LEAFHOPPERS INJURING THE FOLIAGE 



195 



In meadows where severe attack is noted the wisest measure is to cut 

 and then burn over, although this probably will kill the grass roots. 



In moist weather chinch-bugs are killed in large numbers by a fungous 

 disease. Attempts have been made to propagate this artificially, but 

 the measure cannot be depended on with sufficient certainty in times of 

 severe attack. 



The Tobacco Suck-fly {Dicyphus minimus Uhl.) 

 In Florida a black, sucking bug, one eighth of an inch long, with long 

 greenish legs, attacks the leaves of tobacco and by its punctures spots the 

 leaf, making it wilt, turn brown, and crack. The younger stages feed in 

 similar fashion on the under sur- 

 face of the leaf. There are several 

 generations annually. Spraying 

 with tobacco extract will kill the 

 immature forms and check the pest. 



The Beet Leafhopper {Eutettix 

 tenella Baker) 



A very small, active insect, one 

 of the ''leaf hoppers," swarms on 

 the foliage of sugar beets in count- 

 less myriads. The leaves of plants 

 attacked usually exhibit a char- 

 acteristic appearance, commonly 

 known as " curly leaf." The edges 

 are rolled in, the leaf surface is 

 wrinkled, and growth is stunted. 

 As a consequence the beet puts 

 out many fibrous roots, does not 

 reach normal size, and its sugar 

 content is low. 



The adult is very small, whitish 

 or i^ale green, winged, and is pro- 

 vided with strong hind legs, en- 



FiG. 243. — Beet leaves curled by 

 the Beet Leafhopper. Original. 



