CHAPTER XII 



Insects and Preventives 



IF it were not for the insects that prey upon the plant and the various dis- 

 eases to which it is subject, carnation growing would be, comparatively, a 

 pastime. But with all the care that may be taken in watering, ventilating 

 and preparation of soils, unless the grower learn to master the various in- 

 sects and diseases which attack the carnation his returns will be but meagre. 

 There are comparatively few insects that infest the plant, but those that do 

 are persistent, and unless met with preventive or curative measures will 

 seriously injure, if not destroy, the crops of bloom. 



Green Fly 



The most prevalent of these insect enemies is the green fly, or aphides 

 (Rhopalosiphum dianthi). However, this pest is more easily prevented and 

 destroyed than any of the others infesting the carnation. The green fly is 

 easily eradicated by several methods, the most common of which are, first, 

 fumigating with tobacco stems, or tobacco dust; second, sprinkling tobacco 

 dust upon the plants; third, fumigating with red pepper; fourth, painting 

 the pipes with tobacco mixture made as follows : Dissolve one pint of rose 

 leaf extract in one quart of pure water; paint the pipes, when cold, during 

 the day, once or twice each week. When the steam is turned on at night 

 the heat will evaporate the extract, filling the house with pungent fumes. 

 This painting is efficacious only where steam is used in heating ; fifth, evapo- 

 rating tobacco extract from pans attached to steam pipes ; sixth, evaporating 

 tobacco extract by boiling it over an oil stove, using equal parts of the tobacco 

 extract and water, and evaporating from four to six gallons to a house 

 100x20 feet, according as it seems necessary to destroy the insects. 



The green fly should never be allowed to get a foothold in carnation 

 houses, but its appearance should always be prevented by early and continu- 

 ous fumigation of some sort, as soon after the plants have been housed as 

 growth has been established. After the plants are in full growth they should 

 be fumigated at least once each week, and this should be continued until they 



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