The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1915-04-23
HOW TO KILL BUGS
THAT HURT TRUCK
State Board OF Entomology Has Pre-.
pared Bulletin On Bugs That
lnjure Vegetables

Atlanta, Especial with prac-
ucally no limit to the variety and
quantity of truck crops that can be
successfully grown and marketed in
Georgia, the present necessity for di-
versitication will undoubtedly conduce
to more extensive truck growing than
the state has ever known before
Insect pests, which are an impor-
tant factor to contend with in truck
farming, can usually be controlled at
comparatively little expense. The
State Board of Entomology has just
prepared a new bulletin on these
pests, which will soon be in print and
ready for distribution among those
who are interested. State Entomologist
E. Lee Worsham urges that any who
desire detailed information regarding
particular pests, will write direct to
the department
The common red spider which at
tacks such vegetables as tomatoes,
beans, cucumbers and melons, in
jures the plant by sucking its juices.
Complete destruction of overwintering
green plants that furnish food for the
adults, is the best preventative AS a
remedy thorough spraying with lime
sulphur, one part to 100 parts of water,
has been found most effective.
The Harlequin cabbage bug, black
with orange or yellow markings and
about three-eighths of an inch long,
foods prin = n l:ty on oo1lor 6c
mustard, radishes, turnips, lettuce and
the like. Cleaning up and burning Of
trash will destroy many alternating
adults. Mustard should be planted
as trap plant; a few short rows
will do, AS these become badly infest-
ed they should be sprayed with pure
kerosene. If the growing crops become
badly infested later, a Is per cent
kerosene emulsion may be applied
with success.
To Kill Plant Lice
Plant lice, or aphids, attack vegeta-
bles, fruit trees and flowers They are
all usually controlled by the same treat
ment. One of the principal offenders
is the melon aphis, feeding on the
leaves of cucumbers, cantaloupes, cot
ton and similar plants. 1t congregates
on the under side of leaves and saps
the juices, arresting development and
killing the plant. They have many
parasitic enemies, but where the pest
is serious, spraying must be resorted
to. One of the best spraying remedies
is Black Leaf 40, nicotine tobacco
product. This concentrated solution
produces splendid results, even at the
rate of one part to 400 or 500 parts of
water. Soap solution, one pound to
3 or 4 gallons of water, or ten per
cent kerosene emulsion, will control
the pest.
The mole cricket is a most serious
truck crop pest, especially in south
eastern Georgia and the coast coun-
ties. Tomatoes, peppers, turnips, pota-
toes, sugar cane and Bermuda grass
are its principal foods, but few truck
crops escape it. The cricket cuts the
young plants just underneath the
ground. Flowing of breeding areas
two or three times during April, May
and June is the best method of get
ting rid of this pest. 1t exposes the
eggs to the sun and kills them. Poi
son bats of cotton seed meal and ar
senate of lead or Paris green have
proven very beneficial
Few gardens escape injury from cut
worms which are active, Chiefly in the
spring, and altogether at night, hiding
under the surface CT the ground by
day. They cut off plants just at the
surface of the ground. Preventive
measures are best. Grass being their
principal food, they are thickest on
land that has been in sod They wan
der into gardens from grass beds.
Thorough blowing and pulverizing of
the soil during the winter, is a good
preventive measure. They will crawl
under boards or in holes punched in
the ground, where they may be found
and destroyed. Poisoned bats of corn
meal and Paris green, sweetened with
molasses, have proven quite effective.
Animals should be kept away from the
poisoned bats.
Worms That Destroy Crops
The pickle worm Injuries cucum-
bers and cantaloupes by boring into
them; the fruit attacked is rendered
worthless. The squash, which they
prefer, is effectively used as a trap
plant; these are planted in the melon
field at intervals of two to three
weeks. Collect and destroy blooms
of trap plants once a week busting
trap plants and main crops with one
pound of arsenate Of lead mixed with
8 pounds of air-slaked lime, will give
further protection.
The melon borer is often confused
with the pickle worm, but it feeds
more on the foliage, hence is more
easily controlled by poison dust in
the same proportion as for the pickle
worm.
The squash vine borer bores into the
stalks and vines of the squash, caus.
ing death or loss of vitality. They can
be removed when detected, with a
sharp knife. Badly infested plants
should be removed and burned: after
the crop is gathered all plants should