:72 



JOUENAL OF AGRICULTURE OF P. H. 



Some of them are more or less general feeders and cause great damage 

 by riddling the leaves with their feeding punctures. 



The worst of these is the so-called "pulga americana," Systena 

 hasalis, which feeds indiscriminately on nearly all vegetable crops. 

 The larva of this beetle feeds on the roots of weeds and some culti- 

 vated plants, but does not cause a great deal of damage. 



In addition to the direct injury caused by feeding, the flea-beetles 

 undoubtedly transmit diseases from one plant to another. 



Control. — Excellent results may be obtained by keeping the plants 

 dusted with a mixture of equal parts of arsenate of lead and hydrated 

 or air-slacked lime or dry, leached, wood-ashes. Two applications a 

 week when the beetles are numerous will effectively control them. 



GRASSHOPPERS. 



There are some three or four species of 

 grasshoppers that are occasionally to be 

 found doing damage in the garden. They 

 feed indiscriminately on the tender truck 

 crops, but are rarely numerous enough to 

 cause any serious damage. 



Control. — Lizards and birds to a great 

 extent keep these pests from becoming 

 numerous enough to do much damage. 

 When they do appear in destructive num- 

 bers, they maj^ be effectively controlled by 

 the use of a poison mash. The formula and 

 directions for making it follow: 



Bran or corn meal 25 poviuds. 



Paris green or Avhite arsenic. 1 pound. 



Molasses (low grade) 3 pints. 



Oranges : G 



Fig. 27. — Grasshopper. 

 Adult. 



The bran or meal should be mixed with tlie molasses and the sliced 

 oranges, and enough water to make the whole mixture moist. The 

 paris green or white arsenic should then be added and stirred in well. 



This bait sliould be scattered broadcast througli the infested field 

 in the early evening. It should not be distributed during tbe day 

 as the heat of the sun would soon dry it uj), and it would lose most 

 of its effectiveness. 



LEAPIIOPPERS. 



Leafhoppers are usually quite abundant in tlie garden and often 

 do a great deal of damage. They are delicate little iupeets with long 



