HOW TO DESTROY INSECTS, 



17 



THE MEALY BUQ. 



The mealy bug is a yeiy annoying insect ; it ap- 

 pears like a white mealy spot, not more than one-third 

 as large as a lady-bag^ and infests tho crotchets of 

 smooth-barked plants^ and also gets into the cracks of 

 the bark of rough-barked plants; here it liatches its 

 nests of young ones. The best vray to destroy it is to 

 brush the stems with an old tooth-brush dipped into 

 the strongest soap-suds joii can make, with a little 

 soot added to the water, and then give the plants a 

 good sprinkling ; it can be scraped oif with the finger- 

 nails, but the process is not an agreeable one. 



S. 0. J. 



Let it once get a foothold, and it is very difficult to 

 get rid of it. 



They can also be kept down by frequent syringing 

 with warm, greasy water, to which a little sulphur 

 should be added ; but if full-grown, they should be 

 picked off by the hand or a small, sharp-pointed stick. 



AJcolioI is sure death to the mealy irag. It can be 

 removed from thousands of the most delicate plants, 

 without a particle of injury, by simply applying fre- 

 quently, for a few weeks, alcohol diluted with five i^er 

 cent, of water. 



The most convenient way to use it is by a fine brush 

 pat through the CfU'l: of a wide-mouthed l)ottle. 



Kerosene may sometimes be used, as appears by' the 



