THE GARDEN PRIMER 



Mouth Parts of 

 the Larva from 

 Below. 



be laid out according to their position under this classi- 

 fication. 



The essential thing to be learned therefore about 

 any small depredator, right at the start, is whether he 

 is chewing pieces out of the plant which he has chosen 

 and actually consuming its solid substance, or whether 

 he is extracting its juices. This is not difficult to find 



out. The biting creatures 

 have big, strong mandibles 

 which are plainly visible if the 

 insect is watched quietly for a 

 few minutes; and of course 

 these fellows leave telltale 

 holes behind them where they 

 have helped themselves in 

 dining. 



Many beetles, all true 

 locusts, weevils, grasshoppers, 

 slugs and most larval forms — 

 the latter being what we com- 

 monly designate as worms, 

 grubs or maggots — are in this 

 class. These may all be de- 

 stroyed therefore by what are 

 called direct poisons — that is, 

 poisons applied to the plant, 

 hence swallowed by the insect. 



All the arsenicals or compounds of arsenic are di- 

 rect poisons — decidedly. They must be very carefully 

 handled because they are so direct — such deadly poison. 



40 



True Beetle. Chewing 

 or M a n d i b u I a t e. 

 Head of Rose 

 Chafer. 



