18 
About Vegetables. 
Gabbage Aphis. 
Witb regard to the means to be adopted 
for keeping aphis occurring upon cabbage 
in subjection, it may, prior to going into 
details, be pointed out, that its mode of 
feeding consists in piercing the plant 
tissue with iis proboscis or snout—an 
hair-like organ—and therefrom extracting 
the sap, and that, accordingly, unlike an 
insect that feeds by gnawing away the 
substance of the foliage, it must be 
attacked by means of some preparation 
that kills by contact. Such insecticides 
as Paris green, lead arsenite, &c., are 
not, therefore, available for its  des- 
truction, But,.. _sott-bodied 
A insect, the death of the individual may be 
several 
being . a 
readily effected ; preparations 
when used, securing this end. 
these the following may be mentioned: — 
Amongst 
—1. Tobacco Tea.— 
Made by pouring boiling water over 
“tobacco at the rate of 1 Ib. of the latter to 
4 gallons (kerosene tin full) “of the 
former, Any tobacco — 
applicable for the purpose, such as leaves 
from ordinary plants grown on the farm 
and dried, or stalks, a waste product from 
tobacco manufacture. Should a little 
syrup (crude molasses) or soap be added 
‘to the decoction, this will premote 
--adhesion, always difficult in the case of 
“cabbage apliis, and the plants they feed 
upon, both being covered with a wax like 
bloom that tends to shed any fluid 
directed upon them. Generally speaking 
“this tobacco infusion should be of a 
strength indicated by its being of the 
color of the beverage—tea. : 
—2. Fish Oil Soap Wash,— 
Made by dissolving the soap in hot 
water at the rate of 1 lb. to 125 gallons 
(final dilution). 
—8,. Pyrethrum (‘ Insectibane’ 
and Water.— 
At the rate of 2 tablespoonfuls in a 
bucketful of water, the powder being first 
made into a paste with a little water. 
crude being 
Powder 
—4, Kerosene Emulsion,— 
One pint in from 20° to-25 parts of 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
water. (Note.—For manufacturing this 
‘and the undermentioned, see any modern 
work on horticultural practice. 
—b}. Resin Compound.— 
One part of resin saponified in 12 or 15 
‘gallons of water. 
—6. Hot Soap Suds — 
Cabbage plants will tolerate water, 
especially when this is applied in the form 
of a spray that is sufficiently high in 
temperature to be quite fatal to plant lice 
of aphides. In several 
remedies, one isactuated by the experience 
mentioning 
that the farmer often possesses one of a 
number of substances when he has not a 
single specified one. - 
In conclusion, it must be bornein mind 
when pursuing methods for the repression 
of these insects that only those that the 
insecticide comes in contact with are 
killed, although it may have a slightly 
repellent action for a few additional in- 
dividuals; and that, therefore, seein too 
that aphides, especially in early life, are 
small, it must be applied in a very fine 
state of division so as to reach everyone; in 
fact, in a mist-like form. This end can 
only be secured by the use of a proper 
spraying appliance that can so administer 
a fluid preparation. 
Again, by reason of the great and rapid 
increase in their numbers in the course of 
their natural development, a few in- 
dividual aphides, if suffered to remain 
alive, will soon give rise to a numerous 
host. Accordingly, treatment must not 
only be very thorough, but repeated as 
long as any living individuals are dis- 
cernible. 
It is the neglect of the occurrence of a 
few examples on young cabbage plants at 
the time they are planted that is usually 
their 
the explanation of subsequent 
appearance in immense numbers on the 
developing plants. Accordingly, im- 
mediately prior to the operation alluded 
to, the young cabbages shonld be dipped 
in one or other of the fluids mentioned 
care being taken, however, lest th roots 
be at the same time brought in contact 
with it. 
Generally speaking, what has been 
stated will apply to other kinds of aphis 
and their repression, 
—Queensland Agricultural Journal.’ 
October 1, 1909 
|e er ne Se aR MESSRS PAPEETE RESETS ENR ER 
Reducing Potato Scab. 
It having been observed in Yorkshire 
that scab in the potato is mere prevalent 
in a dry than ina wet season, experiments: 
were made by the Agricultural department 
of the University of Leeds in order to 
ascertain whether by treating land with 
substances capable of holding water the 
disease might be prevented or reduced. 
The substances used were—sawdust 
shoddy, rape meal, and peat muss; each 
of these substances being used with and 
without salt. The sawdust and peat moss 
were soaked in water before being applied 
over the sets at planting time. The best 
results were obtained by the use of 50cwt 
of wetted sawdust to the acre; the addition 
of salt, however, reduced the yield. Steep: 
ing the ‘seed’ in formalin (six tluid ounces 
of commercial formalin to 15 gallons of 
_water) reduced the amount of scab in the 
crop. 
A Large Cucumber. 
An extraordinary cncumber was eX” 
hibited at Richmond (Eng,) Horticultural 
Show recently. It was (says the Londod 
«News Agency’) 374 in. long, weighed 
93 1b., and measured just a foot around 
the thickest part. It was raised from: 
seed sown as recently as April 5, During 
the last two days previous to its being cut 
it grew 23 in. 
MY JEWELLER, 
‘rp, G. W. Cox; 
“CLOCK REPAIRS. 
Good Work at Moderate Charges: 
. Watches Cleaned from 2s. 6d. 
A well-selected stock of Watches and 
Jewellery at fair play prices. 
Gs We CB%; 
om 
1 Rundle Street, negro 
And at 146 Rundle Street, 
