THE TREATMENT OF INSECTS AND FUNGI IN THE UNITED STATES. 191 



With the notice of the Hemiptera is concluded my necessarily 

 brief notes upon garden insects. Throughout friends rather than 

 foes have been touched upon for reasons adduced at the outset. 

 My object has been to stimulate the interest of the gardener in 

 the host of insects which come so readily to hand, so that he 

 may to some extent distinguish between those which are helpful 

 and those which are injurious, and thus tend to preserve that 

 delicate balance in Nature which is so desirable. 



THE TREATMENT OF INSECTS AND FUNGI IN THE 

 UNITED STATES. 



By S. C. Lamb, F.R.H.S., California. 



Remedies for Insects and Fungi. 



It is very important that every one who has the care of a garden, 

 orchard, or field should have a clear idea of the remedies avail- 

 able for preventing the injuries due to insects and fungi. Not 

 only should we know how to make and apply the remedies, but 

 it is just as important to know when, and when not, to apply. 

 Mistakes are often being made, and the following are some of 

 the most common : — 



1. Remedies are often used when there is no need whatever 

 for treatment, and when there is nothing to destroy. 



2. Applications are very often wrongly timed, either before 

 any good could possibly be produced, or else after the injury 

 has been done. 



3. Often the wrong kind of cure is used, and therefore no 

 good result is procured. 



4. Applications are often made for troubles for which there is 

 no known practical method of treatment. 



5. Expensive methods are often employed when cheaper 

 ones would accomplish the same results — cheaper as regards 

 materials used and labour employed. 



Mistakes of judgment in this as in other operations will cause 

 much loss of time and labour, but they are clearly mistakes of 

 ignorance, and why should this be allowed to be the cause of 

 making the cost nearly twice as great? It is. the aim of the 



