22 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 8 
A Cheap and Effective Non-Poisonous 
Insecticide for Croton Bugs, 
Roaches, Etc. 
Ruralisms: “I have been told that 
borax would kill Croton bug's, roaches, 
ants, etc. Is it so ? ” 
Druggist: “I would say that it is not 
so. There is the drawer where the borax 
is kept. It seems to be a favorite place 
for Croton bugs and roaches.” 
Previously, we had inquired of a friend 
living in one of the finest apartment 
houses in New York : “ What non-poison- 
ous substance will kill Croton bugs and 
roaches ? ” The reply was : “ Powdered 
sugar and borax. There is nothing 
more effective.” 
There are few houses in large cities 
(perhaps it is the same in small cities, 
towns, villages and suburban homes) 
that are not more or less infested with 
these offensive insects. Several years 
ago, Dalmatian insect powder (Pyre- 
thrum, Lyon’s powder, Buhach, etc.— 
they are all the same) was, for the most 
part, employed to keep them in check. 
Pyre thrum powder, according to the 
writer’s experience, will not kill any in¬ 
sect. It merely stupefies them for a 
longer or shorter time—paralyzes them 
—when they may be gathered up and de¬ 
stroyed. Our longer-time subscribers 
may remember our trials with Buhach 
(the California product of the Pyrethrum 
flower) made about 10 years ago, before 
it was generally introduced. The Cali¬ 
fornia company claimed that the Pyre¬ 
thrum powder grown there was far more 
effective than the imported product. The 
guarantee was made that it would kill 
all sorts of insects. One of our first trials 
was made upon the Rose bug. The pow¬ 
der was blown through a bellows upon 
infested rose bushes and grape vines. In 
about 15 minutes, all of the Rose bugs 
would fall to the ground, where they 
would writhe for a time, and finally die, 
as it appeared. Other “ bugs ” were then 
gathered and placed in boxes supplied 
with rose or grape-vine leaves, and the 
powder was blown upon them. It was 
found that, thus confined, they would re¬ 
turn to consciousness in from 12 to 24 
hours, and be as lively as ever. 
Within a few years, the larger hotels,, 
apartment houses, and many of the pri¬ 
vate dwellings of New York have employ¬ 
ed professional bug exterminators to 
keep the houses free of such pests. The 
Dalmatian insect powder is no longer 
used. 
The favorite insecticide, we have found 
from many inquiries, is known as Peter¬ 
man's Roach food, though druggists tell 
us there are others just as effective, the 
Universal Roach food, for example, guar¬ 
anteed, as is Peterman’s, to be “ non- 
poisonous and not harmful to food, 
clothes, wood-work or paint.” The re¬ 
tail price of Peterman’s is 20 cents for 
four-ounce boxes, or six boxes for $1. 
We sent a box each of the Peterman’s to 
Prof. S. W. Johnson of Yale, and to 
Prof. Voorhees of the New Jersey 
Experiment Station, who were kind 
enough to analyze it. The replies were 
much to the same effect, viz., that it was 
made chiefly of borax and sugar, the 
sugar for a food which the “ bugs ” great¬ 
ly relish, the borax to kill. Powdered 
borax is worth about 10 cents a pound 
and sugar not over five cents—15 cents a 
pound for what Peterman charges 20 
cents for four ounces. 
Whether borax and sugar will kill 
insects injurious to vegetation, such as 
currant and cabbage worms, Rose- 
chafers, etc., we know not. We hope to 
experiment next season. If the borax 
and sugar were to be blown upon infest¬ 
ed plants through bellows, the Leggett 
gun or similar contrivances, it would be 
necessary to use sugar finely pulverized ; 
bxit one would suppose that, if blown 
upon the foliage the same as Paris-green 
or hellebore, the foliage should answer 
the purpose of the powdered sugar. 
We have this note from Mr. W. H. 
Taplin, of Ilolmesburg, Phila. : 
Iu reading: “Ruralisms” on page 806, I was in¬ 
terested in a note on the Laurel-leaf willow. Is 
not this Salix pentandra? I infer that the spe¬ 
cies described is the same that my father planted 
quite freely a number of years agro on his place 
at Maywood, New Jersey, and that was the name 
by which he knew it. 
No, we fancy not, Mr. Taplin. Our 
trees were purchased of the late Mr. A. 
S. Fuller, before your father moved to 
Maywood. He—Mr. Fuller—called it the 
Laurel-leaf willow, Salix pentandra, but 
questioned the accuracy of the botanical 
name. Greatly pleased with it, either 
as a shrub or tree, we sent speci¬ 
mens of the leaves to the London Gar¬ 
den, with a note of inquiry, hoping thus 
to find out its true name. Many were 
the answers printed in reply, and sev¬ 
eral were the personal letters received. 
The most we learned was that the 
Laurel-leaf willow is a variety of our 
Salix luc.ida. 
In Nicholson’s Dictionary of Garden¬ 
ing, we find a description of S. pentandra 
(volume III.) and a small illustration 
which makes the leaves too much serru¬ 
lated. This is a European species. It is 
described as a shrub six to eight feet 
high, or tree 20 feet high, with leaves 
only one to four inches long. 
Most of our readers will not bother much 
over the botanical name so long as they 
can secure the real Laurel-leaf willow 
which, in our opinion, for ornamental 
purposes, whether as a shrub or small 
tree, whether for damp or dry positions, 
is the handsomest willow known. It 
may be found in the leading catalogues 
as the Laurel-leaf willow. Salix lauri- 
folia, not S. pentandra. 
Mr. Thomas Meehan says that S. pent¬ 
andra (“ Shining willow”) is a native of 
the United States as well as of Europe. 
He says that it grows about 20 feet high, 
and is the most ornamental of the tribe. 
Many of those of our readers interested 
in Crimson clover, read, we dare say, of 
the disease that attacked some of our 
dozen plots during the past summer and 
fall. It seemed to the writer that the 
disability was caused by clover lice, but 
the authorities to whom we sent leaves 
decided that the round, dead spots were 
the work of a fungus, and that the 
aphides had little or nothing to do with 
it. We pointed out that only those 
leaves which were infested with the lice 
bore the round brown spots which were 
thought to be due to the fungus alone. 
Be this as it may, we are glad to find 
that the stricken plot has partially re¬ 
covered, the plants being, at this time, 
very vigorous and about six inches high. 
Those not affected average eight inches 
high. It would seem that frost killed 
either the aphides or the fungus or both. 
In our grape reminiscences of two 
weeks ago, the Lady ought not to have 
been omitted. 
Geo. W. Campbell was the introducer 
(Continued on next page.) 
Look out tor colds 
At this season. Keep 
Your blood pure and 
Rich and your system 
Toned up by taking 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla. Then 
You will be able to 
Resist exposure to which 
A debilitated system 
Would quickly yield. 
In buying seeds “economy is 
extravagance,” because the cost 
of cultivation wasted on inferior seeds 
always largely exceeds the original 
cost of the best and dearest seeds to 
be had. The best is always the 
cheapest. Pay a trifle more for 
FERRY’S 
SEEDS 
and always get your money’s worth. 
Five cents per paper everywhere. 
1 Always the best. Seed Annual free. 
D. M. FERRY & CO.. Detroit, Mich. 
Fruit Trees and Plants Seeds! Seeds! 
NEW AND OLD. 
Triumph, Greensboro, Wickson, Sophie, Eldorado, 
Miller, Loudon, Logan, Ruby, Ridgeway, and a host 
of others at prices to suit the times. Catalogue free. 
MYER & SON, Bridgeville, Del. 
Specialties at Baird's Nursery. 
Peach trees by the 1.000 or car load, Japan Plums 
and Erie Blackberry plants from root cuttings. If 
you want to buy, our prices will interest you. 
D. BAIRD & SON, Baird, Monmouth Co., N. J. 
\\/„ DA V CASH each WELK the year round, if 
T T O l/\ I you sell Stark Trees. Outfit free. 
SIARK NURSERY, LOUISIANA, MO., Stark, Mo., Rockport, III., Dansvillc, N. Y 
prifijj TREKS, 3c. All klndsof stock cheap 
iLnUn Reliance Nukseky, Box 10, Geneva,N.Y. 
lOc. for Detail Drawing of a new Berry Crate. No 
hinges; no division slats. T. C. Kevitt, Athenia, N.J. 
74th Annual Priced Catalogue of 
VEGETABLE, FARM AND FLOWER SEEDS, 
is now ready and mailed FREE to all applicants. 
BRIDGEMAN’S SEED WAREHOUSE, 
37 East 19th Street, New York City. 
Glover Seed 
Seed Pecans 
,—For the finest, largest Loui¬ 
siana pecans for planting, 
address S. H. JAMES, Mound, La. 
Small 
Fruits 
_ _ r Old and N«w 
Descriptive list free. Varieties. 
Extra fine stock of CURRANTS, including the 
new and unrivalled WILDER. Lowest rates, duality 
extra .Warranted true. T. s. HL'BBAHD to., FredonU, M .Y. 
IF YOU WANT STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
AT Wl LL HgjH 
GROW 
SEND YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS 
TO W.F. ALLEN JR 
SALISBURY. MD. 
AND HE WILL SEND YOU HIS 
„ 32 PAGE STRAWBERRY CATALOGUE 
"CONTAINING 17 LARGE NEWSTRAWBERRY 
ILLUSTRATIONS, FREE- ALSO SAMPLEC0PY 
fthe strawberry culturist 
AND SMALL FRUIT GROWER • SEND NOW,IT WILL PAY YOU 
Medium Bed, $3 60 per 
bu.; Mammoth, $3 76. 
carefully recleaned. 
Sacks free. Sample of either for 2-cent stamp. Bovee 
Potatoes; $2 per bu.. 2nd size. $1 50; other varieties, 
$1 per bu. J. M. FLUKE, Nankin, Ohio. 
Clover and Timothy Seed £ dJ-ShfiS 
PAUL S STEARNS, Prairie City, Ill. 
PHAFNIY Strawberry bears a second crop. Large 
I HUCilll A stock of Berry plants new and old. Low 
prices. Cat. free. Slatmakkh & Sox, Dover, Del. 
<>Ml Miaul A Bi Raspberries, 8,000 quarts per 
OULUINDIMI acre. 50,000 sets. 
T. S. ASHMEAD, Nursery, Williamson, N. Y. 
Public Opinion. 
Our friend, Jas. H. Coe, of Mifflinsville, O., one 
of the oldest and most extensive fruit growers in 
central Ohio, writes under date of November 17, 
1897 : “The fruit trees that I received from S. W. 
Call, of Perry, O., were the finest, the largest and 
the best-rooted trees I have ever bought.” 
Jacob Longsinger, of Tiverton, O., writes ; “The 
fruit trees received from Call’s Nurseries, Perry, 
O., were the finest trees I ever bought, and the 
thriftiest trees I ever saw.” 
Hundreds of others write similar letters. The 
facts are, Call grows the best, and sends his cus¬ 
tomers} the^best' that canjoe grown. 
1 
BUY 
REID’S 
TREES 
j&SJO IftvSi 
Prices were never before so low—stock was never better. 
Everything in the REID NURSERIES is healthy, well rooted, 
fully up to grade. You will get exactly what you want 
at one-half price. Write for estimates, suggestions, 
illustrated catalogue. Try the STAR STRAWBERRY 
and ELDORADO BLACKBERRY. 
REID’S NURSERIES, Bridgeport, Ohio. 
1,000,000 STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
For Fall and Spring. All Young Plants. All the leading NEW and Old Standard Sorts, grown on land 
never oc cupied by straw berry plants before. Prices right. Write for Special Price. Catalogue Free. 
THTJJFl «T. OOliLiINB, Moorestown. N*. ST. 
DWYER S 1898 CATALOGUE 
of FRUIT TREES, PLANTS, VINES and ORNAMENTAL STOCK. 
Standard Varieties and Novelties. Prices low. Stock flrst-class, 
mailed free. T. J. DWYER & SON, 
Orange County Nurseries. Cornwall, N. Y. 
BUSINESS 
CHERRIES 
to plant for business and for profit, are Montmorency, English Morello, 
Louis Philippe, Black Tartarian, Black Eagle, Napoleon and Windsor. 
We have others, but these are the ones you want. Our catalogue will tell 
you our prices for these and other fresh-dug business trees. We have no 
novelties, no catchpenny schemes, offer no chromos, do not pay 50 cents 
freight, and add $5 to price of your trees, but we give full value iu trees 
for your money. All stock young, healthy and thrifty. Certificates of 
every shipment. ROGERS NURSERIES, DANSVILLE, N. Y. 
RARE TREES 
“The Leading Note England Nursery.” 
SHRUBS, FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 
Most complete General Collection In America. 3,000 
varieties described in a 200-page (free) Catalogue 
JACOB W. MANNING, Reading, Mass. 
TREES-SHRUBS-ROSES 
The largest and most complete collections In America, Including all desirable 
novelties. General Catalogue (168 pages) free. Every intending buyer should have 
it. “An indispensable catalogue "—Country Gentleman. 
ELLWANCER <fc BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. 
SEEDS, ROSES, PLANTS, Etc. 
I advertise themselves. The best always 
cheapest. Can supply all your wants from 
Flower and Vegetable Seeds to Street 
S, Trees at low rates. Try us, can refer you 
vsuims*.— btiaH —iiae-v to customers in every state and territory in the 
Union. Forty-three years of square dealing has made us patrons and friends far and near. Have 
hundreds of carloads of 
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRURS, ROSES, PLANTS. 
We send by mail postpaid Seeds, Bulbs, Boses, Flants, Small Trees, Etc. Safe 
arrival and satisfaction guaranteed; larger by express or freight. OIJB CATALOGUE, an ele¬ 
gant book, magazine size, profusely illustrated tells it all, FBEE. Send for it today and see what 
values we give for a little money. 44 th year. 32 greenhouses. 1000 acres. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO. } Box 187, Painesville, O. 
