11 



White Arsenic. 



A. As a Spray : — Boil for 20 minutes in two gallons of water one 

 -pound of white arsenic, and two pounds of lime which has been carefully 

 slaked. Smaller but similar proportions may, of course, be used. A 

 light white precipitate will gradually form. White arsenic dissolves 

 slowly even in boiling water, but the lime unites with it a* it dissolves 

 and tak s it out of solution, so that a small amount of water will answer 

 for the purp se. The white precipitate formed is arsenite of lime, which 

 is practically the same as London purple without the colouring matter. 

 This is nearly insoluble, and as in the case of London purple and Parii 

 green, the lime used with it prevents injury to the foliage. If desired 

 the water can be poured off and the precipitate can be kept for future 

 use. Before using the arsenic, dilute to 4 )0 gallons. There will be no 

 danger of burning the foliage if the boiling is kept up until all the 

 arsenic is dissolved and rendered insoluble by the lime ; but if this is 

 not done it will be likely to do injury Until one has had experience 

 in making the solution it will be well to test the material upon a small 

 scale. 



B. As a Lime-Wash: — Mix the precipitate of arsenite of lime 

 obtained as above, in the proportion of 1 part of arsenite of lime to 100 

 parts of lime- wash. This is becoming an important preparation as a 

 means of protection against borers. After removing all the dead loose 

 bark white-wash the trunks of the trees. It kills the young borer in 

 attempting to eat through the outer bark. 



White arsenic mixed with lime in the proportion of one part of 

 arsenic to one hundred parts of lime can be used on the trunks of trees 

 without boiling. The wash should be quite thick with lime, and wood 

 ashes or some of the alkalies may be added. 



A little pure arsenic added to the nests of ants is generally sufficient 

 to lead to the death of the whole colony. 



Kerosene Emulsion. 



This is a common and well-known remedy for soft-bodied insects that 

 do not feed by chewing, but suck the sap instead. The emulsion is cheap, 

 simple, and effectual. It is made of soap, kerosene, and water. 



A. Soft Soajj Formula : — Heat a gallon of soft soap until it becomes 

 liquid, then take from the fire, add two quarts of kerosene and agitate 

 for three or five minutes so thoroughly that the soap and oil will become 

 permanently mixed ; that is, until the oil will not separate from the 

 soap either on standing or when diluted. A hand force pump should be 

 used in making the emulsion. Slow pumping, or stirring with a stick 

 or spoon, will not emulsify the soap and oil 



The emulsion as made is now one-third oil, an 1 for the pi mts, it should 

 be only one fifteenth oil, so it will need four times its own bulk of 

 water before using. In other words, the gallon of soap and two quarts 

 of oil will make seven and one-half gallons of the dilute emulsion. 



If the emulsion is to be made in the above or greater quantity, it 

 should always be made with soft soap, if that is obtainable, as the 

 emulsion is more difficult to make by the hard soap formula where more 

 water is required. 



B. Hard Soap Formula : — To two quarts of water add one-fourth 

 pound of hard soap, cut into thin pieces heat to the boiling point, and 



