20 
WAR GARDENING 
PREVENTIVES AND REMEDIES 
NOTE : It is important that immediate attention be given insects and diseases 
as soon as they appear. Delay in spraying or removal may prove fatal. 
ASPARAGUS 
Rust — (Rusty appearance of leaves and stems). — 
Procure rust resistant variety, such as Reading 
Giant or Palmetto. 
BEETS 
Leaf spot — (Reddish and purple spots, turning ashy 
gray). — Usually not affecting garden beets. 
Remedy: Spray with Bordeaux mixture when 
plants are 3 to 4 inches high, repeating 2 and 4 
weeks later. 
Web worm — (Eats the leaves). 
Remedy: Spray with arsenate of lead when 
worms appear; repeat when necessary. 
Beetles — (Eat young stems and leaves). 
Remedy : On young plants spray with arsenate 
of lead when pests appear, repeating 10 days later 
and again 10 days later if necessary. Add an 
ounce of laundry soap per gallon of spray to make 
it stick to the foliage. Do not use arsenate of 
lead on new stems used for food during cutting 
season. On old plants, spray after cutting 
season. Nicotine sulphate sprayed on the young 
insects will kill all it hits. 
Spinach aphis — (Sucks sap from leaves). 
Remedy: Spray with nicotine sulphate when 
pests appear and repeat when necessary. In 
order to strike the aphids the spray must be 
directed against the undersides of the leaves. 
Beet-root aphis — (Sucks sap from roots). 
Remedy: Pour a small amount of nicotine 
sulphate spray around roots and repeat if necessary. 
BUSH BEANS 
Anthracnose — (Dark, sunken spots, scab-like, on 
pods; spots on leaves). — Pick and burn diseased 
pods. In saving seed discard those from diseased 
plants, as seed carry the infection. 
Leaf beetles — (Very small, dark or pale stripes; eat 
leaves). 
Remedy: Spray with arsenate of lead when 
pests appear, repeat in 10 days and later if neces- 
sary. Bordeaux mixture repels but does not kill. 
Aphids or plant lice — (Suck sap from plant and 
make leaves crumple). 
Remedy: Spray with nicotine sulphate when 
pests appear, repeating when and as often as 
necessary. Crumpled leaves protect lice from 
spray, and should be picked and burned. Ap- 
ply spray to underside of leaves, to strike aphids. 
Bacterial blight — (Water soaked spots on leaves 
and pods). — No satisfactory remedy. Pull up 
and burn plants. 
Downy Mildew — (thick white growth). — Burn all 
diseased pods. Spray with Bordeaux mixture, 
repeating every ten days if necessary. 
CABBAGE AND CAULIFLOWER 
Club root — (Root swells and decays). — Pull up and 
burn plants. 
Preventive: In spring apply 1 lb. lime to each 
8 sq. ft. of ground before setting out plants. 
Black rot — (Leaves turn yellow, then brown and 
black and decay. Pull up and burn plants.) 
Preventive: Soak seed 15 minutes in solution 
made of 34 oz. formalin and 3 pints water; rinse 
in clean water; plant at once. 
Yellows — (Leaves turn yellow, then brown, and drop). 
Pull up and burn plants. 
Preventive: Treat seed as for black rot. 
Cabbage worms — (Eat leaves). 
Remedy: When worms appear spray with 
arsenate of lead, repeating if necessary before 
heads form. Add an ounce of laundry soap per 
gallon of spray to make it stick to the leaves. Do 
not use arsenate of lead later than 3 weeks 
before using or marketing cabbage. 
Aphids or lice — (Suck sap from leaves). 
Remedy: Spray with nicotine sulphate solu- 
tion when pests appear; repeat if necessary. 
Cabbage looper — (Eats leaves). 
Remedy: Treat as for cabbage worms. 
Cabbage Maggots — (Tunnel inside of roots). 
Preventive: When plants are set out take a 
piece of tarred building paper 2 or 3 inches in 
diameter, cut a slit from one side to center, and 
4 or 5 slits at center. Fit this around stem by 
slipping plant through the long slit, and press 
paper firmly against ground, to prevent young 
maggots from reaching root. 
Black leg — (Diseased, sunken areas on stem, leaf 
stem and leaves, plant becoming purplish). — 
There is no remedy. Pull up and burn plants. 
Preventive: Disinfect seed for 10 minutes with 
1 tablet of corrosive sublimate mixed in 1 pint 
of water. 
Cutworms — (Dark colored, eat young plants off at 
surface of earth). 
Remedy : Spread poisoned bran mash over 
ground before setting out plants; spread around 
plants when set. Afterwards spread poisoned bait 
around plants as necessary to control worms. 
It is wise to wrap paper around stem from leaves 
to root just before setting out. Cutworms are 
especially abundant where sod has grown. 
CELERY AND CELERIAC 
Blight or leaf spot — (Gray or brown spots, drooping 
stems). 
Remedy: Spray young seedlings, in seed box 
or seed bed, with Bordeaux mixture. Spray 
again as soon as set in garden, repeating 10 to 
14 days later. Repeat again if necessary. Spray- 
ing in seed bed must not be neglected if disease 
appears. 
SWISS CHARD 
Leaf spot — (Symptoms same as with beets). 
Remedy: When disease appears, spray as di- 
rected for beets. (Usually no spraying will be 
found necessary). Wash sprayed leaves well 
before using. 
Damping off — (Small seedlings dying in seed bed). 
Preventive: Care should be taken to water 
and partially shade the young seedlings in hot 
and dry weather. As soon as seed are planted 
cover bed with thin layer of sand. 
SPINACH 
Aphids — (Suck sap from leaves). 
Remedy: Spray under side of leaves with 
nicotine sulphate, when aphids appear. Repeat 
a second and third time if necessary. 
