1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
373 
apparent reason, relapsing into comparative obscurity 
only to reappear after a number of years in, perhaps, 
some new locality. 
Although the cultivated strawberry appears to be 
the favorite food of the weevil, it does not confine 
itself to that. We received it a few days ago from 
Texas, where it was working on dewberry and black¬ 
berry buds. It also breeds in the buds of the wild 
strawberry, occasionally the black raspberry, the 
common yellow-flowered cinquefoil, and the red-bud 
tree. America is the native home of the pest, and it 
is widely distributed here. It is now known to occur 
from Canada southward through the Atlantic States, 
and in a portion of the southern States. Maryland, 
Virginia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania seem to have 
suffered the most from the pest. In 1896, it is thought 
that half of the strawberry crop of Maryland was de¬ 
stroyed by the little curculios. 
The life-story of this insect reads as follows : At 
about the time of the first blooming of the earliest 
staminate varieties of strawberries, the weevils emerge 
from the winter quarters and fly to the nearest flowers 
and strawberry beds. Evidently, the beetles continue 
to come from their places of hibernation for, at least, 
a month longer, though their principal damage is 
done during the first two or three weeks. The injury 
done by the insect is due to the work of the female 
in the operation of egg laying. Selecting an un¬ 
opened, nearly matured bud, she perforates with her 
beak the outer husk, and then turning about, deposits 
in the hole thus formed a single oval, whitish egg. 
She then crawls to the flower stem just below the 
bud, and with the microscopic, but scissor-like mand¬ 
ibles at the extremity of her beak, deliberately cuts 
it in such a manner that the portion containing the 
bud hangs by a mere shred of the skin, and soon 
afterwards falls to the ground. In thus severing the 
stem, the parent attains two objects: The develop¬ 
ment of the bud is stopped, its outer envelopes of 
sepals and petals remain folded, thus retaining the 
eggs or growing grubs of the insect, and the pollen 
upon which the latter feed ; also, the bud falling to 
the ground, is kept moist, whereas if permitted to re¬ 
main upon the stem, it would eventually have become 
so dry as to prevent the development of the insect 
within. Ordinarily, only a single grub inhabits 
a bud. 
The minute yellowish grubs hatch from the eggs in 
about five days, and at once begin to feed upon the 
pollen in the buds ; when this is eaten, they attack 
the harder portions. They get their full growth in 
three or four weeks, and form in the bud a hollow, 
cocoon-like receptacle in which the pupal and after¬ 
ward the adult condition is assumed. The pupal stage 
lasts about seven days, when the beetle develops and 
cuts its way out of the bud. The entire life cycle 
requires only about 30 days. The beetles which 
emerge from the several buds in June and July some¬ 
times congregate on the flowers of the strawberry in 
large numbers. Horse-mint or wild bergamot is also 
frequented by the beetles in the same manner. After 
feeding for a few days, the beetles disappear in quest 
of suitable places for passing the winter. Thus hiber¬ 
nation evidently begins very early. There seems to 
be but one generation of the insect annually. 
Several parasitic insects help to reduce the numbers 
of the beetle, but more is, doubtless, accomplished in 
this line by two species of predaceous ants which 
have been seen actively engaged in eating the grubs 
in the buds. Where ant hills occur in strawberry 
beds, it may be well to encourage them a little, if 
this weevil appear. 
This Strawberry weevil is an extremely difficult 
insect to combat. The very nature of the insect and 
its life economy enable it to evade most measures 
that are in successful use against leaf-feeding species. 
The fact of the grubs living concealed within the 
buds places the insect, in its earlier stages, beyond 
the reach of the poisons ; and the further fact that 
the adult derives its chief sustenance from the pollen 
within the buds, and does not feed upon the leaves, 
limits the effectiveness of any direct poison. A nearly 
perfect preventive consists in covering the beds with 
muslin or some other light material. This should be 
put in place at least a week before the appearance of 
the first blossoms, and may be safely removed as 
soon as the first berries are ready for market. Pistil¬ 
late plants or such as produce no pollen require no 
such protection. Of course this method is practicable 
only on small areas of choice varieties. 
In districts where the weevil is known to be 
abundant, it is advisable to grow chiefly pistillate 
varieties, with just as few staminates as are necessary 
for the purpose of fertilization. The insects will then 
often mass themselves upon the staminate plants, 
where they may be destroyed by spraying or similar 
measures. The Charles Downing, as it blooms early 
and its blossoms are exposed to the sun, may be used 
to trap, or rather, allure the beetles and thus protect 
later-blooming varieties; the insects can be more 
readily controlled with the arsenites when con¬ 
centrated upon a few rows of Downings or some 
other early, staminate variety. 
The beetles are not readily captured with a sweep- 
net. The following substances have been tested and 
found unsatisfactory, either as deterrents or insecti¬ 
cides : lime, ashes, dissolved bone, hen manure, kero¬ 
sene and plaster, Paris-green and plaster, a mixture 
of tobacco dust, lime, Paris-green and kerosene, 
pyrethrum, whale-oil soap, and a solution of sulphate 
of copper and lime. Kerosene emulsion has been 
only partially successful. One grower has reported 
some success with Bordeaux Mixture. 
The arsenites do not commend themselves to the 
average strawberry grower because of the fear of 
poisoning the consumer ; but experiment has shown 
that there is not the slightest possibility of the poison 
remaining upon the fruit, since the spray, to have any 
effect upon the weevil, must be applied while the 
plants are in bud or blossom, the last application 
being made two or three weeks before the first 
berries ripen. Paris-green may be used at the rate 
of one pound in 100 gallons of water or of Bordeaux 
mixture. Spray the vines a day or two before bloom¬ 
ing, and again two or three days after the first bloom, 
at least three applications being made at intervals, 
the different applications being graded with a view 
to keeping the buds and blossoms constantly covered 
with a thin coating of the poison. This poison treat¬ 
ment has given the best results so far obtained in the 
effort to control this serious strawberry pest. Bear 
in mind that whatever method be employed, it must 
be begun before the insect appears on the plants. 
Two weeks’ uninterrupted work on the part of the 
insect is sufficient, during its years of abundance, so 
to damage a crop as to make it unprofitable for pick¬ 
ing. New York strawberry growers thus far have 
suffered little from the insect, but it occurs in the 
State and our growers should be on the lookout for 
the characteristic severing of the buds in their straw¬ 
berry beds. The Division of Entomology of the 
Department of Agriculture, at Washington, have just 
issued a circular letter dealing with this pest. 
What is “Pure Paris-Green” ? 
A. W. K., Lackawanna Co., Pa .—What constitutes pure Paris- 
green, and what way do we have of knowing before using 
whether it is good or not ? Our dealers tell us that there is a dif¬ 
ference between pure and strictly pure, and claim that they can 
get strictly pure a little less per pound. 
Ans. —The best Paris-green contains about 58 per 
cent of white arsenic, and the remainder is a com¬ 
bination of copper and acetic acid. It is sometimes 
known as Schweinfurth’s green. There is another 
similar product upon the market which is known as 
Scheele’s green. This contains practically the same 
amount of arsenic, but no acetic acid enters into its 
composition. It can be bought for a trifle less per 
pound than the genuine Paris-green. Possibly this is 
what your dealer means by strictly pure Paris-green, 
and his pure Paris-green may be the Schweinfurth’s 
green. There is practically no difference, so far as 
the insecticidal properties of these two “ greens” are 
concerned, and one is just as safe to use as the other. 
The Scheele’s green is a finer powder and is said to be 
held in suspension better in the water, almost equal¬ 
ing London-purple in this respect. The most practi¬ 
cable way for a farmer to determine whether his 
Paris-green is pure is to get an ounce of ammonia at 
the drug store and mix with it a half teaspoonful of 
the Paris-green ; stir well, and if the Paris-green be 
entirely dissolved, forming a dark blue liquid, it indi¬ 
cates that the poison is of standard quality. Should 
any sediment fall to the bottom of the mixture, the 
Paris-green is, probably, adulterated and should be 
submitted to a chemist for definite analysis, si. v. s. 
Cultivation of Castor-Oil Plants. 
J. H. O., Absecon, N. J .—Will you give information regarding 
the cultivation of the Castor-oil plant? What is the average 
product per acre ? What crops are best to precede and succeed 
it ? What soil is best adapted to it ? 
Ans. —The Castor-oil plant cannot be successfully 
cultivated, that is, so as to be pecuniarily profitable, 
in the northern part of the United States. Experi¬ 
ments have been made with several varieties of it at 
the Rural Grounds, where it ripened its seeds. It 
requires a warm climate and a deep and fertile soil. 
The heavy clays and light sands are not suitable, but 
a sandy or clay loam is best, and the soil must be well 
drained. It may follow almost any crop that has been 
kept clean, provided the soil be made rich. The 
seeds, after soaking 12 hours in lukewarm water, are 
planted in hills five or six feet apart each way, two 
in each hill, and covered one-half inch deep. When 
three or four inches high, the weaker plant is re¬ 
moved, leaving one plant to each hill. Thorough, 
shallow cultivation is necessary. The seed spikes are 
collected as soon as tne pods assume a brownish 
color, and are exposed to the sun until the seeds part 
freely from the pods. Frequent gatherings are neces¬ 
sary. From 20 to 25 bushels per acre are said to be 
an average yield. The United States Department of 
Agriculture has issued a circular on the culture of 
this plant, for which those interested should send. 
Cow Peas and Crimson Clover. 
J. B. W., West Danby, N. Y. —1. Which is the best way to plant 
fodder corn, in rows, or in hills to work both ways? 2. When is 
the best time to sow cow peas, and how much seed per acre ? 
Ans —1. We would plant fodder corn in drills or 
rows and work oneway. You will obtain a greater 
weight of fodder in this way. 2. Sow cow peas now. 
We sowed a field of about three acres on May 22. 
This is in northern New Jersey. These peas were 
broadcasted at the rate of a trifle more than one 
bushel per acre. The soil is very poor, and was fer¬ 
tilized with 1,(500 pounds of basic slag and 600 pounds 
of kainit. On better soil, we would use more peas, 
say 1 )4 bushel per acre. We use the Early Black 
variety on the advice of Delaware farmers. 
How to Keep Hen Manure. 
H. C., McKean, Pa.— I save the droppings of my henhouse in 
barrels, and they heat badly. What can I do to prevent it? 
Which is best to sprinkle under the roosts, kainit, air-slaked lime 
or land plaster ? 
Ans. —Use enough land plaster to keep the manure 
perfectly dry and keep it under cover. Land plaster 
is best for use in henhouses. The air slaked lime is 
bad, for it will set free the ammonia in the manure. 
Kainit would answer but for the fact that it contains 
considerable salt, which would be injurious to the 
hens. 
How to Clean an Ice Pond. 
W. W. W., Mount Sterling, Ky. —We have a pond which contains 
about V/t acre made for the purpose of gathering ice, which we 
have been doing for more than 20 years. Last year, a small 
quantity of moss or a green scum formed on it, and I pulled the 
most of it out with a hook last fall, but the ice near the edge had 
some moss in it. In March, I drained the pond through a six- 
inch pipe, which is in the dam, for the purpose of getting all the 
German carp and black perch out in order to stock it with white 
perch. Since the pond has fll'ed with water, it is nearly covered 
with the moss, and unless we can find a way to get rid of it, we 
shall lose the use of it for ice purposes. We could drain it and 
let it remain dry duriug the summer, but we would miss the use 
of the water very much, and it is possible that it would not fill 
again in time for ice to form. 
Ans —The only effective method of ridding the 
pond of the “moss” will be to drain it, and as soon as 
the bottom is dry, to plow and harrow it thoroughly, 
so as to kill this growth by exposure to the hot sun. 
The cause of this growth is the stagnant state of the 
water due to the small supply, evident by the fact 
that so large a pond can be drained through a six- 
inch pipe. It may be necessary to do this occasion¬ 
ally, as the green scum, which is, doubtless, Lim- 
nobium Spongia, one of the Frog’s-bit family that 
grows in stagnant or slow-running water and floats on 
the surface may be, in time, quite killed out. The 
work should be done in a dry time, and a few days’ 
exposure to the hot sun will destroy the plant. A 
good harrowing will greatly help in exterminating 
the weed. h. s. 
A Talk About Hay Caps. 
J. J. P., Elk Run, Va. —Nearly all my meadow this year la nice, 
clean clover, and I am very anxious to cure it green and nice for 
feeding purposes. Where can I buy cheap, or how can I make, 
good hay caps ? 
Ans. —It is doubtful whether hay caps pay for 
themselves. Good ones cannot be made or secured 
for less than from 25 to 50 cents each. Cheaper ones 
can be made, but it is poor policy to invest in them, 
as they would be of value for not more than one or 
two seasons. Common muslin may be made water¬ 
proof by a paint made up as follows ; Old pale linseed 
oil, three pints; sugar of lead, one ounce; white 
resin, four ounces. Grind the lead with a little of the 
oil, then add the rest and the resin. Heat in an iron 
kettle over a gentle fire, and apply with a brush 
while hot. 
Cloth may also be made waterproof by saturating 
it with pure, raw linseed oil. If cloth is to be treated 
with oil or paint, it should first be cut and sewed and 
made the proper size—five feet square will be found 
a good dimension. Then spread the cloth on boards 
and apply the paint hot with a brush ; if the linseed 
oil be used, no heating is required. In making the 
caps, sew to the corners of each a small ring, say one- 
half inch in diameter. Through these rings, the 
wooden pins are to be stuck into the side of the hay 
cock to hold the caps in place during a wind storm. 
When not in use, the covers should be kept in rolls, 
for if folded, they will be likely to crack along the 
fold, which would render them useless for hay covers. 
The best covers are made from regular tent canvas, 
which requires no painting or oiling, and which will 
outwear a dozen of the oiled cloths. The material 
for the tent-cloth covers can be purchased in quantity 
for from eight to ten cents per yard. Will those 
farmers who have had experience with hay covers 
please write what covers they used, the cost, and if 
satisfactory ? l. a. clinton. 
