1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
689 
The Farmers’ Club. 
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INSECTS THAT BOTHER THE FRUITGROWER 
ANSWERS BY M. V. SLINGERLAND. 
Habits of the Strawberry Root-Worm. 
A. M., Penn Yan, N. Y. —Is anything known of the habits of the 
inclosed beetle ? I cannot discover that he works on anything ex¬ 
cept strawberry plants. I inclose leaves and a runner showing 
its work. I have never seen these beetles at work, but always 
find them hiding under small stones, and in crevices in the soilj 
and conclude that their habits are nocturnal. The foliage is 
almost entirely destroyed in some places, and a great many of 
the beetles are hidden nearby. 
The strawberry leaves looked as though they had 
been riddled with bird-shot. This is the work of the 
Spotted Paria or Strawberry Root-worm. It is a small 
beetle, about three-tenths of an inch long, of a 
brownish color, with the wing covers obscurely 
marked with four blackish spots. They are active 
little chaps, hopping briskly about when approached 
or disturoed. This habit may account for A. M’s not 
finding them at work when he approached the vines, 
or they may have already gone into hibernation. 
The insect is widely distributed over the United 
States, and it has been especially numerous in straw¬ 
berry fields this year. It does not confine its work to 
strawberries, for in the spring of 1895, our attention 
was called to it twice as a raspberry-bud eater. It is 
an old insect pest, having been discussed as a straw¬ 
berry foe since 1873. 
The insect is destructive, both in its grub and 
beetle states. The little white gruos feed upon the 
rootlets of the vines, and often seriously check their 
growth; this habit gives the insect the name of 
Strawberry Root-worm. The grubs may be found at 
work on the roots about July 1, and these produce, in 
July and August, the beetles that riddle the leaves. 
They continue feeding on a variety of plants until late 
in the fall, and then hibernate under the mulch, 
or in the earth. In some instances, as noted above, 
these hibernating beetles apparently come forth in 
the spring, and eat raspberry buus ; they, also, doubt¬ 
less, feed upon the strawberry leaves in the spring 
before laying their eggs, which they deposit in the 
soil in June. Prom these eggs, come the grubs which 
eat the roots. There is, thus, but one generation of 
the insects each year. 
The frequent rotation of strawberry beds must do 
much to check this insect; old, neglected beds form 
favorite breeding places. As the most destructive 
work of the beetles is begun after the fruiting season, 
and as they feed openly upon the foliage, I cannot 
see why they could not be easily killed by thorough 
work with a Paris-green spray ; make two or three 
applications if necessary. The destruction of the 
beetles in this manner would, of course, prevent the 
further increase of the insect the next season. There 
is no practicable way of killing the grubs at work on 
the roots in July ; underground insects are difficult to 
reach with surface applications. 
The Grape Vine Leaf-Hopper. 
J. H. T., Astoria, N. Y.— What is the nature of, and the remedy 
for, the attacks of an insect that causes the leaves of my grape 
vines to die and drop off? The v.nes, at this writing, are as brown 
as though from the effects of heavy frost, but the injury appears 
to be caused by yellowish-white insects about one-eighth inch 
long, which, when the vine is shaken, rise in a cloud, but quickly 
settle back again on the under sides of the leaves. I inclose a leaf 
on which are, apparently, the young or the eggs of this insect. I 
have sprayed once, since gathering the fruit, with kerosene emul¬ 
sion, but with no apparent effect. 
The grape leaf showed that the Grape Vine Leaf- 
hopper (Erythroneura vitis), or some closely allied 
species, had been at work in quite destructive num¬ 
bers. There are several leaf hoppers that work upon 
grape leaves. All are minute, narrow, yellowish in¬ 
sects about one-eighth of an inch long, and some of 
them have their wings crossed by blood-red bands. 
Among vineyardists, these insects are known as 
“thrips”; properly, however, this name belongs to 
an entirely different group of insects. The grape leaf- 
hoppers pass the winter in the adult state, hibernat¬ 
ing under dead leaves or other rubbish, the survivors 
becoming active in spring, when they insert their 
eggs in punctures in the leaves of the vine. The yel¬ 
low nymphs are hatched from these eggs during the 
month of June, and they resemble their parents ex¬ 
cept in size, and in having no wings. During their 
growth, they shed their skins (which are nearly white) 
several times, and although exceedingly delicate and 
gossamer-like, the empty skins remain for some time 
attached to the leaves in a very life-like attitude. The 
nymphs feed together on the under sides of the leaves, 
and are very quick in their movements, hopping 
briskly about by means of their hind legs, which are 
especially fitted for this purpose. They have a pecu¬ 
liar habit of running sideways, and when they see 
that they are observed upon one side of a leaf, they 
will often dodge quickly around to the other. Each 
is furnished with a sharp beak or proboscis, with 
which it punctures the skin of the leaf, and then 
sucks out the sap ; this produces yellowish or brownish 
spots on the upper surface. At first, these spots are 
small and do not attract much attention ; but as the 
insects increase in size, the spots often involve the 
whole leaf, which appears as though scorched, and 
often drops from the vine. Occasionally, vines become 
so far defoliated that the fruit fails to ripen. As the 
nymphs grow, diminutive wings appear, which gradu¬ 
ally develop into the mature wings of the adult. With 
the full growth of its wings, it acquires such powers 
of flight that it readily flies from vine to vine, and 
thus spreads itself in all directions. It continues its 
mischievous work until late in the season, when it 
seeks shelter for the winter. 
The Clinton, Delaware, and other thin-leaved varie¬ 
ties suffer more from the attacks of these leaf-hop¬ 
pers than do the thick-leaved sorts like the Concord. 
The insects are sometimes quite abundant in a vine¬ 
yard one year, and comparatively scarce the next. 
Their preservation, doubtless, depends much on favor¬ 
able hibernating conditions. One should not wait 
until late in the season when the leaf-lioppers are 
full-grown and can fly, before beginning active war¬ 
fare against them. When young nymphs, they can 
only hop about, and are also more susceptible to 
insecticides. As they suck their food from the interior 
of the leaves, the poisons can have no effect upon 
them. If J. H. T. had sprayed with the kerosene 
emulsion early in the season, and had aimed at the in¬ 
sects on the under sides of the leaves, he would have 
had much better results. Kerosene emulsion, thor¬ 
oughly applied to the under sides of the leaves about 
July 1, will check this pest. Tobacco dust similarly 
applied will, also, do the work. Some vineyardists 
have caught and killed millions of them on a sheet 
saturated with kerosene, or covered with tar, the 
treatment is liable, somehow, to result in an attack 
of boils. Sometimes they will follow a blister. It is 
better to abort or kill them, if possible. This, at 
times, may be done by a free application of turpen¬ 
tine, rubbing it in well and often, or by introducing 
a fine point of nitrate of silver (lunar caustic) into the 
center of the boil when it first starts. 
There is a difference of opinion as to whether a 
boil and a carbuncle are essentially of the same na¬ 
ture, only differing in size. Billroth, the great 
surgeon, thinks that they are the same. They are 
much alike, but a carbancle is larger than a boil, 
is not like a boil, tender to the touch, does not come 
in crops, being solitary, and is flatter in form, less 
prominent than a boil. I think that it is better to dis¬ 
pense with poulticing. Either apply resin cerate spread 
thinly, or a patch of carbolated gauze, and that again 
covered with a wad of carbolated absorbent cotton. 
Or else, instead of the resin cerate, use iodoform 
gauze, 10 or 12 thicknesses, and of a size sufficient to 
extend well beyond the inflamed area. This may he 
held in place by adhesive plaster cut to a size only 
just large enough to serve the purpose. In addition 
to the local treatment, it is well to take all available 
measures for invigorating the system as, for instance, 
the use of some combination of quinine, iron, strych¬ 
nine and arsenic taken after meals. In addition, cod 
liver oil may also be taken with advantage. Sulphide 
of calcium in doses of one-eighth to one-fourth grain, 
taken every two hours, is supposed to act as a pre¬ 
ventive. There is no reason to think that boils serve 
any purpose in promoting good health. Anything 
that tends to depress the general health should be 
avoided. w. o. e. 
Cold Storage In a Cold Country. 
W. H. 8., Lincoln County, Ont. —I int ind to build a workshop for 
odd jobs, and wish to build an ice house ou tae north side and a 
room in which to churn. I wish to build in the ice house, or under 
it, two refrigerators, one for milk and one to keep fresh vege¬ 
tables and meat for use in the family. I wish the milk room cold 
enough without bothering to put ice in the room. My ice house 
will be 12 feet square and 10 feet high. How shall I build this ? 
ANSWERED BY W. W. HILBORN. 
Ice House 
/6'x /6‘ 
Work Shop 
/6'X J2‘ 
H ,, H 
Back Ha/J 
for /cind 
Refr/p. „ 
Ref 
Churning 
Hoorn 
/0 'X /6' 
DESIGN FOR A CANADIAN COLD ROOM. Fig. 223. 
sheet being stretched on a frame which is carried 
along one side of the row, while some one goes along 
the other side of the vines and frightens the insects 
toward the trap. 
fin Attack of Canker Worms. 
A. M. E., Kansas. —Last spring, many orchards were attacked 
by small caterpillars, about an inch long, at the time of 
blooming and when the leaves were coming out. They continued 
for several weeks, stripping the trees of foliage and blossoms. 
The outer ends of the branches were stripped almost bare. Many 
of the trees have not recovered, the stripped branches remaining 
bare all summer. Can they be destroyed bv spraying ? If so, at 
what time should it be done, and what materials should be used ? 
Many orchards are, apparently, ruined. 
These caterpillars were, probably, the Canker 
worms, which I discussed in detail in The R. N.-Y. 
for April 25, 1896. Y r es, this pest can be controlled 
by spraying. After May 1, the trees should be ex¬ 
amined every day, and as soon as the newly-hatched 
worms are seen, preparations for thorough and fre¬ 
quent applications of Paris-green (1 pound to 200 gal¬ 
lons of water) should be made. Prof. Bailey demon¬ 
strated last year, in a western New York orchard, 
that “ The Canker worm can be killed by honest 
spraying with Paris-green.” Details of this interest¬ 
ing and instructive experiment may be obtained in 
Bulletin 101 of the Cornell Experiment Station, at 
Ithaca, N. Y. 
A Talk About “ Boils.” 
Sufferer, New Jersey. —What causes “ boils”? What treatment 
is best for them ? Should we try to kill them at their beginning? 
Is a boil the same as a carbuncle? Do boils promote health by 
discharging effete or poisonous matter from the system ? 
Ans —While the formation of boils is supposed to 
be favored by poor or insufficient food, overwork, un¬ 
sanitary surroundings, low states of health, or the 
presence of certain diseases, especially diabetes, 
anaemia, fever and blood poisoning, the belief now 
accepted is that their essential cause is a microbe, 
Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus. The hydropathic 
W. II. S. wishes to build in or under, two refrigera¬ 
tors. I have never had any personal experience in 
this direction. One of my neighbors, about three 
years ago, went to considerable expense in build¬ 
ing a milk house with ice over it, and it did 
not prove very satisfactory. The ice melts too 
fast. I put up enough ice every winter for a large 
refrigerator, and think that W. II. S. would get 
much more satisfaction if he would build hi two 
refrigerators in such a way that he can open them 
from the churniDg room, and have doors in he 
back for icing, thus keeping out all dirt from the 
churning room when putting in ice ; 12x12 feet is not 
large enough to hold ice for that purpose ; 16x16 feet 
is none too large. The refrigerator should be made 
so that a whole block of ice can be put in at a time, as 
the large cakes of ice last so much longer than small 
ones. Fig. 223 shows a small diagram of a plan that 
would, perhaps, help out to some extent. The rooms 
may be enlarged or cut down if required. If the 
refrigerator be properly constructed, it will allow 
any kind of meats and most vegetables to be placed 
in together without one tainting the other in the 
least. Neither will there be dampness or mold. 
Values of Tannery Refuse. 
II. L. C., Canton, Pa. —What fertilizing values does the follow¬ 
ing tannery refuse have: hair which is loosened with lime, spent 
lime or sediment taken from the lime vats and tannery ashes 
made from the spent tan bark ? The ashes are put in large piles 
exposed to the weather. 
ANs.--The hair and the spent lime have little agri¬ 
cultural value ; we would not pay anything for them. 
The hair contains considerable nitrogen, but it is in 
an unavailable form, and is not fitted to feed plants. 
Ordinary ashes of spent tan bark, contain about 36 
pounds of potash and 28 pounds of phosphoric acid 
per ton, which, at trade prices, are worth slightly 
over §3. 
A Ration for Dairy Cows. 
M. II. L., Siegf rieds, Pa.—I have six graded Jersey cows, averag¬ 
ing about 850 pounds in weight, and am making butter. How 
shall I feed my cows to obtain the best results, considering the 
prices of feed, which are as follows : Timothy hay, $16 per ton; 
clover hay, $12; meadow hay, $13; corn stover, $8; oat straw, $8; 
wheat bran, $12; wheat shorts, $12; gluten feed, $13; linseed meal, 
$21; cotton-seed meal, $22; corn, 32 cents per bushel; oats, 
26 cents; rye, 38 cents ? 
Ans. —You do not say whether the hay and grain 
must ail be bought, or whether part of it was grown 
on the farm. This will mike some difference in figur¬ 
ing out an economical ration. For example, we would 
not think of paying $16 per ton for Timothy hay to 
be fed to cows. If we had any amount of it on hand, 
we would sell it at $16, and use the money to buy 
clover at $12. At the prices given, the clover, if of 
good quality, is by far the cheapest rough fodder you 
name. If the corn stover is on the farm, and you 
value it at $8 per ton, you might feed it with the 
clover to good advantage ; but we would not advise 
you to pay $8 ia cash for it, while you can get clover 
at $12. if you have both clover and stalks on the 
farm, we would feed 12 pounds of clover and six or 
eight of stalks per day. For a graia feed, we would 
make up a mixture, by weight, of four parts bran, 
two parts corn meal, and one part each linseed and 
cotton seed, and feed, say, eight pounds of tne mix¬ 
ture to the heaviest milking cows, and grade down 
the amounts for the others. 
