258 GARDEN FOES. 



stick, dip this in a small phial of spirits of wine, and just 

 touch the bug with it. The spirit must not be allowed to 

 touch the blooms or stalks. 



Orchid Pests — The chief pests that infest orchids 

 are Aphi<lcs, Thrips, Mealy Bug, Scale, Woodlice, Ked 

 Spider, Cockroaches, the Dendrobium Beetle (Xyleborus 

 perforans), and the Cattleya Fly (Isosoma orchidearum). 

 The Dendrobium Beetle is about l-12in. in length, and of 

 a chestnut-brown colour. It perforates the stems of den- 

 drobiums and forms tunnels in the centre, feeding on the 

 inner tissues. The Cattleya Fly deposits its eggs in the 

 eye of the young growths when dormant, and causes the 

 latter to become stunted. 



Kemedies. — The only remedy for the Dendrobium Beetle 

 is to cut of! and burn infested growths, and in the case 

 of the Cattleya Fly to cut off the stunted growths, split 

 them open, and remove and destroy the yellowish grubs, 

 the larvae of the fly. Sometimes the grubs infest the 

 roots, causing warty swellings to form. In this case dig 

 out the grubs with the point of a penknife or needle. The 

 other pests are freely dealt with in preceding paragraphs 

 in this chapter. To prevent Slugs and Snails ascending 

 the ilower stems, tie a piece of cotton wool aroiuid them. 



Plant Bug^s. — Several kinds of these are hurtful to 

 the buds of the chrysanthemum. The one we shall spe- 

 cially mention here is Anthocoris memorum. The perfect 

 insect measures one-eighth of an inch in length ; head and 

 fore part of body shiny black; feelers yellow, with black 

 tips; legs yellow, with a black band round the hindermost 

 thigh; feet black; wings brownish-yellow. It punctures 

 the buds and preveuts them opening properly. Occasion- 

 ally it does good, however, by feeding on aphides, but it 

 is doubtful if its good qualities outw^eigh the injury done 

 to the buds. It is a very active insect, jumping off with 

 alacrity when disturbed. Another species of Plant Bug, 

 Calacoris bipuuctata, frequently does much harm to the 



