116 THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 



For the corythuca I have used, with the best results, 

 weak kerosene emulsion, sprayed on the under side of 

 the foliage, this pest being similar in habit to the red 

 spider, but not having the protection of the web. As 

 the corythuca is not so well known outside of the cotton 

 growing States, I may ask your indulgence to give him 

 an introduction to you. It huddles in flocks on the 

 under side of the leaves and suggests to the naked eye 

 a flock of sheep as you may have seen them grazing in 

 the woods. When the plant is shaken the little fellows 

 fly to the ground and at once begin to scramble back to 

 the stem of the plant, which they climb and start a new 

 colony. The body is about the size of a good fat black 

 aphis. The wings stand out so that it has the appear- 

 ance of a woolly sheep. In color it is a dirty gray. It 

 feeds altogether on the under side of the leaf, and its 

 presence is therefore not noticed until the mischief is 

 done. While the touch of kerosene is certain death to 

 it, I have never known a house of plants to be free of 

 it or amount to much after it once made a showing. 

 The evaporation of tobacco juice effectively rids the 

 house of aphides, and we no longer look upon this pest 

 with any great alarm. 



I have long ago concluded that while we may be 

 very successful with the Chrysanthemum in the far 

 South, by growing the proper type and giving it careful 

 treatment, we may never hope to reach that stage of 

 perfection which is attained further North. Climate 

 and conditions are against us. 



