The Springfield herald., 1913-06-20
Small Eruit Pests.


Garden vegetables are remarkably
free from diseases and insect pests.
This IL due to the fact that they are
nearly all ANIMALS and they are grown
in small qualities and on different
locations every year or so.
Small bush fruits, on the other hand,
are almost certain to be seriously dam
aged by q number of parasites unless
they receive the necessary care to pro-
tect them. Tho conditions under
which this class of back yard crops
grows IL favorable to the development
OF theae pests.
The plants are long lived and fire.
quently carry the larvae or the spores
of their respective parasites over from
season to season. As handled by most
people, the diseased stems. leaves and
fruits are left on the ground about the
bushes. and parasites propagate in
such rubbish with vigor.
Probably the most general and the
most destructive pest encountered on
the bush fruits is some form Of foliage
eating worm, like the larvae of the saw
fly. There worms appear almost as
socn as the leaves are out and they
will soon strip the entire bush OF Its
foliage unless they are promptly ex-
terminated. It Is fortunate that they
can be killed very easily If properly
treated, and the treatment will apply
equally well with any leaf-eating
worm.
The saw-ny's eggs are laid on the
under side of the leaves, especially
those leaves located well down in the
center of the plant. Watch your berry
bushes closely and get busy as soon
as you notice little holes in any OF the
lower leaves. as that means that the
worms are there and are getting in
their work of destruction. If taken in
hand now. there will be little trouble
or expense involved, so act promptly.
Get some powdered white hellebore
and dust 1t on all of the foliage in the
region where the worms have begun
work. Scatter It thickly and get 1t on
both sides of the leaves. Do the dust
ing early In the morning. before the
dew is off the leaves. The powder will
then stick fast and will remain until
the next heavy rain.
II 1t should rain Immediately, pow
der again. The whole bush should be
treated II the worms have got a good
start, and II you allow these worms to
strip the foliage the fruit will be
email, shriveled and tasteless. Re-
member that the leaves are both the
digestive and respiratory organs of the
plant, and without them 1t can neither
eat nor breathe.
II large numbers of ants appear on
the bushes. investigate the under sur
face Of the leaves for tiny green
aphis. or plant lice. A good spraying
with tobacco water will ix them.
Cane borers. gall beetles. tree crick-
cts. etc.. kill individual canes and the
only remedy 10 to cut out and burn all
infected canes and clean up all rub
bish.
Red rust 10 prevalent in some 500
tions and It Is very deadly and sspe-
cially contagious. 1t 10 parasitic dis
ease which causes spots of rusty-look-
ing fungi to appear on the stems. Cut
ting out and burning diseased canes
and spraying the rest frequently with
Bordeaux mixture Is the only means of
cambating It. This mixture is hard to
handle in a small garden.
Anthracnose is another deadly dis
ease and is indicated by the presence
of purple patches on stems and foli-
age. Treat as for rust.
Certain varieties are more resistant
to these diseases. and these should. be
planted in localities known to be In
fected.
For mildew on currants and goose
berries, use powdered sulphur and ap-
ply it in the form of dust while the
dew Ia on the leaves.