The Black Beetle is an unpleasant pest that has become very destructive to the Asters, eating the flowers, and soon destroying an entire bed if not promptly checked. It resembles the common blister beetle, but is smaller and jet black in colour; it is easily killed by knocking off into a pan of water containing a little kerosene. In the early morning it is very sluggish, and may be picked off and killed, or the plants may be showered with the Paris-green solution, but the appearance of the first bug must be the signal for active operations.
Plant Louse or Green Fly: This little insect commonly infests house-plants; it is called a fly because in one stage of its existence it has wings. The remedies are tobacco in some form, or sulpho-tobacco soap syringed on the foliage, or the hot-water bath.
Black or Chrysanthemum Lice require practically the same treatment. Tobacco-dust on the leaves will usually prevent their appearance, and should be applied early in the summer and after every rain.
The Mealy Bug is a little whitish mass, like cotton in appearance, often found on house-plants and on the Spiræas. Syringe with whale-oil soap solution; or, if the plant is small, work over it, touching each bug with a brush dipped in alcohol; or use the hot-water bath.
Red Spider can only be kept at bay by fresh air and the plentiful use of water; spray or syringe daily. Use the hot-water bath if the spiders have gotten a foothold.
Rose Hopper, or Thrips—small yellowish insects on the under side of Rose leaves, from which they suck the juice, causing them to turn brown; whale-oil soap syringed on the under side of the leaves is the best remedy.
Rose Slugs are small green caterpillars that feed on the Rose leaves and buds, lying on the under side of the leaves, or drawing two leaves together with a slight web. Work over the plants, pinching the leaves between thumb and finger, or syringe with whale-oil solution, or dust with powdered hellebore when wet.
Rose Bug—a small, dark bug striped with light yellow, which is very destructive to the Roses, eating the flowers. Plants may be syringed, or showered with the Paris-green solution at night or early in the morning, but must be attended to promptly, as the bugs are very destructive, stripping a bed of its flowers in a surprisingly short time. Roses treated with Paris green should always be plainly and conspicuously labelled to that effect.
Earth-worms and the like may be easily destroyed by thoroughly soaking the soil in the pots with lime-water, which is best done by plunging a pot to the brim (not over) in the solution, and removing the worms as they come to the surface. It may be necessary to repeat this once or twice.
Formulas