258 



ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



234. The Control of Insects. One cannot intelligently 

 combat an insect without knowing its life history. For 

 years we have been trying to kill mature flies. Now we 

 are coming to know that one of the best means of limiting 

 their numbers is to keep the horse manure hauled out, as it 

 is in this that the flies grow. 



The effective way of controlling mosquitos is not to 

 try to kill the mature ones, but to eliminate the rain- 

 water barrels and stagnant water, where 

 they develop; or, if this cannot be done, 

 place oil on the water to kill the "wrig- 

 glers." 



The codling moth lays its egg on the 

 apple. The time to kill it is when the Egg of codling moth 

 young worm takes its first meal. If we on apple 



wait until it has entered the apple, it is too late. There 



must be some poison on 

 the apple when the worm 

 begins to eat. 



The apple maggot can- 

 not be controlled in this 

 way because the small fly 

 that lays the egg punctures 

 the skin and places the 

 egg in the apple. The best 

 way to control such a pest 

 is to have the fallen apples 

 all eaten by hogs or sheep. 

 The corn root-worm is 

 very serious in some of the 



Apples just right to spray 



for codling moth corn states. It does not 



FKI. 139. 



