BOOKS AND 



pounds of seed is required to plant an acre by this meth- 

 od, as every seed is allowed to produce a plant, while six 

 or eight pounds are required by the common method. 

 This saving in seed about equals the extra expense of 

 handling the young plants in frames. The cost of trans- 

 planting the onions is about $50 per acre, and Mr. 

 Greiner says that this is fully offset by the saving in 

 thinning and weeding of the ordinary crop. The ex- 

 pense of growing the crop, therefore, is about the same 

 in this method as in the common methods. The advan- 

 tages of the new system are marked. Every bulb matures 

 fully ; the crop is two to three weeks earlier ; the bulbs 

 are more uniform in size and shape, and twice or thrice 

 the yield is secured. And Mr. Greiner finds that trans- 

 planted onions sell for about twenty percent, more than 

 common ones. The account of this onion reformation 

 is told in a half-story form, and it is as interesting as a 

 novel. It all looks plausible and reasonable; at all 

 events, every man who grows onions should have the 

 little book. 



Contributions to the Botany of Virginia, being 

 No. 2 of Vol. II, of the Meiiioit s of t lie Tori ev Botanical 

 Club. These contributions contain ' ' Notes on the Spring 

 Flora of Southwestern Virginia, "_by Anna Murray Vail, 

 Dr. N. L. Britton and Mrs. E. G. Britton, and "Notes 



on the Autumn Flora of Southeastern Vir- 

 Virginia ginia," by Arthur Hollick. Even the plants 

 Botany. of the Old Dominion need to be better 



understood. All parts of the state are 

 known to be rich botanizing grounds. Here much of 

 the northern and southern floras meet, and the mountain 

 regions still need careful exploration. Several critical 

 notes have resulted from a couple hasty trips. Dr. Brit- 

 ton describes a new clematis (6". Addisonii), closely allied 

 to Pursh's C. ovata, and he decides that the little Atictiiiuie 

 neino7-osa does not occur in this country, but the plant 

 which has passed for that species he designates A. qiiin- 

 ijiiefolia ; and A. trifolia, a Linnsean species, is again 

 elevated into specific rank, A new variety is added to 

 Pentiteinoii Icevigatiis and Seiit'cio aitifiis. A two-day's 

 collecting trip about Norfolk added four species to the 

 state. 



Bulletin No. 75, New Jersey Experiment Station. 

 Insecticides and Hoiv to Apply 7 hem. By John B . Smith. 

 Pp. J4. Illtistrated. Professor Smith gives the results 

 of considerable experimentation concerning new insecti- 

 cides, or new uses for old ones, with 

 New instructions for the application of in- 



Insecticides. secticides in general. He has found 

 that the commercial potash salts are 

 good insecticides. This is a important addition to our 

 remedies, for potash is at the same time one of our best 

 fertilizers. The kainit or German potash salts is found 

 to destroy wire-worms, cut-worms and all sorts of root 

 lice, when applied liberally as a fertilizer. It is also 

 recommended for the white grub in strawberry patches, 

 and the cabbage maggot. The best method of applica- 

 tion for all ground insects " would be a broadcasting in 

 fertilizing quantity before or during a rain, so as to carry 



BULLETINS. 189 



the material into the soil at once." Kainit was used in 

 the proportion of an ounce to a pint of water as a spray 

 for rose and wheat lice. The lice were killed speedily, 

 and the plants were not injured. Muriate of potash was 

 also effective, but it often injured the plants. Tobacco 

 decoctions of various strengths were used for plant lice, 

 flea beatles, slugs and some other pests, usually with ex- 

 cellent results. Upon rose chafer "it was absolutely 

 ineffectaal, the beetles seeming to consider it an extra 

 relish, provided for their especial benefit," Very fine 

 tobacco dust proved useful for many plant lice, and the 

 " X O Dust, " a commercial preparation of which tobacco 

 is the base, is commended. Tobacco is an excellent 

 fertilizer, also. Carbolic acid added to the tobacco dust 

 increases its efficiency. Naphthaline, a waste product 

 from the manufacture of illuminating gas, and known as 

 "moth camphor" and "tar camphor," appears to pos- 

 sess some value as an insecticide, especially for plant 

 lice. It had no other effect on the rose chafer than to 

 drive the insect to the lower side of the leaf. Fish-oil 

 soaps prove sure and safe remedies for plant lice. Pro- 

 fessor Smith finds the following recipe good : Hirsch's 

 crystal potash lye, i lb. ; Fish oil, 3 pts. ; soft water, 3 

 gals. Dissolve the lye in the water, and when brought 

 to a boil add the oil. It should boil about two hours, 

 and when done can be filled up to make up the loss by 

 evaporation. When cold it can be cut into cakes. For 

 use, the soap is placed in sufficient hot water to dissolve 

 it, and then diluted with about eight gallons of water. 

 Kerosene emulsion is particularly recommended for all 

 forms of scales and lice which are protected by shell-like 

 coverings. With pyrethrum, the best results are ob- 

 tained by pouring hot water through it in a bag, thus 

 getting a decoction. Dilute a saturated decoction about 

 four times with cold water. This makes a good remedy 

 for cabbage worms. It will keep but a few days. Fresh 

 caustic lime appears to have some value as an insecti- 

 cide, especially upon the cabbage worm. Experiments 

 with it this year failed to discourage the rose chafer. 

 Gas-tar and tar-water proved to be worthless. " Sun- 

 derlin's insecticide," which is a finely precipitated car- 

 bonate of lime, did not kill plant lice, but it was useful 

 upon shiny slugs. It is a good diluent for the arsenites 

 when they are applied in powder. The Eureka insecti- 

 cide seems to possess no merit except for red spider, for 

 which it is a specific, as are other sulphur compounds. 

 Sludge-oil soap, a commercial preparation, killed the 

 rose chafer ! It also killed the striped cucumber beetle 

 and the elm beetle. " I am inclined to believe that we 

 have here a very valuable insecticide, but one which 

 needs considerable experiment in order to ascertain its 

 range of usefulness." Partially successful experiments 

 upon spraying squash and melon vines with arsenites for 

 the root-borer, are reported. On page 24, in speaking 

 of the difficulty of reaching cabbage lice which are hid- 

 den in the folds of the leaf, the author writes as follows • 

 ' • One of the general complaints is to the effect that it is 

 impossible to reach the lice by the ordinary means of 

 sprinkling ; and the objection would be a serious one, 



