Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1888 — FARM AND HOME. [ARTICLE]

FARM AND HOME.

The Rural New . Yorker, wfiiph has given much attention to insectides for the past fifteen years, makes the following suggestions as the result of its Experience: * For the currant worm hellebore is a perfect remedy. Used as a powder it is an expensive remedy; in water a very economical one. Buhach serves very well, but more frequent applications are necessary. The best way to use either is to mix two or three tablespoonfnls in hot water, forming a paste, and add this to two gallons of water. Where there are only a few plants to spray, the Spraying bellows answers very well; where there are many plants, the work becomes exceedingly tiresome and laborious.

The Rural’s statement that Buhach may be economically used in keeping the rose bug in subjection does not inspire much confidence, apparently, among those who have laige areas in roses or grapes, and armies of the insect to fight. We have only to say that we have used it for three seasons very satisfactorily, and we shall certainly use it again the present season as soon as this dreaded visitor appears. By the use of a hand-puinp, rubber hose, iron tube and Cyclone or Climax nozzle, there is nothing laborious about it. It is mere play. The under side of leaves may be sprayad as readily as the upper; in fact, by holding the nozzle under the bush for a few moments, the entire plant is reached. For the cabbage worm, Buhach used as above described, is effective and altogether unobjectionable. We prefer Buhach to the imported Pyrethrum because it is more reliable. The latter is often adulterated and liable as well to injury from long sea voyages. When Paris green was first used to kill potato beetles, and, later, London purple, the Rural experimented to learn how most ’Economically to apply them. At that time using the poison in water and sprinkling the infusion upon the plants was preferred to using the poison extended with flour or plaster. The result of our investigation was that not one-tenth of the poison used was necessary, and that the poisoned plaster was far better than the poisoned water. The reason we gave, and time has since proven that it was sound, was that Paris green and London purple water can not be used so as to kill the beetle without injury to the vine. The poisoned water necessarily collects in the lowest part of the leaf, evaporates and leaves the poison to kill the leaf where it is deposited. If we take one pound of pure Paris green and thoroughly mix it with an entire barrel of plaster, we have a mixture that will just as surely kill the beetle as if two pounds or more of the poison The beetle will not die so soon, but it is made sick at once, and its appetite never returns during the remainder of its unhappy existence. The advocacy of destroying the early beetles by hand is not well founded, in our opinion. The simple fact is that a large proportion of the early beetles are concealed in the ground or under leaves, while millions of them are crawling or flying from field to field. By the time a man “picks over” an acre of potatoes, in fact, finds constant employment in” this way, and yet have lots of beetles after all. The destruction does not amount to a drop in the bucket. The Rural’s way of mixing the plaster and the poison is to spread out two inches thick, half a barrel of the plaster on a right floor and sprinkle as even as possible half a pound of the poison over it. Then with a rake work it to and fro. -Shovel it together, spread it out again and rake it again until the whole mass shows the faintest tint of the poison throughout. Shovel it back into another barrel and treat the other half the same way. London purple is very much cheaper. We prefer Paris green, because it is less likely 8 to injure the vines if used a trifle too strong, while if the London purple is not used of a certain strength it will not kill the beetles. _____

For plant lice (apaidie), we have found a mixture of equal parts, of Buhach and hellebore effective. Caterpillars of all kinds, as far as tried (except the bag-worm), are destroyed by Buhach. For the formidable scale insect we know of no remedy the application of which does not cost more than than it is worth. The tent caterpiller is destroyed in an hour or so by blowing a few whifs of Buhach into the tents early in the morning or late at night. Spraying is just as effective. For the squash bug and striped cucumber and melon beetle we know of no remedy. For the latter we use a mixture of sulphur and plaster upon the young leaves. Dust, ashes, etc., may serve as well.

For lice in hen houses we spray the houses every two weeks or so with kerosine, using the Woodason spraying bellows. The tedious practice of white washing is no longer necessary. We do not believe that lice can live in a hen house so sprayed, since every crack and hole is reached by the kerosine. Infested hens so quartered soon become cleansed. Every one having a hen houseshould be provided with the spraying bellows.—They will pay their cost in a short time in effectiveness saving of labor. It is common for sows with their young to resort to a certain place to sleep, even in the pasture. It is good practice

to watch these bedding places, and every two weeks or so scatter a double handful of sulphur over the bed. This will not only keep the pigs from getting lousy, but mangy as well, and keep their skins and systems in good condition; for a portion of it will be absorbed by the skin, and it acts as an alterative upon the system. Around the lots and pens carbolic acid should be used with no sparing hand, and no money that the breedci; spends will return so good an interest. It not only disinfects from foul odors and noxious gases, but its free use will prevent cholera and other disease^— if not directly imported by bringing infected animals on the place. It clears and purifies the ground and floors, and the air as well. .

Evpry farmer’s family shonld have an abundance of sweet corn, and that means, if they are fond of it, all that each wants twice a day, dinner and supper. Many prefer it, if it can be had but once daily, at the supper or evening meal. A succession sowing or planting every ten days or fortnight will give a plenty until frost comes. This, which is a luxury to mosbpeople, can be had by the farmer without cost, as the resulting fodder will more than pay for the seed and labor. At the late plantings give extra fertilizing; it will come back in the fodder. There are still many who do not know the superiority of sweet corn over the “roasting ears” of field kinds. We do not name varieties, but any kind of sweet corn—that with wrinkled kernals —which can be procured, is vastly better than field corn. If intending to save seed, plant at a distance from common corn, Unless that is quite out of tassel.

With every litter of pigs, Dr. A. G. Chase, Kansas, writes us, there will be one dwarf or “runt,” often two if the litter is a large one. It will always be profitable, and often, if not generally, an act of humanity to sever the spinal cord, where the neck joins on the head, with a sharp-pointed knife, as soon as these runts are born. They usually die anyway before six months old; and with the utmost care and attention, and with but three to five in the litter, I have never been able to make anything of them but little mangy runts; a torture to themselves and a nuisance to the owner. In ordinary litters, up to their death, they consume milk that would nourish the others and only seems wasted on them. Hence the earlier they are put out of the way the better. Breeders generally know this, but hesitate to kill them; but it is on all accounts the better way. .