37 



phosphate fertilizers were evidently the best of the three for grass; 

 but far the heaviest yield of all was borne where all three ferti- 

 lizers were combined. 



INSECTICIDES. 



Kerosene emulsion. — My experiments with the kerosene emul- 

 sions, made in 1882, and described in my entomological report for 

 that year,* have since been repeated substantially by Prof. Atkin- 

 son of North Carolina, by Prof. Herbert Osborn, in Iowa,t and 

 by several farmers of my acquaintance. Prof. Osborn's results 

 confirm, in general, my own, as shown by the following extracts- 

 from his report: — 



" The first trial was made July 15, the emulsion used being the 

 common one, consisting of kerosene, soap, and water, diluted to 

 about five per cent, kerosene. The bugs were killed very quickly 

 by this application, and great numbers of them could be reached, 

 but many in particularly secreted places, in folds of leaves and 

 under lumps of earth, escaped. Thrown on to the leaves and run- 

 ning down between leaf and stalk, it dislodged and killed immense 

 numbers. Thrown against stalks where they were congregated, it 

 would quickly dislodge the mass, and while it was impossible to 

 see whether all driven ofP in this way were sufficiently wet to kill 

 them, it was certain that most of them were. This application 

 was at the rate of about 1 gallon of the emulsion or VI gallons of 

 the diluted mixture to five rows of corn for 32 rods, or what would 

 equal five gallons of emulsion, 60 gallons of diluted mixture to the 

 acre, or a cost for material of less than 60 cents per acre. * * 



"On August 15 applied kerosene emulsion to bugs accumulating 

 on corn, using an emulsion diluted to contain about 6 per cent, 

 kerosene and spraying with cyclone nozzle. Great numbers of 

 bugs could be found dead within a few minutes after application,, 

 and on the following day hosts of dead could be found on 

 the ground around the hills treated. In places, however, the- 

 stalks had become well covered by live bugs that had moved in 

 to fill the places of the slain. 



"Subsequently the farm department applied it on a larger scale,, 

 using 5 to 6 per cent, emulsion, and spraying from barrels in a 

 wagon, one man working the force pump and another manipulating 

 the hose and cyclone nozzle, walking rapidly among the hills of 

 corn and directing the spray upon the masses of bugs. This re- 

 sulted in the destruction of great numbers. * * * 



•Twelfth Report of the State Entomologist of Illinois, pp. 59-63. 



f'The Chinch Bug: A General Summary of its History. Habits, Enemies, and of the Remedies 

 and Preventives to be used against it."— By L, O. Howard. Bull. No. 17, U. 8. Dept. Agr., Div. of 

 Entomology, p. 41. 



