FARM AND GARDEN PRACTICES AGAINST INSECTS 317 



Many of the so-called eating insects would be killed by contact 

 insecticides if their bodies were soft enough to be affected. 



It is well understood by students that all insects breathe through 

 special breathing pores located on the body, and not through the 

 mouth. Smothering is believed to be at least a part of the cause of 

 the death of insects when killed by such insecticides. 



Spraying or dusting against sucking insects can not be carried 

 on in advance, but the work must be done at the proper time. This 

 should be early in the attack of any kind of insect. Do not wait 

 until the plants are seriously injured before fighting begins. 



Special Ways of Fighting Insects. — Cut worms and other similar 

 insects that eat plants are sometimes destroyed by poison bait. 

 Bran mixed with Paris green or clover leaves dipped in some arsen- 

 ical poison may be left where the insects may eat and be killed. 



Grasshoppers are sometimes poisoned by the so-called "Criddle 

 mixture." Mix one pound of Paris green with one barrel of horse 

 droppings; add one pound of salt and some water so it will mix and 

 spread nicely. Spread this well where the grasshoppers are abun- 

 dant and where the poison will not do harm to birds or other 

 creatures. 



Kerosene torches are sometimes used for burning webs out of 

 trees. 



Lanterns burning at night over pans of water covered with kero- 

 sene form good traps for many insects. On warm summer nights 

 the light attracts flying insects that fall into the kerosene, where 

 they are killed. 



Many insects are destroyed by hand picking and by pruning off 

 parts on which they are feeding. 



Banding of trees is sometimes used to trap the females of canker 

 worm. This moth has no wings and must crawl up the tree to lay 

 her eggs, where the larvae are to find their food. A band of sticky 

 fly paper will catch many of them. 



Other trap bands such as brown paper or burlap are tied around 

 the trunks of trees to trap codling moths a"nd others that will 

 form their cocoons under them. The bands may be removed and 

 run through a wringer or burned to destroy the larvae. 



Farm and Garden Practices against Insects. — Among the best 

 methods for combating insects and plant diseases are rotation of 

 crops, fall plowing, using trap crops, thorough cultivation, burning 

 and clearing the hiding places, the use of poultry and protection of 

 birds. 



