep it 

 out of the reach of children, ignorant people and 

 animals. 



If applied too strong to the foliage of plants it is 

 also very destructive. Some plants are much more 

 easily injured by the arsenites than others, it therefore 

 becomes necessary to use them with caution until the 

 quantity that may be applied to a certain plant is 

 known. For apple trees, a mixture containing \ lb. 

 of Paris green to 50 gallons of water may be used ; 

 for plums and cherries about the same strength ; but 

 as some va.ieties are tenderer than others, the effect 

 of the application should be watched and the strength 

 reduced if necessary. For peach trees it should not 



be used stronger than 1 lb. to 300 gallons of water, 

 and even then there will be considerable risk of 

 injury. Whereat is necessary to spray two or three 

 times in the season later applications of the poison 

 should be reduced in strength. 



In mixing Paris green it should first be made into 

 a pas.te with a small quantity of warm water, and the 

 paste subsequently mixed with tne larger amount of 

 water required. 



In spraying foliage the spray must be forcibly 

 applied, so as to reach every part ; but should be 

 shifted from place to place as soon as the liquid begins 

 to drip from the leaves. 



To lessen the corrosive injury of the arsenites, Prof. 

 Riley advises the addition of a quart of common 

 flour to every 12 gallons of water. He says (5th Rep., 

 U. S., Entom. Com., p. 33) : " The flour seems to 

 keep the poison from taking effect on the leaf, pre- 

 venting, to some extent, the corrosive injury which 

 otherwise obtains when the poison is coarsely sprinkled 

 or too strong." 



The effects of Paris green, strange as it may seem, 

 are often less severe upon young foliage than upon 

 that which is mature. In applying liquid washes of 

 Paris green and other insecticides it will be found 

 difficult to make them adhere to some plants, such as 

 cabbage, Swede turnips, etc. This difficulty can be 

 overcome by mixing a little soap with the water used. 

 For dry applications, Paris green may be mixed with 

 100 times its weight of perfectly dry land-plaster, air- 

 slaked lime, flour or sifted wood ashes, etc. 



II. Kerosene Emulsions. — Next in importance to 

 the arsenites are the emulsions of kerosene. These 

 are particularly valuable against such insects as plant- 

 lice, scale insects and animal parasites. The best 

 formula as recommended by Prof. Riley, is : 



Kerosene (coal oil) 2 gallons. 



Rain water, 1 gallon. 



Soap, \ lb. 

 Boil the soap in the water till all is dissolved ; then, 

 while boiling hot, turn it into the kerosene, and churn 

 it constantly and forcibly with a syringe or force pump 

 for five minutes, when it will be of a smooth, creamy 

 nature. If the emulsion be perfect it will adhere to 

 the surface of glass without oiliness. As it cools it 

 thickens into a jelly-like mass. This gives the stock 

 emulsion, which must be diluted with nine times its 

 measure of warm water before using on vegetation. 

 The above quantity of 3 gallons of emulsion will 

 make 30 gallons of wash. Insects breathe through 

 small openings along their sides. The effect of 

 kerosene emulsion is to suffocate them, by stopping 

 up these breathing pores. 



III. White Hellebore. — This is a vegetable poison — 

 the finely powdered roots of Veratrum album. It is 

 very useful for the leaf-eating insects of small fruits, 

 especially saw-fly larvae. Although very poisonous to 

 insects, it can be safely used where the arsenites 

 would be dangerous. It can be applied as a dry 

 powder or as a liquid mixture, 1 oz. to 2 gallons of 

 water. 



IV. Insect Powder, ( Pyrethrum, Buhach.) — This is 

 another vegetable insecticide of special value, from 

 the fact that although it is extremely active in its 

 effects upon nearly all insects, it is practically harmless 



