94 GENERAL ADVICE 



by any liquid which may be applied to the surface. 

 They may be killed by various materials which act 

 upon them externally, as the soap washes, kero- 

 sene emulsions, and the like. 



The first and best means of averting trouble 

 from insects and fungi is to prevent their attacks. 

 It is often advisable to plant only those species or 

 varieties which are least subject to serious injury. 

 If a garden is kept clean of rubbish and all places 

 in which the insects can hibernate and the fungi 

 can propagate, very much will be accomplished 

 towards keeping the plantation in health. All 

 fallen leaves from plants which have been attacked 

 by fungi should be raked up and burned, and in 

 the fall all diseased wood should be cut out and 

 destroyed. In the case of small plants which are 

 attacked by large insects, hand-picking is the most 

 efficient means of riddance. There are also va- 

 rious ways of protecting the plants from the 

 attacks of insects. One of the best is to cover the 

 plants with fine mosquito- netting or to grow them 

 in hand frames, or to use a wire -covered box like 

 that shown in Fig. 93. In growing plants under- 

 such covers, care must be taken that the plants are 

 not kept too close or confined ; and in cases in 

 which the insects hibernate in the soil, these boxes, 

 by keeping the soil warm, may cause the insects to 

 hatch all the sooner. In most cases, however, these 

 covers are very efficient, especially for keeping the 

 striped bugs off young plants of melons and 



