CHAPTER VII 

 BUGS AND BLIGHTS 



"FOREWARNED is forearmed" is an old saying, 

 which means, if you know an enemy is coming you 

 will be armed to meet it, and that is just what I 

 want you to be. I am anxious you should know the 

 enemies to your plants so as to be able to see them 

 as soon as they arrive, then they will not get the 

 better of your plants while you are finding out what 

 they are and how to kill them. 



Usually the first one we meet in the spring is the 

 "Flea Beetle." You may find him on radishes or 

 peppers or potatoes or egg plant, and possibly on 

 some flowers. He is about the size of the head of 

 a pin, sits on the upper side of the leaves, is jet 

 black and there are usually lots of them together. 

 If you touch the leaf they suddenly disappear, as 

 they are great jumpers. They all return shortly 

 however to feed again upon the leaves. We can- 

 not poison them very well, but they hate grit, so 

 get some road dust, or finely sifted coal ashes, and 

 sprinkle it all over the plants. Mr. Flea Beetle 

 will go elsewhere for his food. 



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