Insect Pests 



173 



use will prevent any pests from going to sleep too long, as they will be 

 brought to the surface and exposed to the keen sight of the birds. The 

 hoe, therefore, may be regarded not only as better than the hose pipe or 

 water pot for keeping moisture in the soil, but it must also be considered 

 as a far superior and more effectual destroyer of ground pests than most 

 of the insecticides or earth powders recommended for this purpose. The 

 work of hoeing between the crops will of course entail expense, but the 

 money spent in this way will be found to yield more satisfactory results 

 than twice the amount spent in misapplying insecticides of doubtful 

 efficacy. The cultivator has to consider whether it will be better for him 

 to stir the soil frequently, so as to expose the various grubs to his friends 

 the birds (at the same time liberating food, keeping down weeds, and con- 

 serving moisture), or whether he will allow the soil to remain untilled and 

 infested with pests that will in due course compel him to spend a good 

 deal of money in washes and sprays, or lose his crops altogether. After 

 all, the whole question is a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence, and 

 the cultivator will find it more advantageous in every way to spend 

 his money in frequent digging and hoeing operations, if he wishes to 

 secure clean, healthy crops that are free from attacks of noxious in- 

 sects. The advantages of cultural operations have been already discussed 

 at pp. 101 to 107. 



Table of Insect Pests. The following tabulated statement of the 

 various insect pests may be of use to the cultivator. Special stress is 

 laid upon the Period of Rest (chrysalis stage) column. That is when 

 the soil should be kept stirred up with the hoe, even if it cannot be 

 dug with the spade or the fork. It is of course understood that one of 

 the objects in stirring the soil is to enable the birds to get at the 

 grubs. The column indicating Period of Destruction (the larval stage), 

 is useful as indicating the period when the various washes and sprays 

 are likely to be most effectual. 



INSECT PESTS OF FEUITS, FLOWERS, AND VEGETABLES 



