Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-15
IN THE GARDEN
Some Practical Hints

THE enthusiastic gardener has great
many difficulties to face in the num-
ber of enemies to plants flowers and
vegetables which spring up on every
hand A particularly sharp lookout must
be kept for these, or else all the previous
pains that have been taken in the culti-
vation of the various growing things will
be entirely wasted.
1t does seem strange that a plant can
survive at all, when one thinks of the
numerous disadvantages it is struggling
against. Plants are just like human
beings, however-there is a survival of
the fittest. And the gardener must do
everything possible to ward off pests and
to help the development of the tender
roots which are so busly growing just
now.
Among the arch enemies of ali growing
things come the insects, and in particular
those designated under the heads of
"biters" and suckers" The sure way
TO rid oneself of the pests which bite is
TO carefully poison their food, but 1t is a
harder matter to kill the insect which
sucks the juices and ignores the poison
on the outside of the plant. These last
must be boldly caught and destroyed,
there is no other sure way.
There is nothing so disappointing than
TO note the havoc wrought on some favor
lite bed of seedlings by the ravages of
destroying insects. The rows of lettuce
and radshes. perhaps. have been growing
splendidly, and they look very strong and
healthy. There they grow in their soft
bed, amply nourshed and with every ap-
parent chance for full development.
Then one morning they appear rldded
through and through with tiny holes, till
they present the appearance of fine lace
work, or some target which has been the
recipient of too many bullets A closer
inspection shows that they are covered
with a tiny black insect which literally
swarms all over the green leaves. This
enemy is the black flea beetle.
Many people suggest that for the de-
struction of these little creatures poison
should be rubbed all over the leaves
But then that would bring in the risk
that these leaves might not be sufficiently
well washed before being brought to
table.
The application of this insect t-killing
stuff Is. however, really necessary. There
are two varieties which are always sue
cessful. One is powdered tobacco. which
should be lightly busted all over the
affected part. The other is a powder
hiohS VI COdl dSHeS. Il lOuT, lime anu
plaster are all equally successful, too.
The potato bug is another arch enemy,
who chews the leaves and who most GER
tainly should be destroyed The applica-
tion of Paris green to the leaves will
soon prove effective, or the bug may be
picked off by hand and dropped in a can
of kerosene.
The squash bug and the striped beetle
are particularly destructive. and should
be killed by poison. Spraying with soap
suds is good thing.
The ardent gardener must not forget to
look out for the devastation wrought by
the cutworm. He is like thief who
works in secret and during the night,
and when you find your most cherished
plants lying prone on the ground some
fine morning, you will realize that the
cutworm has been up to some of his old
tricks again! By digging around the
roots of the plant you will probably dis
cover him, although this does seem a
little bit like locking the stable door
after the horse is stolen! The cut
worm is about one and a half inches in
length, is brown and striped and has a
pair OF sharp little shears attached to
his head, with which he does his deadly
work. The placing of poison bait round