INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES 35 



jumping habits, is credited with doing a good deal of 

 harm to Chrysanthemums by feeding on them, but I have 

 not had much experience with it. 



Having described the insect foes of Chrysanthemums, 

 I think I am justified in saying a word in praise of the 

 lady-bird, perhaps our best ally in insect life. That, and 

 its larvae "Niggers," I think, is the term used by the 

 hop-farmers feed largely on the eggs and offspring of 

 the " green-fly," and should never be destroyed for that 

 reason. 



MILDEW 



First and foremost in the list of diseases is mildew. 

 This is with us all through the year, and is the more 

 prevalent in wet and cold seasons. It very often attacks 

 young plants in the early spring, and its coming is often 

 heralded by a cold east wind. Care should be taken in 

 ventilation, never letting cold air direct on to the plants. 

 Too moist an atmosphere is another frequent cause of 

 mildew appearing. We have a grand remedy for this 

 disease by dusting on flowers of sulphur or black sulphur. 

 The latter is more suitable, perhaps, when plants are in 

 the show houses, as it is not so noticeable. Both should 

 be dusted on when the foliage is slightly damp, as it will 

 stay better. Always dust the underpart of the leaves, 

 for I think mildew is more frequent there. When out 

 of doors and mildew is bad, some growers use two parts 

 sulphur to one part finely slaked lime for dusting on and 

 find this a very good remedy. 



RUST 



Rust seems to affect certain districts more than others. 

 I have seen it stated that Chrysanthemums grown near 

 smoky towns are almost immune from it, and I think 



