668 Reading-Course for Farmers' Wives. 



IX. Pests of House-Plants. 



There are but few kinds of house-plants which are not, sooner or 

 later, attacked by insect enemies. Among the most common of these 

 enemies are plant-lice, the so-called " red spider," thrips, scale-insects 

 and mealy-bugs. 



Most housewives are familiar with the small, soft-bodied green or 

 blackish plant-lice which often multiply in great numbers on certain 

 kinds of house-plants. These Uce live on the juices of the plants which 

 they suck out by means of their beak-like mouth-parts, which they force 

 into the tissues in a similar way that a mosquito " bites " us. 



The so-called " red spider " is a minute, spider-like mite, which often 

 swarms over the undersides of the leaves, forming thereon a network 

 of silken threads. 



Thrips are very small, slender and active little creatures which live 

 mostly on the under sides of the leaves, causing yellowish spots where 

 they have fed. 



Several kinds of scale-insects infest house-plants. Some of them are 

 dark brown and the shape of a half-pea when fully grown. The young 

 of these brown scales are lighter colored and fiat, closely adhering to 

 the plant from which they suck their food, like the plant-lice. Palms 

 and some other plants are often infested with a smaller, round, flat 

 scale about the size of a pin-head. 



Coleus plants and a few others are often badly infested with small, 

 whitish insects, known as " mealy-bugs " from their peculiar mealy 

 or cottony appearance. They are closely related to the plant-lice and 

 scale-insects, and suck their food from the plants in a similar manner. 



Remedial measures. — When good water pressure is available, the 

 simplest and usually an effective method of controlling most insects 

 infesting house-plants is to thoroughly spray the plants with water 

 through a hose and nozzle at frequent intervals. Take the plants out 

 doors, and by the application of such a spray one can usually knock off 

 most of the insects, excepting the scales. Plant-lice, red spiders, mealy- 

 bugs and thrips will usually succumb to such treatment. When a force- 

 ful water spray is not available, a small spray-pump may be substituted 

 and a solution of whale-oil soap (one pound in five or six gallons of 

 water), kerosene emulsion or a strong tobacco decoction may be used 

 as a spray on the plants. It is necessary to aim this spray so as to hit 

 the insects. For scale-insects the housewife must resort to hand work. 

 Take strong soap-suds, or better, the whale-oil soap mentioned above, 



