Plants and Their Insect Pests 



MANY plants, whether grown for or- 

 namental or for utility purjxjses, 

 and whether grown under glass 

 or in the open air, are threatened during 

 the spring and summer months with in- 

 sect pests of various kinds. The first 

 thing to do when a plant is not thriving 

 is to decide what disease or insect pest 

 it is that is injuring it. The next thing 

 is to know what is the right antidote to 

 apply. If we make ourselves masters of 

 these matters, the rest should be easy of 

 accomplishment. 



One of the greatest enemies of every 

 gardener is the great family of aphides. 

 Nearly all plants, whether grown in the 

 garden or under glass, are subject to the 

 ravages of these pests. The aphides are 

 known by a variety of names, such as 

 plant lice, green or plant fly, and are 

 often named after the plant on which 

 they particularly live, while the disease 

 they produce is often called "blight." 

 Aphides are provided with a mouth, and 

 they damage our plants principally by 

 sucking out the sap and so weakening 

 its vitality. These insects multiply at a 

 surprising rate owing to the fact that 

 the young attain the age of reproduction 

 after about ten days. 



Certain kinds, such as rose aphis, at- 

 tack not only the leaf but the young 

 shoots of the plant. Other kinds of 

 aphis — the bean aphis, for example — will 

 attack the fruit p>ods, while others, the 

 woolly aphis, attacks the roots, stems, 

 or twigs. Plant -lice migrate from plant 

 to plant, and some can live both above 

 and below ground. Towards the end of 

 the year, as cold weather comes on or 

 food becomes scarce, males as well as 

 females are produced, the femaJes de- 

 positing their eggs at the base of the 

 buds and on the stems and leaves of the 

 plant. These eggs remain over winter, 

 hatching into larvae in the early spring. 

 In addition to the green aphides there 

 are the blue and red kinds, and the 

 black aphides commonly found on chrys- 

 anthemum plants. Then there are quite 

 a number of other insects, such as the 

 mealy-bug, the red spider, and the 

 Ihrips, which, although small, are none 

 the less voracious in their habits. The 

 amount of destruction they can do in a 

 short space of time if left unmolested is 

 istonishing. Our common foe — the 

 slug — must not be overlooked. 



DIST.NGUISHING I>OINTS 



The aphides make up in numbers what 

 they lack in size. They may be readily 

 identified by their rather long antennae, 

 their soft pulpy bodies, and conspicuous 

 round eyes. They are found on the rose 

 bush usually crowded together on the 

 under side of the leaves and smothering 

 the young buds and flowers. 



R. A. Tillett, Hamilton, Ont. 



The mealy-bug has a scaly body and 

 derives its name from its being covered 

 with a white powder. 



A tiny little insect is the red spider, 

 which is really a mite and so small that 

 it may easily escape detection ; it gen- 

 erally goes by the name of the red spi- 

 der. It is not until they reach the adult 

 age that they acquire their red color, 

 for in their younger stages they are usu- 

 ally yellow or green. The red spider 

 only attacks plants — especially violets in 

 frames — when the soil is too dry. If the 

 soil is kept moist and the plants given 

 a good syringing with water, the red 

 spider will disappear. 



Thrips are generally associated with 

 corn where many species attack the in- 

 florescence. In hothouses we find them 

 destroying the leaves of plants, and to 

 distinguish them from the aphides or 

 "green fly," they are often called "black • 

 fly." Thrips have suctorial mouths, ra- 

 ther long bodies, and are winged. 



Slugs inhabit the damp shady parts of 

 gardens and greenhouses, and feed at 

 night. They are found under old rubbish 

 heaps, under the bark of decaying trees, 

 and in similar places. They lay numer- 

 ous eggs in decaying vegetation, and are 

 fond of attacking tender, young plants, 

 such as lettuce and peas. The most 

 effecual way of ridding a garden of them 

 is to gather them up and destroy them, 

 but if numerous, the best course is to 

 dig: in one of the advertised insecticides. 



Another effectual way of dealing witfr 

 them is to fork in ground lime, using of 

 the latter four ounces per square foot. 



OTHER DISEASKS 



We notice on certain plants diseases 

 known respectively as "rot" and "rust" 

 and fungus — diseases which require spe- 

 cial treatment. Fungus is usually brought 

 about by too much watering ; it attacks 

 the stems of seedlings. It is this that 

 causes potato disease and the mildew of 

 the vine. The same mouldy growth is 

 found on decayed bread, preserves, and 

 other household provisions. 



The destruction and prevention of gar- 

 den pests and plant diseases is of the 

 utmost importance, and a consideration 

 of the most efficacious and economical 

 remedies brings its own reward. 



Practical experience of this subject 

 among a great variety of plants has 

 taught me the use of several excellent 

 remedies which, if properly applied, are 

 beneficial in the distribution of aphides. 

 One of the best washes I know of 

 that can be used is obtained from dis- 

 solving six pounds to ten jx)unds of soft 

 soap in one hundred galljons of soft 

 water. When the solution is thorough- 

 ly mixed let this be freely sprayed on 

 any plants on which aphides are found. 

 The soft soap blocks up their breathing 

 pores and quickly destroys them. This 

 solution can be used in any less propor- 

 tion, according to requirements. 



For black fly on cherry and for all 



