ENEMIES OF PLANTS 



scurrying about, — creatures so small that they 

 look like grains of cayenne pepper more than 

 anything else, when they happen to be red, — 

 and then you will know that you have located 

 one of the most destructive of all insects that 

 work on house-plants. It hardly seems pos- 

 sible that so tiny a creature can do such deadly 

 harm, but it will ruin the strongest of plants in 

 a short time if allowed to go on with its work 

 unchecked. 



Fortunately, perhaps, we have but one 

 remedy for the red spider, therefore we do not 

 have to perplex ourselves in making choice 

 among many. This remedy is water — clear 

 water — applied in the form of a spray, or as a 

 dip-bath. Above everything else the spider 

 abhors moisture. He finds the atmosphere 

 of our living-rooms so deficient in it that it is 

 exactly to his liking. This explains why he lo- 

 cates himself on our house-plants. If, by any 

 means, we can make the place unpleasant to 

 him, he will either leave or be so discouraged 

 by the unfavorable conditions we have created 

 that he will do but little harm. In other words, 

 if he cannot be completely routed, he can be 

 kept in check. But, all the time, aggressive 

 measures must be kept upon your part. 



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