THE ORCHARDIST

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 11

THE ORCHARDIST

LEPIDOPTERA PEST THE VALUE OF NIGHT LIGHTS. (By S. Cochrane itacky, in. the Auckland "Star.”) Since I wrote last on the above subject I have made an important discovery, and one that will fill the hearts of farmers, gardeners, and orchardists with rejoicing, because it means the utter annihilation of moths, by constant care in the moth season, and at a very trifling expense. In my last I referred to the fact that I had reduced the consumption of kerosene more than half. This was effected alirifcst by accident. Last year I could not get a new wick for the burner, so made one of a used sugarbag. I used this in the early part of this season, but it got too short, and I obtained a new wick. I did not notice the increased consumption of kerosene until on© morning I was unwell and unable to get up at 5 o’clock to put it out. I found at 8 o’clock that it had saved me the trouble by expiring for want of oil, having used nine pints during tho night. 1 then mode another sugar-bag wick, and immediately tho consumption of kerosene was reduced as before stated. This explanation is given for the benefit of correspondents who required information.

Upon looking over my previous article I was struck with the vast prepondoranov in the number of met]is drowned to those partially burned, and in ■ writing to the Minister W Agriculture on the 10th inst. I stated: —•‘To-day. I bought another lamp, as I want to test whether a naked light is better than, or as good, cheap, and efficient as, a lamp. If I find the latter nearly ns good, it will be a great deal cheaper than a ‘Perfection’ burner.”

I was goiiiig to try a.hurricane lamp, and as my 'only experience of them W,as on. our public streets, or unfinished works, where they do their best to make darkness visible without making a violent success of it, I went about the proposed purchase with no great expectation of it beating the old burner. Various shoos were visited and prices ranged from Is 9d to 5s each. Eventually I secured one at os, and found when I got it home that it would require to stand out of the water, as part of its breathing apparatus was in under the lamp; it could stand on a hoard or brick, it must be clear of the water. Tha't night I tried it at a neighbour’s, and only got twenty-nine moths: the Perfection in the old place had only 37. The next night it was removed to a new place in our garden and 1 as I was also i trying a reflector hurricane lamp which I had borrowed, I installed it where the Perfection was the night before, and as it required to be raised outside pan to shed a bright light over the water in pan. No. 1 was placed in a similar position. Result: No. 1, 8 moths; Reflector 15. Nexl night No. 1 was placed on narrow board on pan, Reflector as before. It gave 14, and No. 1 87. Clearly the Rbflector was out of the running, and I felt what was required was a lam; that could bo sot in l tho water, so that the flaane might he as low down as possible. Another look round the shops, and my fancy was secured at last, also for ss. It (No. 2) was put in tlxe Reflector’s place last Friday night; a wet, stormy, night it was. No. 2 behaved splendidly, and there were 78 moths next morning to its iredit. No. 1, 20. Missing two or three, nights, on Wednesday morning last No. 1 had 29 for night’s burning, and No. 2 184. On Thursday mornmi No. 1 had 72, and No. 2 201. I have only the 24-inch, milk pans, as yet, so I nearly fill them with water, as they are much wider on top. But I am getting one made of galvanised iron 2 feet 4 inches in diameter and only two inches deep, and with a film of kerosene on water in pan, which means sudden death to the moths. .The initial cost for each lamp ss, 24-inch pan from 3s 6d to 4s; each of the lamps takes a halfpint kerosene, burning from sunset to sunrise, costly less than one penny per night. I am pleased to be able to state that the Premier, on being shown the lamp, at once sent an order for lamps, etc., for the experimental station at Tauranga.

Destroying moths means perfect tomatoes, peaches, plums, figs, etc., not forgetting dahlias. Many gardeners are lamenting the loss of what would otherwise have been glorious blooms, where, if the lamp and water had been there, the moth would have been no further trouble. It must not be forgotten that there is a moth season, and it is nearly over, but every moth destroyed now .will be fewer caterpillars next season.

It was 'unfortunate that I was in a measure led astray by the American orchardists and their torch lamps, which may be all right there, where kerosene is so cheap. I also was informed about that time by a friend that he had just read that during the moth season in France the peasants burned fires all night and the gentry torches.. From this it seemed that fire was the principal thing required. As previously shown, I have worked at this for the past eleven years, and now that it is perfect I have very much pleasure in giving it to the people most interested, the producer, in whose interest I have been working in another direction for the past thirteen years. Devonport, February 21st.