CHAPTER XIV. 



PLANT ENEMIES AND THEIR REMEDIES. 



IN this chapter no attempt will be made to fully describe 

 the enemies found in nearly every garden. For conveni- 

 ence they will be divided into Plant Diseases and Insect 

 Pests. The latter will be subdivided into sucking insects, 

 biting and chewing insects, and scale insects. Each sub- 

 ject will be briefly treated and remedies easy to apply 

 given. 



PLANT DISEASES. 



Plant diseases are very similar to diseases in human 

 beings, caused by the same class of vegetable growth 

 called germs. In the human family we have diphtheria, 

 scarlet fever, or small-pox. In the plant family, rusts, 

 mildews, and blight. The best way to prevent disease 

 and insect attacks in plants is to give them plenty of 

 food and air, keep them healthy and growing. It is 

 easier to prevent disease than to cure it. The spores or 

 germs of all diseases of plants are killed by the Bordeaux 

 mixture. Plants likely to be attacked should be sprayed 

 as a preventative measure. This kills the germs that fall 

 on the leaf and prevents the disease starting. 

 Sunshine is the best of all germicides. 



INSECT PESTS. 

 There are so many kinds of insects that descriptions 

 of them would fill a large book. The sucking insects are 

 those that have mouth parts like the mosquito. The beak 

 pierces the skin of the leaf or tender twigs and sucks out 

 the chlorophyl which is not only the green coloring matter 

 of the leaf but its energy as well. The white and green 

 fly found on rose bushes are among the commonest in this 

 class. They are commonly known as plant lice. All 

 this class of pests must be killed by a contact poison 



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