INSECTS AND DISEASES ,"5 



all. The humid, moist atmosphere oi' the grapelunise encourages their rapid 

 increase and the bunches arc their playground. The spread of mildew and 

 red spider ma\ be checked by maintaining a steady, e\'en temperature. 



THE MEALY BUG 



While it is easy to check red spider, the mealy bug infesting the house means 

 ruination to the crop. The best remedy' is wood alcohol, applied before it be- 

 comes widespread. Keep the alcohol on hand in the grapery, and, on the first 

 appearance of the bug, apply lightly with a brush. It is not necessary to rub 

 the alcohol in, as you may thereby scorch the foliage, but a light touch will do 

 no harm and is quite sufficient to kill the bug coming in contact with it. Keep 

 the bottle tightly corked when not in use. The best opportunity to fight this 

 pest is when the house is at rest, at which time thoroughly cleanse the vines 

 and the house. But even then there may be enough left to cause serious trouble 

 for ant)ther year, especially if the house was well stocked the season previous. 

 The best time to look out for the stragglers that escaped in the house cleaning 

 is just as the vines are breaking into growth. The bugs are then creeping from 

 their hiding places and they should be destroyed at this juncture before they 

 begin to multiply, for, when they once get into the young foliage, they increase 

 so rapidly that it seems a hopeless task to attempt to eradicate them then. 

 Though there may be a hundred and one other things to do in the Spring months, 

 yet half an hour daily for a week or ten da\s de\-oted to fighting the bug will 

 be time well spent. 



RED SPIDER 



Red spider has perhaps caused trouble to most growers of fruit under 

 glass. This diminuti\e but powerful insect must be checked at its first appear- 

 ance or it will soon do serious damage. While it is almost invisible to the naked 

 eye, its destructive work becomes readily apparent when watched through a 

 magnifying glass. It works more on the under side of the foliage than on the 

 upper side. Its ravages can presently be detected with the naked eye, for the 

 foliage where it is at work assumes a brownish cast. If not checked it will suck 

 the life out of the leaves within a short time and, if let alone, might make a 

 clean sweep not only of the leaves but also of the fruit. Its appearance depends 

 on climatic conditions; some seasons it may bother the grower very little, while 

 at other times it may cause serious trouble. A great deal depends on the way 

 in which the temperature is regulated. Careless airing will bring it on just as 

 quickly as too dry an atmosphere, or as dryness at the root. Watch these 

 points and check the spider on its first appearance. If the vines cannot be 

 sprayed — and this is not advisable after the berries are half grown — dust the 

 foliage over lightly with powdered sulphur. On examining this insect through 

 a magnifying glass we see that its body has a hairlike texture; on this the sul- 

 phur settles much to its discomfort. This method of treatment is simple l)ut 

 etfecti'.e. 



