ORCHARD PESTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7349, 2 December 1907, Page 4

ORCHARD PESTS.

Mr James Bishop, of Wheatgtone, recently brought to this office some specimens of orchard pests, which we forwarded to Mr T. W. Kirk, the Government Biologist, for his opinion, which he gives as follows: "The specimens are the pupa cases of the common Bagmoth .(Asceticus omnivorous), a native insect. This common moth is sometimes a trouble in gardens, and spraying with Paris green or arsenate of lead is effective." Mr Kirk forwarded the following | directions for making both these washes: ARSENATE OF LEAD.

Proportions.—l 2oz acetate of lead, 5 qz arsenate of soda, 50 gallons of water.

Preparation.—Dissolve the 12 oz acetate of lead in 2 quarts of water, and the 5 oz areenate of soda in three pints of water, using separate wooden vessels. Pour the separate solutions together into a tank containing 50 gallons of water.

Arsenate of lead is to be preferred to other forms of arsenic for spraying purposes. It is more expensive than Paris green, but has these advantages : (1) That if pure materials are used freely in its composition it can be used freely and much stronger than the above formula without fear of scorching the foliage; (2) that, unlike Paris green, which settles readily, it remains for a considerable time almost in suspension in the water; (3) that it is adhesive, and washes off less readily than other forms of arsenical compounds. When necessary, arsenate of lead can be used in conjunction with the Bordeaux mixture as a combined insecticide and fungicide. ■ If a prepared form of arsenate of lead is preferred it can be purchased in paste-form as Swift's arsenato of lead, or in powder-form as disparene. Swift's arsenate of lead is a recognised standard brand which is largely used by apple-growers in California and elsewhere. Either of these preparations can now be purchased at sufficiently reasonable cost to allow of free use in commercial orchards. Both can be recommended as safe and effective.