
RED LEAF DISEASE—This is pretty rare, 
and so far as I know, not particularly dangerous. 
Pin-head sized rusty-red dots appear on the 
leaves. May be caused by a fungus of some sort. 
Remove affected leaves. 
' LEAF SPOT (Reverse)—Though not so rare, 
this disease also seems not too vicious. Depress- 
ed, slick dry spots of indefinite size and shape 
appear on the reverse of the leaf. They aren’t 
evident at all from the top side. Doesn’t seem to 
be particiularly contagious. If the spots bother 
you, remove aifected leaves. 
SPRINGTAILS — White insects, about the 
size of the tip end of a fine needle found on the 
bottom of the pot and in the saucer, also on the 
soil surface. They float on top of water, jump 
and/or fly. Move so quickly you can’t even see 
where they disappear to. Harmless. Water the 
plant with insecticide solution used for spraying 
to get rid of them. 
BLACK FLIES (or gnats) —Slightly larger 
than springtails, winged. These definitely fly. 
Often present in manures and hence in some soil 
mixtures. Live on decayed matter. Treat these 
bugs same as springtails. 
POTENTIAL PANIC TROUBLES 
(Can kill your plants if neglected) 
MEALYBUGS—Easily recognized by cottony 
mass (in which eggs are laid) down in the plant 
or on leaf reverse. Bugs white, flattish, very slow- 
moving. Young bugs pinkish, pin-head size. Easy 
to clean up if you only have a few. Swab off with 
cotton-tipped toothpick dipped in alcohol. Dip 
badly infected plants in NNOR spray solution. 
DROOPY FOLIAGE—If plant is limp all over 
and stays that way even after watering, you prob- 
ably have a case of crown rot. Slice the crown 
off at soil level, scrape out ail trace of brown 
matter, and re-root on sand, water, or vermiculite. 
See below for advanced case. Rots thrive in 
soggy dirt, roots don’t. Water carefully. Remem- 
ber that the weather can foul you up on this. Be 
niggardly about watering during damp days of 
seasons. 
APHIDS — Rather rare with Saintpaulias. 
Pale green variety sometimes attack violets. Pin- 
head size slow-moving sucking insects. Tend to 
cluster together on stems. Nicotine sulphate will 
clean up infestations. Sooty mold often forms in 
the honeydew which this insect secretes. It may 
be gently scrubbed off with mild soap and water 
on a piece of cotton. © 
CHEMICAL DAMAGE—A white, gummy sub- 
stance lightly coats the hairs of the plant stems, 
and gradually works up into the crown. In ex- 

