788 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mav I, 1891 
I append a few formulas that have been tried 
and found to be valuable ; — 
I. — Solutions. 
1. Tobacco, 1 lb. ; boiling water, 3 gallons ; strain 
when cool. Very effective when used as a spray 
against flea-beetles, lice, aphides (plant-lice), and 
ticks. 
2 . Quassia-chips, 1 lb. ; boiling water 3 gallons. 
This very bitter solution is good for raevention ra- 
ther than cure. Apply as a spray to Kose bushes, 
and to kill plant-lice. 
3. Pyrethrum ; 1 oz. of the “Buhach” powder 
added to 2 gallons of cold water for Cabbage, Beets, 
Tobacco, or any plant used for food, as this is 
not poisonous. 
4. London Purple, Paris G-reen ; actively poisonous. 
Use 1 lb. of the poison to 200 gallons of water or 
other solutions. Dissolve a little flour paste in the 
water to make it sticky. Stir frequently. Applied 
to trees, it is a sure cure for all insect plagues. 
5. Bordeaux Mixture. — This, while primarily a 
fungicide, has some good qualties as an insecti- 
cide. It is prepared thus : — 1 lb. sulphate of copper, 
dissolve in 1 gallon of hot water in one vessel ; 
in another, 1 lb. rock lime is slaked in li gallon 
cold water, and, when cool, pour into the copper 
solution and strain ; add 2 gallons of water, and 
it is ready for use. (Cook). 
6 . To this, add London Purple, 1 lb. to 200 gal- 
lons of the Bordeaux Mixture. This sprayed over 
non-bearing Grape vines or Tomato vines not in 
bloom, &c., will prevent rot, and insect life as well. 
7. Soap. — 1 lb. resin soap to 1 gallon hot water. 
This, used as a spray, is often a valuable remedy 
for the attacks of small and soft insects ; in fact 
it can be used to advantage for soft scales, when 
they are few. It should be often used to get the 
best effect. 
8 . 'Water in which tar has been placed acquires 
some value as an insecticide. 
II. Emulsions. 
1. Stronger Emulsion of Kerosene. — 4 lb. soap, 
dissolve in 1 gallon hot (boiling) water ; remove 
from the fire, and add 2 gallons kerosene while hot. 
Churn with a spray-pump violently till the oil is 
emulsified ; add 27 gallons cold water for use. 
2. Weaker emulsion (Cook).-:^! lb. soap dissolve 
in 2 gallons hot water as before, but add only 5 
gallon kerosene, and dilute till 8 gallons are made. 
Adding J pint spirits turpentine to No. 1, increased 
its stability (Tracy). Allowing even 40 gallons of water 
to be added to 1 gallon of the emulsion, and sprayed 
on Tomato worms, it was very effective, and did 
not injure the plant in the least. 
3. Emulsion 1. — Adding 2. oz. of balsam of Fir 
with the kerosene makes an emulsion that adheres 
better to the surface of the leaves, and is slightly 
superior to No. 1 for the armoured scales. 
4. Using emulsion 2, only substituting the same 
quantity crude carbolic acid for kerosene, is espe- 
cially valuable for Oak and Pear insects. 
5. The same formula, using oil of Tansy or Sassa- 
fras 1 oz. in place of the J gallon kerosene, is effi- 
cacious for roaches, mites, ticks, bed-bugs, and pests. 
III. Absenical, Eesinous, and othek Compounds, 
FOR Sphayino. 
1. To kerosene emulsion No. 1 add 1 oz. London 
Purple, and mix well. Biighly recommended. 
2. Resin compound. — Caustic soda, 1 lb. ; resin, 
8 lb. ; to make 32 gallons compound. Dissolve the 
soda in 1 gallon boiling water; take out half ; add 
the resin slowly to the remainder and boil, stirring 
rapidly ; when dissolved, add slowly the part taken 
out. Dilute till it will pass readily through a thin 
cloth, which should be always done. Dilute before 
using, to 32 gallons. This alone is very valuable 
against most scales, but the addition of 2 oz. London 
I'urple makes assurance doubly sure, against even 
the dreaded Icerya. 
3. White arsenic, j lb. ; sal soda. Jib.; water ^ 
gallon; boil till a solution is made, then dilute to a 
gallon. One quart of this to .'>0 gallons resin com- 
pound — use on Peach, Cear, and Plum, either after 
fruit is gathered or just as bloom has fallen. 
IV. Powders. 
1. While slaking 1 peck fresh lime, add 1 quart 
of kerosene, sift out lumps ; apply lightly to Cucum- 
bers, Melons, and Tomatos, for beetles and squash- 
bugs. 
2. 50 lb. land plaster, mix 1 pint crude carbolic 
acid ; sprinkle over leaves and Vines for aphides 
and beetles. 
3. Pyrethrum. — This, the powdered flowers of the 
Pyrethrum, when fresh, is especially valuable if 
sprinkled on infected leaves, or in boxes, drawers, &c. 
House flies and mosquitos are easily subdued by clos- 
ing UX 5 the room tightly and slowly burning in it a 
spoonful of the powder. It is slightly narcotic, but 
not at all dangerous to human life. For infected 
Cabbage, Lettuce, Celery, and the like, or Tobacco, it 
is the best insecticide we have, involving no danger if 
eaten. 
4. Tobacco. — This insidious narcotic is valuable in 
the destruction of plant-lice, mites, &c. Applied either 
as a powder or by its fumes it often is quite benefi- 
cial. 
Bisulphide of carbon, like chloroform, is highly 
volatile, but its vapour, unlike that of chloroform, is 
very explosive. Bins and corn cribs can be easily rid 
of ants, weevil, rats, mice, beetles, &c., if the room be 
made air-tight, and occasionally filled from the top 
with the vapour of bisulphide of carbon. 
This is the only way in which our farmers ever will 
keep Com, Peas, &c., from insect attacks, — Oardeners' 
Chronicle. 
C> 
Mb. T. S. Andeeson, of the Gartmore Estate, 
inserts this adveitisemeut in the Ceylon papers ; “Not 
having sufficient tea from which to supply the great 
demand in the London Market for Golden Tip<, I 
undertake under certain conditions and for a Ft e of 
R125, to shew Planters how to prepare the same. Tbe 
Tea, so prepared, will be guaranted to be equal to the 
sample of Gartmore Tea, sold in Mincing Lane for 
£10 12 6 per lb, and the manufacture to cost not 
more than 25 ceni s extra per lb.” This is all very well, 
but can Mr. Anderson tell us (1) to what extent the 
value of the rest of the leaf is depreciated by plucking 
golden tips ; (2) what demand there is in London for 
tea at £10-12-6 per lb. It is all very well paying a fee of 
R125, spoiling the bulk of your tea, increasing the cost 
of manufacture by 4 annas to find that when h arrives 
in the London Market 2s or 2a 64 per lb. is the outside 
it will realize, which will probably be the result should 
any large consignments of Golden Tips be made. — 
Madras Times. 
The Aetificial Manuees, &c. (Adultehation) 
Bill, which was introduced into the House of Com- 
mons and read a first time in November, but which has 
just been issued in a revised form, has for its object 
the better prevention of frauds in the manufacture 
and sale of artificial manures and other preparations 
for agricultural purposes. This it proposes to attain 
by making it compulsory, in all sales in quantities of 
not less than one hundredweight of artificial manure 
or feeding stuffs, for the seller to deliver to the pur- 
chaser a guaranteed analysis of the article sold, and 
by making misrepresentation in this certificate punish- 
able by summary process. In order to facilitate the 
carrying out of the law, the Bill provides for the ap- 
pointment by every County Council of “ one or more 
persons possessing competent knowledge, skill and 
experience as analysts of artificial manures and feed- 
ing stuffs within such county,” from whom purchasers 
will be entitled to obtain an analysis on payment of a 
fee of 5s. All appointments of these analysts -would be 
subject to the approval of the Board of Agriculture, 
which may require to be supplied with satisfactory 
proof of competence ; but the only other limitation is 
that no person shall be appointed as analyst who is 
engaged directly or indirectly in the trade or manu- 
facture of the substances he may be called upon to ex- 
amine. The Board of Agriculture would also be em- 
powered to authorise a County Council for a specified 
time to appoint inspectors to obtain and deal with 
samples of manures and food-stuffs offered for sale in 
a manner corresponding to the provisions of the Sale 
of Fopd and Drugs Lc,\.—Qwdeners' Chronicle. 
