T II E G A R D E N M A G A Z I N E 
May, 1915 
22 (> 
While spraying during one of Professor Hotchkiss’s 
visits I took some badly curled leaves that were full 
of aphis, held them open so the drift of spray mist 
could hit them. They turned black and were dead 
instantly, to our intense satisfaction. 
“I must think that this formula has fungicidal 
properties. A neighbor has an orchard near mine. 
We both have Greenings and we both sprayed at the 
same time with the same material we have always 
used. I made an additional application of this 
formula, and my apples were absolutely without 
scab, while he had a great many scabby apples.” 
Mr. Lasher wishes this newly discovered in- 
secticide, to be known as “The Babcock-Lasher 
Formula,” 
The foregoing is of interest as telling how the 
Babcock-Lasher formula was discovered. Because 
he told his story before the meeting of the western 
New York Horticultural Society, which was sponsor 
for it, there seems to be good reasons for making 
thorough experiments with it. 
The Babcock-Lasher formula is ioo gallons of 
water, 15 pounds of fish oil soap, one pint of crude 
carbolic acid. It is made by dissolving the soap 
by boiling, first cutting it in small pieces. It is 
better to add it to the water while the water is being 
agitated. Add the carbolic acid while agitated. 
The spray kills by contact, i. e., the carbolic acid 
coming in contact with any insect injurious to 
vegetation, instantly kills it. It is not a question 
so much of making it stick to the foliage for the 
insect to eat, like the poison spray, but one of hitting 
it with the spray. The insect does not wait, per- 
haps, to eat and destroy part of a leaf before it dies, 
but immediately quits when it is shot by the spray. 
For the reason that it is a contact spray, a fine 
spray made to cover every part of the leaf, especi- 
ally the under side, will reach all insects. 
Mr. Lasher also recommends the formula for 
spraying poultry houses. Applied with a force 
pump so it goes into all cracks and crevices, all lice 
and vermin are instantly killed in the same way as 
the rose bugs or other insect life. He believes it 
will revolutionize spraying and bring in a new era 
of insect control. To quote his own words “The 
visionary possibilities: Within the range of reason 
one can picture this formula controlling all insect 
life on fruit, the codling moth, bud moth, leaf roller, 
pear psylla, thrips, etc., the gypsy, brown tail and 
tussock moths, caterpillars, except in cocoon form, 
the boll weevil on cotton, the Hessian fly in wheat, 
and aphis on nursery stock. Animals can be 
washed with it and poultry houses disinfected, 
vegetable and fruit gardening, greenhouses, white 
fly and black aphis on oranges — in fact the field 
is unlimited.” 
New York. W. H. JeNKiNS. 
Pruning and Feeding Roses 
W EAK growing varieties of roses need severe 
pruning and apparent starvation for their 
best development, while strong, vigorous, and rapid 
growing kinds can stand and need heavy feeding 
with little pruning. As pruning is done for the 
encouragement of wood growth it can readily be 
understood why the weakling needs the knife and 
the strong grower does not. In the use of fertilizer 
the same rule holds good. 
Liquid manure, weak and frequent, but only to 
such plants as are in the process of making buds, 
and preferably after a heavy rain when the ground 
is already thoroughly wet, is of the greatest value. 
A barrel or keg, set upright on a box, with a molasses 
gate near the bottom to draw it off easily, is about 
the best container. I fill the barrel two thirds full 
of water and suspend in it a burlap bag containing 
a good quantity of fresh stable manure. If too 
strong it is diluted, as it should not be stronger than 
the appearance of weak tea. After a soaking ram 
only such plants are rewarded with a drink of this 
ambrosial nectar as may have shown their appre- 
ciation of life and a desire to perpetuate their species 
as evidenced by bud making. If given to roses not 
in bud it has a tendency to make wood growth at 
the expense of flowering, and thus would do more 
harm than good. Manure water should not be 
given to plants during their first year after planting, 
as flower making during the period needed for be- 
coming established should be discouraged rather 
than encouraged. 
Pennsylvania. H. G. R. 
Label Your Roses and Plants 
WITH PERMANENT 
Simplex Weatherproof Labels 
PRICES; POSTPAID. INCLUDING COPPER WIRES, 
No. 1 — Size 3x£ inches, 25c. doz. S 2.00 per 100 
No. 2 — Size 4xf inches, 50c. doz. S4.00 per 100 
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