THE BOOK OF THE PEONY 



on them in great numbers. It is then compara- 

 tively easy to collect the beetles and drop them 

 into a pan of death-dealing kerosene. 



If the labour of hand picking is too arduous, 

 peonies may be protected by frames covered with 

 netting. 



Fortunately for peony-lovers near New York, 

 the early and many of the mid-season varieties 

 are usually through blooming before the rose-bug 

 makes its appearance. 



Ants cause no direct injury to peonies. Al- 

 though unpleasant, they are dangerous only as 

 carriers of spores produced on sick plants. As 

 plants other than the peony are also victims of 

 various fungoid diseases, it is the part of wisdom 

 to watch one's garden carefully, and to remove 

 promptly and burn at once all infected foliage 

 and roots. The industrious ant will then make 

 less mischief. As a further precaution, the num- 

 ber of ants can be much reduced by the destruction 

 of their nests with boiling water. 



172 



