INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES. 51 



the mole, who is popularly but ignorantly accused of eating 

 the roots of vegetables. On the contrary, he is an insecti 

 vorous or carnivorous animal, and does not live on vegeta- 

 bles. He burrows through the ground seeking his prey, 

 and is one of the best friends the gardener has. The only 

 mischief he does is under-running a plant now and then 

 when burrowing, but the chances are ten to one that he 

 has caught and devoured the grub that was eating it off, 

 and which, had he not done so, would have devoured a 

 dozen more plants. 



The most general insects in a vegetable garden are the 

 aphis, or plant louse, caterpillars of various kinds, some 

 bugs, slugs, and plant fleas. 



The aphis are readily destroyed by dipping the shoots of 

 the plants in a strong decoction or tea made from tobacco 

 stems. The smooth-skinned caterpillars, particularly the 

 species which infests the cabbage, may be destroyed by 

 sprinkling salt upon them. Bugs or beetles are not always 

 destructive, for some of the ground beetles live upon other 

 insects ; those that feed upon plants are generally easily 

 killed by sprinkling the plants with a solution of whale oil 

 soap. Some of them, such as the squash bug, can be 

 kept from the plants by enclosing them with old cheese 

 boxes or similar arrangements. The insect cannot fly but 

 an inch or two from the ground, and when the plant 

 is thus defended cannot get at it. Fleas, such as the tur- 

 nip fly or flea, can be kept in check by dusting the soil 

 with lime, repeating it every day or two, until the plants 

 are well up. For the Colorado bug, which of late years 

 has been so destructive to the potato, nothing is better to 

 destroy it than Paris green. This should be mixed with 

 plenty of water, kept stirred, and sprinkled on the plants 

 with a whisk broom or some similar article. 



