Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1878 — Coal Ashes for Insects. [ARTICLE]

Coal Ashes for Insects.

We have referred more than once, though somewhat indefinitely, to a mixture of coal ashes, etc., which we have been using during this season as a protection against many of our plant pests. Its use has been so effectual with us—it has saved us so much vexation and trouble as compared with other mixtures or measures which we have used or adopted in past seasons, that we urge our readers and friends to give it a trial. First, silt ashes enough through an ordinary ash-sifter to make a bushel of sifted ashes. Next, pass these through a flour-sieve, and thoroughly mix therewith one pound of pulverized aloes, one pound of hellebore and one pound of flour of sulpnur. Put the mixture into an open box and place it beside the range until every particle of moisture is dried out of the entire mass. It is now ready to be used; and early in the morning, while the dew is fresh upon the leaves, and there is no air stirring, is the best time to do so. The mixture will now be found so fine, so light and fluffy, that a thimbleful thrown up among the leaves will surprise one with its buoyancy’, and the space through which it may be seen to float, and the number of leaves upon which it finally settles. It envelopes every part of the leaf, petiole, twigs and branches like a vapor, and at length impinges,, as it were, upon them as vapor would upon an ice-cold plate of glass. We have tried it upon grapevines, rose-bushes, various shrubs, vines and fruit trees infested with aphides and slugs. We have dustedit over peas, corn, tomatoes, melons, etc., and the plants so dusted were seldom cut off by the cut-worm. We have dusted it upon two plum trees, as needed, and the plnms, save one, are at this time fair and sound. A pint will amply suffice for a tree ten feet in height, and the topmost leaves may be reached by tossing it up from the hand, or any little handled cup or spoon. A bushel of the mixture will suffice, we think, for our grounds this entire season, though insect pests were never so numerous. Does it kill them? We do not know, and do not much care. We have little faith in the ability of man to exterminate any race of such minute insects, thousands of which are born while he is killing one. Th exterminate those upon his own grounds one season is little less than a measure of prevention—they will be just as numerous the next.. It may be said there is nothing new in the above; but we think there is. The novelty consists in the fineness of the preparation, and its being perfectly dry, which .render its application far more easy and thorough. Soot, ashes of tobacco, and a dozen other nauseous powders may bo added as one may choose, no doubt with good effect. Rural Hew Yorker.