252 Insects and Sprays 



natural-looking growth on a plant should be looked 

 after at once. Although it may not prove to be 

 an insect, it has no place there and cannot be bene- 

 ficial to the plant. 



Insects cannot always be gotten rid of by one 

 spraying. It sometimes requires patience and 

 persistency but when they have attacked a plant 

 it means eventually either the death of the plant 

 or the death of the insect, and patience and per- 

 sistency will have their reward. 



There are two classes of insects — the sucking 

 insect which draws the sap out of the plant, and 

 the chewing insect which does what its name indi- 

 cates and eats the leaves and stems. The sucking 

 insects hide under the branches and leaves and are 

 sometimes difficult to detect. Hence a complete 

 examination should be made when pests are 

 suspected. 



When spraying for insects, the spraying should 

 be done thoroughly, for only that part of the plant 

 which the spraying has touched is protected and 

 made immune. A half-hearted spraying will do 

 little or no good for though some may be killed, 

 the remaining ones will multiply rapidly. 



Clean plants are not as likely to be attacked by 

 insects as sooty, dusty plants, and the reason is 

 obvious. In keeping plants clean they become 



