52 MASSACHUSETTS HOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Garden Insects — (a) plant lice (aphides), squash bugs, tar- 

 nished plant bug. 



(b) cutworms, maggots, wire worms, white 

 grubs. 



(c) flea beetles, weevils, caterpillars, etc. 



As found on asparagus, beans, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, 

 onion, pea, radish, squash, tomato, turnip, etc. 



Discussion. 



An inquiry was made concerning the life history of the green 

 aphis. 



The Lecturer replied that there were many species of this 

 insect. Almost every plant has its own distinct species and they 

 are among the most destructive pests we have. Those that infest 

 the apple, for example, are different from those infesting the plum. 



They are insects that propagate very rapidly and a single female 

 and its progeny might produce during the season to the number 

 of five millions. They do not lay eggs but produce their young 

 alive, all females during the season until the autumn, when both 

 male and female are produced in readiness for another year. 



They exude a sort of honey dew of which ants are very fond. 

 Sometimes this honey dew is so abundant that it drops upon the 

 sidewalk under the trees. 



Concerning the white grub the Lecturer stated that it is one of 

 the hardest insects to combat. Fall plowing would destroy many 

 of them as well as other insect pests. 



Cutworms, of which there are a large number of species, do 

 much damage. Some are nocturnal in their habits and some- 

 times climb shrubs and trees and strip the foliage. He once 

 noticed a locust tree that was being defoliated but could find no 

 insect at work upon it until he put a burlap band around the tree. 

 The next morning there were two quarts of cutworms under the 

 band and he kept on until over a peck was captured. Other 

 common remedies for the cutworm trouble are to place tin cans 

 or collars of stiff paper over the young plants and a poison mash 

 of meal and Paris green. 



