80 



HOW TO DESTPiOY IXSECTS. 



cents' worth of tar employed in this way will, without 

 any fnrther trouble, he the' means of destroying innu- 

 merable numbers of tliese insects, whose larvae are 

 amongst the most destructive pests the gardener or 

 farmer has to contend against." 



To Destroij JSJarJ: JBeetles. 



A certain remedy is to procure some bracken, Pteris 

 aquilina, or common fern, plentiful on commons, and 

 put it down about the house at night. The black 

 beetle will eat it ravenously and soon die. It is com- 

 monly nsed in the north of England. 



Insect JUneinies of the Cabhar/e. 



A smaU hlacl: -flea in great swarms eats the leaves of 

 cal)bage-plantSy after being set out in the open groimd 

 from hot-beds. A slight dusting of fresh -slacked lime 

 over the plants in the morning, while wet with dew, 

 will drive them oft or kill them. Dust the plants one 

 morning, and again the second morning after that ; then 

 tlie job is tiuished. The ftea is more fond of pepper- 

 cress than cal)bages, so that if the cress is sown thinly 

 along with the cabbage-seed it will save the cabbages. 



Lice on Cahhages. — A greenish, mealy louse, in vast 

 numl)ers. attacks cal)bages when nearly full grown. 

 Two dustings of fresh lime will kill them. 



Grills. — A black grul). which lodges in the ground, 

 eats through the stems of young cabbages after being 

 transplanted, causing the heads to drop olF. Whenever 



