148 REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST OF THE 
EXPERIMENTS WITH KEROSENE. 
In Its Pure State. 
Strange to say, kerosene in its pure state appears entirely harm- 
less to certain plants, while it is fatal to others. I was surprised 
to learn that florists sometimes use it for ridding the coleus from 
the mealy bug, Dactylopius adonidum Linn., and Mr. Hunn has 
tested it for this purpose in the Station green-house with very 
satisfactory results. Although the coleus does not appear to be 
particularly hardy, a plant of the Verschaffelti1 variety was 
sprayed with pure kerosene to such an extent that the foliage and 
stem were thoroughly covered with the liquid without any injuri- 
ous effect ensuing. This suggested a series of trials with pure 
kerosene for insects on out-of-door plants. Accordingly, on June 
6, tests were made with it upon the foliage of the roseg grape, 
peach, currant, gooseberry, potato, tomato and pea, and the appli- 
cations were repeated once a week on most of these plants for 
several consecutive weeks. The oil was in every case sprayed 
upon the plants with the atomizing bellows. The potato and 
tomato foliage were quite unable to endure a single application ; 
that of the gooseberry shriveled slightly under a copious spraying, 
but that of the rose, grape, peach and pea endured repeated 
sprayings without apparent injurious effect. The kerosene proved 
a most effectual destroyer for the rose-leaf hopper, Tettigonia rose 
Harris, that so often infests the leaves of roses. 
It must not be understood, however, that the use of pure 
kerosene is here recommended for general use as an insecticide 
upon any plants. The facts are given merely as suggestions 
which may lead to valuable results through further and more 
elaborate experiments conducted hereafter. 
Kerosene Atomiaed with Water. 
The success that has been so largely claimed for the kerosene 
emulsion suggested the question if kerosene might not be .so 
atomized with water by means of special apparatus that the 
dilution accomplished by the emulsion would be practically 
attained. The water and oil added with the emulsion probably 
evaporate from the foilage soon after the application, leaving only 
the soap. It would appear entirely possible then, that if the 

