12 FARMERS BULLETIN 856. 



expense, and those engaged in gardening can do this work at odd 

 times or when the garden is wet with rain. 



Sulphur is used for mildews. Use the finest flour sulphur obtain- 

 able. A special grade is made for dusting plants. Sulphur com- 

 pounds are valuable for the red spider and for some other forms of 

 mites, but they should be followed by syringing or spraying with 

 neutral soap solutions or water. 



MECHANICAL METHODS OF CONTROL. 



For garden insects there are several control methods that do 

 not require the use of insecticides, but too much must not be ex- 

 pected from them. Of these hand picking is useful for large, com- 

 paratively inactive insects such as the potato beetle, cutworms and 

 other caterpillars, and the squash bug. Another method is jarring or 

 beating insects from low plants into large pans of water on which 

 a thin scum of kerosene is floating. The water prevents the insects 

 from escaping, and the kerosene, being on the surface, kills the in- 

 sects with which it comes in contact. Collecting nets are valuable for 

 some pests ; for example, the tarnished plant-bug. Brushing by dif- 

 ferent means is used to a considerable extent and consists in beat- 

 ing or brushing insects from the plants with pine boughs or similar 

 brush. This method has proved of great value in combating the pea 

 aphis. Covering with cloth is of use as a preventive for the striped 

 cucumber beetle wdien the cucumbers are quite small, and for root- 

 maggots. Trapping by different methods with old boards is useful 

 for squash bugs and cutw^orms. Poisoned baits may be placed under 

 such traps. Plowing, disking, and harrowing all can be done by hand 

 and are of considerable service. 



SPRAYING METHODS. 



To be successful in the control of insects and diseases, spraying 

 must be done promptly and thoroughly. Spraying with Bordeaux 



mixture should be done before 

 rains rather than after, provided 

 the spray has time to dry on the 

 leaves. Where the advice on later 

 pages is to " repeat spraying every 

 7 or 10 days," these intervals 

 should depend on the weather. If 



Fig. 5.— Au atooiisser sprayer. [^ Jg rainy Or mUggy, witll fogS 



or heavy dews, spray frequently to keep the foliage protected at all 

 times. If dry, a longer time may be allowed. 



