4 FOREWORDS, 



the iiiillioJis of insect ova and larvae, and the i:)letliora of 

 mycelium of microscopic fungi infesting the shoots, 

 branches, and trunks, and only patiently awaiting the 

 advent of spring to develop their aggressive activities and 

 inflict serious injury upon the foliage, shoots, blossoms, 

 or fruit. It therefore behoves every fruit grower to adopt 

 i3reventive measures, and so 'save his future crops and 

 secure the health of his trees. It is useless waiting till 

 insects or disease appear in summer. By that time both 

 will have inflicted more or less injury which cannot be 

 cured. 



Science, too, has placed at our disposal much more 

 eilicient insecticides and fungicides than we had a few 

 yeai-s ago. Those now available, and described elsewhere 

 in this volume, if used intelligently and at the proper 

 seasons, will enable the gardener effectually to banish 

 pests and diseases, and maintain his crops and his plants 

 in a healthy condition, thus yielding him better results 

 and greater pleasure than heretofore. 



To the amateur gardener, more especiallj^ the subject 

 of pests and diseases affecting indoor and outdoor crops 

 is naturally an object of great concern. Too frequently 

 want of knowledge of the innumerable enemies, the 

 proper remedies to apply, and the right time to use them, 

 is a serious stumbling block to his success in the manage- 

 ment of the garden or greenhouse. Of this fact we have 

 convincing proof in the thousands of enquiries that reach 

 us in our capacity of Editor of "Amateur Gardening." 

 We have therefore come to the conclusion that it would 

 be of great assistance to amateur gardeners and others 

 if we prepared a volume giving a descriptive account of 

 the various pests and diseases affecting indoor and outdoor 

 crops, and the most up-to-date remedies for their preven- 

 tion or eradication. 



The latter idea has developed into the present volume. 

 Therein we have endeavoured, as far as possible, to deal 

 with every phase of the subject of the enemies of crops. 

 Thus in the first part we have supplied the most reliable 



