ABOUT HOME 9 



honey; thousands of bees and flies then buzz about such 

 trees. You have no doubt seen ants on the colonies of 

 aphids. Ants will eat almost any insect they can kill, but 

 to the aphids they go to get honey ; they even keep some of 

 them over winter in their burrows. 



Remedies. If trees and shrubs are sprayed with strong 

 soap-suds, weak lye, or tobacco water, as soon as the lice 

 begin to appear, very many of them will be killed. They 

 cannot be made to eat Paris green. Why not ? If they 

 appear on house plants, the latter may be fumigated in the 

 following manner : Put the plants into some closet or 

 room which can be closed, then burn some moist tobacco or 

 tobacco refuse in the closed room or closet. If fumigated 

 too long or too strongly, the plants are apt to be injured. 



NOTE TO TEACHER. For a detailed description about remedies 

 for insect pests, diseases of plants and animals, noxious weeds, etc., 

 consult the reports of the Agricultural Experiment Station of your 

 own state and the Farmers' Bulletins, published by the Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. These reports and bulletins con- 

 tain much valuable and practical information, and every teacher, 

 gardener, and farmer should send for a list of them and procure those 

 which interest him. They are sent free to any one who applies for 

 them. 



8. Some Insects that are Beneficial to Man. 

 MATERIAL : Ladybugs as in 7. 



If insects had no enemies, which eat them and their eggs, 

 and if the weather was always favorable for them, they 

 would soon become so numerous that they would kill all 

 the plants on which they feed. 



You know that many birds eat insects, but one insect 

 often eats another. Certain kinds of small flies lay their 

 eggs on caterpillars, and when the little maggots hatch, they 

 eat themselves into the caterpillar, make him sickly, and 



Watch the growth of blue flags near ponds and lakes. 



