HOP APHIS. 
58 
The ingredients in the various mixtures were used in the following 
proportions :—One quart of paraffin to one bushel of ashes, sawdust, 
or shoddy ; where sawdust and ashes were mixed, half a bushel of each 
to one quart of paraffin. Salt and ashes, one bushel of salt to eight 
bushels of ashes. Gas-lime and soot, equal parts. 
The stocks were well-dressed, and the ground thoroughly covered 
with each kind of dressing. 
Shoots were pulled off from one row (respectively) of the plants 
dressed with paraffin and ashes, with paraffin and sawdust and ashes, 
and with gas-lime. The stocks sent up strong shoots again through 
the paraffin dressings, but not through the gas-lime. On the 23rd of 
May these were weak and sickly, as were also the other two rows 
dressed with gas-lime. 
Reports were forwarded at intervals, and up to the 26th of May the 
plants that were being experimented on remained perfectly clean , 
whereas those in other parts of the Hop-yard had been infested by 
wingless females and lice on the under side of the leaves. At the 
above date the Fly—that is, the winged Aphis—appeared, and 
attacked the plants that were being experimented on, as well as 
the others. 
On this Mr. Ward justly remarks that it points to the dressings 
which had been applied having prevented attack coining up from the 
ground; and, further, that he considers the plants isolated under 
muslin having kept clean up to that date (June 24th) was owing to the 
above-mentioned preventive waterings which he gave to the soil round 
the roots last autumn. 
The effect of the dressings on the health of the plants was reported 
at intervals, and it proved that gas-lime was prejudicial,—one row 
dressed with this was dead on August 21st. Salt, and salt and lime 
mixed, were injurious to some degree to the plants, but the other 
dressings answered well; and at the above date, with fhe exceptions 
mentioned, cdl the experimental plants looked well and were bearing 
well. 
It is important to observe that of the plants under experiment 
upwards of 700 were drdssed with paraffin applied in ashes, or in some 
material by means of which it could be spread on the surface of the 
hills, and that the plants so dressed were reported throughout as 
doing well. 
During the last few years the serviceableness of mineral oils as 
insecticides, when so combined with soft-soap and water that they may be 
diluted further as may be needed for use without risk of the oil and water 
separating again , has been brought forward both in this country and 
also under the direction of the Department of Agriculture of the 
United States, 
