Liefgreen Seed Company, Phoenix, Arizona 
Liefgreen’s Guide for Insect Pests of the Farm , Garden 
and Home 
The insects which injure plants in the garden or field 
have different methods of doing their damage, and it is 
necessary to know to which 
class an insect belongs be¬ 
fore one can take remedial 
measures against it. Rough¬ 
ly there are two classes; the chewing and the sucking insects. 
When a person is suspicious that insects are injuring a plant 
it should be first examined to determine which type or class 
is present. 
If actual portions of the plant are eaten, the chewing 
type of insect is guilty and one of the arsenical poisons should 
be used, such as Lead Arsenate, Paris Green, etc. 
When no material part of the plant is removed, but the 
leaves or stems show speckled, whitish and brown or yellow 
areas, the sucking type is very apt to be injuring the plant. 
Insecticides such as Nicotine and pyrethrum sprays and dusts 
which kill by coming in contact with the body of the bugs 
are necessary to use for this type. 
Insects in the Vegetable 
Garden 
ON BEANS 
MEXICAN BEAN BEETLE —A yellow beetle almost one-fourth 
of an inch long, with sixteen black spots on the back. Young 
work on the underside of the leaves. Use Sodium Fluosilicate 
and Lime. 
THRIPS —Very small, lice-like insects, yellow or brown or 
black. Work in the flowers or on the leaves, where they make 
shiny whitened areas. Use Tobacco or pyrethrum Compounds 
as a spray or dust when on leaves or flowers. 
ON CABBAGE 
APHIS —A gray green plant louse. Use Nicotine or pyrethrum 
dust or spray. 
CABBAGE BUTTERFLY —The worms of this butterfly that 
feed on cabbage and Cauliflower and related plants are soft, 
smooth, green caterpillars, that sometimes are especially in¬ 
jurious. Two pounds Lead Arsenate, two pounds Fish-oil Soap 
in 50 gallons of water is a recommended spray. Or dust with 
one pound Lead Arsenate mixed with five pounds hydrated 
Lime or 2 pounds of Dutox to 5 pounds of Talc. Do not use 
Dutox with Lime. We also recommend Fluocide (a ready mix¬ 
ture and non arsenical). 
DIAMOND BLACK MOTH —A small worm about one-half inch 
long which feeds on Cabbage and Cauliflower, eating small 
holes in the leaves and spinning small white cacoons on the 
leaves. Spray with Black Leaf 40, using 1 pint to 75 gallons 
of water with 3 or 4 pounds fish oil soap for a spreader. 
ON CANTALOUPES 
THE TWELVE-SPOTTED CUCUMBER BEETLE— A green in¬ 
sect one-fourth of an inch long with twelve black spots on the 
back. This insect damages all parts of the vine, the young 
live in the ground and are injurious to the roots. Control the 
adults with Sodium Fluosilicate and Lime. 
THE STRIPED CUCUMBER BEETLE — This beetle is also 
about one-fourth of an inch in length, but is yellow with 
three black stripes. It feeds like the Twelve-spotted Cucum¬ 
ber Beetle and the control is the same. Heretofore, trying to 
kill them with the ordinary poisons has been unsuccessful; 
but the Sodium Compound or Dutox, when properly applied, 
will get nearly a complete kill. 
APHIS —The melon aphis is a small, soft, green plant louse 
that is very injurious to cantaloupes. A fresh Nico-Dust of 
2Y 2 per cent Nicotine strength, or a pyrethrum compound 
Dust, carefully applied, is the best. 
ON CORN 
CORN EAR WORM —This is a very difficult pest to control, 
but good success is possible on sweet corn by dusting with 
Lead Arsenate every seven days when the corn is in the silk. 
ON CUCUMBERS 
The same pests attack cucumbers as cantaloupes, and the 
control measures are the same. 
ON LETTUCE 
CUTWORMS —Several different kinds of cutworms attack let¬ 
tuce. The majority of them can be controlled by the use of 
a poison bait especially formulated for cutworms. 
GRASSHOPPERS —For grasshoppers attacking lettuce use the 
standard grasshopper poison bran bait. See us for formula. 
ON MELONS 
The insects found attacking cantaloupes are also enemies 
of melons and the same methods and poisons should be used 
against them. 
ON ONIONS 
THRIPS —This is the worst pest of onions. It is a very small, 
louse-like insect, light yellowish in color, that feeds down be¬ 
tween the leaves causing them to turn white. It is difficult to 
control successfully, but very good results can be obtained by 
fumigating with Calcium Cyanide or Nico-Dust under long 
hoods that are dragged over the rows. 
ON PEAS 
PEA APHIS —A large green plant louse. Use a contact insec¬ 
ticide when they first appear on the plants, repeating every 
ten days until controlled or all peas have been harvestd. 
ON POTATOES 
COLORADO POTATO BEETLE — A large beetle, yellow with 
black stripes. The young are orange yellow. Use 2 pounds 
Lead Arsenate, in 50 gallons of water. 
ON SPINACH 
FLEA BEETLES —These are small shiny black beetles that fly 
rapidly when disturbed. Because of the danger of poisoning, 
the arsenicals cannot be used, and it is necessary to treat with 
a very strong contact insecticide such as the Nicotine or 
Pyrethrum compounds. 
Common Insects 
in the House 
ANTS —For the small black or red 
ant that infests the house and gets 
into the refrigerator, sink, etc., bait 
by setting out Antrol. This has proved 
100% effective where tried and is the 
cleanest and simplest of methods. 
COCKROACHES —Spread Sodium Flu¬ 
oride or Sodium Fluosilicate about 
where the roaches are in the habit of 
traveling. This will rid the house of 
them in less than a week. 
TERMITES —For information on con¬ 
trol call us or write to the State Entomologist, the University 
of Arizona or the County Agricultural Agent. 
Common Insects in the 
Flower Garden 
ANTS —The large red Harvester Ant will attack almost every 
living thing growing near to its nest, besides being trouble¬ 
some because of its bite and sting. Calcium Cyanide is the 
best poison to use in the control of this pest. Use four to 
five tablespoonsful per nest, digging a hole in the center of 
the mound 16 to 18 inches deep and placing the Cyanide in 
the bottom and covering over tightly with soil, as the gas is 
lighter than air. 
APHIS OR PLANT LICE — There are many kinds of aphis 
that injure flowers in the garden. They may be reddish, green 
or black, and be with or without wings. Roses, Stock, and 
Sweet Peas are especially subject to attack. Control with a 
Nicotine or Pyrethrum Spray or Dust. 
CUTWORMS —They attack many young plants in the Spring 
and early Summer. If the plant is cut off at the surface of 
the ground or the roots eaten, put out the cutworm bait, 
scattering it thinly along the rows affected. There are some 
cutworms, however, that climb the plants at night, eating the 
leaves. For this insect, spray or dust with Lead Arsenate, Cal¬ 
cium Arsenate, Dutox or Fluocide. 
LACEWING BUG —This is an especial pest of Hollyhocks. It 
works on the under sides of the leaves, turning them a brown 
or yellow color. Spray with a Nicotine or Pyrethrum Com¬ 
pound, taking pains to get the poison on the under side of 
the leaves. 
THRIPS —This insect bothers roses, particularly in the Spring. 
Spray thoroughly with a Nicotine or Pyrethrum Spray. 
GRASSHOPPERS —These are especially injurious to Zinnias in 
late Summer and Fall. Use the poison bran bait. 
44 
CAN THE SURPLUS VEGETABLES YOU RAISE 
