126 



VEGETABLE GROWING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



These adult bugs when resting among the foliage of a tomato plant can easily 

 escape detection even by the practised eye, their colour harmonises so closely 

 with that of the leaves. 



The clusters of rounded, flat-topped, glassy eggs are very noticeable on the 

 foliage, and 'if the egg-infested leaves were snipped off and dropped into a 

 tin when the gardener was going over his plants, large numbers would be 

 destroyed before they had hatched. Later, or whenever an odd bug is 

 noticed on the plants, if a bag or sheet can be placed on the'ground under the 

 foliage, or an v old umbrella can be placed against the side of the plants, a 

 sudden shake of the free hand will cause most of them to fall, when 

 they can be gathered up and destroyed. In the early stages of the develop- 

 ment of the little dark-coloured bugs, when their integument is not dense 

 and the wing-covers are not present, an oil spray or tobacco and soap wash 

 (see page 130) will act as a contact poison. 



Turnip Caterpillar (Godara comalis). 



A small light-brown moth in its caterpillar stage attacks the foliage of 

 turnips and horse-radish. Where plentiful enough to seriously affect the 

 turnips, a spray of arsenate of lead (see page \ 29) should be used. 



Weevil of Pea and 



The grubs and adult beetles of a 

 seeds. Though these beetles lay 

 are not generally sufficient to be 



1 



Bean Weevil 



(Bruchus obtectus). 



Bean Seeds (Bruchus). 

 weevil commonly attack pea and bean 

 their eggs in the field, their ravages 

 noted until after the crop has been 

 gathered and stored. Then the 

 grubs become full grown, pupate, 

 and change to the adult form 

 within the seed. This brood 

 will again lay eggs on the &eeds 

 around them in the store, and 

 the infestation is thus increased 

 and with it the damage. 



For destroying these pests, 

 which are the cause of the loss 

 of a large percentage of stored 

 seed, fumigation with carbon bi- 

 sulphide is best, the method 

 being similar to that described 

 on page 131. The fumes are 

 highly inflammable, and no lights 

 or pipes should be allowed near. 

 Keeping seed in cold storage 

 (35 deg. Fah.) destroys the grubs 

 and beetles, and, even if it does 

 not destroy the eggs, it prevents 

 their development. 



