io82 



Rural School Leaflet. 



Fig. io: 



-Larvae of potato beetle just hatched 



GARDEN INSECTS 



The most serious insect pests in the garden during the summer months 



are the potato beetle, cabbage worm, and squash bug. Following are 



suggestions for destroying 

 these insects. 



The best way to kill the 

 larvae of the potato beetle is 

 to dust the plants either with 

 land plaster, paris green 

 mixed with land plaster or 

 with paris green in water. 

 It should be applied just as 

 the larvae are emerging from 

 the eggs, and if this is not 

 sufficient, several times after- 

 wards or as frequently as 



they become serious. The eggs will be found as red patches on the 



under sides of the leaves. Paris green should be applied at the rate of 



one tablespoonful to two gallons of 



water. (Caution that paris green 



should be handled with care since 



it is a poison.) 



About the only method to rid 



cabbages of cabbage worms is to 



keep the worms picked off while 



the plants are young. After the 



plants begin to head you will not 



have much difficulty. If you do 



not care to handle the larvae they 



can be killed by sprinkling with 



either land plaster or paris green 



mixed with flour at the rate of 



half a teaspoonful of paris green to 



a cup of flour — this quantity will 



dust a large number of heads. 



The bottom of an old baking- 

 powder can may be punched fufl of 



holes and in it the flour and 



paris green may be thoroughly 



mixed. The mixture can then be dusted on the plants. There is no 



danger from eating cabbages dusted with paris green as it would be 



Fig. 104. — Colorado potato beetle 

 larvae or " soft shells "or " slugs " as 

 the farmer calls them. Natural size 



