The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-04-13
WEEDS and BUGS
DESTROY CROPS
BEST TIME TO KILL GARDEN
ENEMIES is BEFORE TEEY
APPEAR IN THE SPRING.
prepared by the United States De-
partment OF Agriculture.)

prepared by the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture.)
Weeds and insects are garden enc
mics, and the time to kill both is be-
fore they appear!
Careful stirring Of the soil destroys
the little weed seedlings just after the
seeds have sprouted. Likewise, Guilt
vation keeps the garden in such shape
that insects 60 not find hiding place,
and are not so liable to injure the
garden crops. However, insects are
almost sure to attack certain of the
garden crops and it will be necessary
to take precautions against them.
Cutworms, potato bugs, flea beetles,
and plant lice are the most trouble
some garden insects. Do not give
them chance to get started.
The common cutworm does its work
during the night, cutting off the
plants just below the surface Of the
soil within day or two after they
are set in the garden. One of the
best ways to prevent this injury is
tc surround the stem plant with a
tube made of stiff paper or light
cardboard, extending an inch or so
below the ground and two or three
inches above. These collars, or cut
worm protectors, can be removed
after the danger of injury is past
generally not until about 30 days
after the plants are set in the ground.
When Potato Bugs Appear.
The old-fashioned Colorado potato
beetles, or "hard Shells" come out
of the ground usually when the po-
tatoes are about four or five inches
high. These beetles themselves do
not do a great amount of harm ex-
cept that they lay clusters OF vel
low eggs on the under side of the
potato leaves. In a few days these
eggs hatch into softshell beetles or
slugs as they are sometimes called.
In the soft shell, or slug form the
potato beetle has an enormous appe-
tite and colony of them will soon
strip the foliage from hin of po-
tatJes.
Land picking is perhaps the best
me .hod Of getting rid Of the hard
shell beetles. They may be killed
by either crushing them or dropping
the..i into boiling water. The slugs
or softshell beetles cannot be gath
cred to so good advantage, but they
may be poisoned by sprinkling the
plants, while the dew is upon them,
with mixture consisting of heap
ing teaspoonful of paris green to
pint of air-slacked lime or land plas-
ter. The easiest method Of applying
the mixture is to place it in cheese
cloth or thin burlap bag and dust
the plants by shaking the bag di-
rectly over them. 1t is not neces-
sary to apply the poison to all the
plants, but only where the bugs have
made their appearance. The plants
should be inspected every day or
two to see that the bugs are not
getting start.
y, Flea Beetles Eat Holes.
Flea beetles are small insects that
eat round holes similar to shot holes
in the leaves of beans, tomatoes, and
a number Of other garden crops.
They can be poisoned with the mix
ture of paris green and lime referred
to for potato beetles, or they can be
driven away by busting the plants
with fine road dust, air-slacked lime,
CT with very dry, powdery, sifted
coal ashes.
Plant lice are more difficult to cen
troll, as they do not eat the leaves,
but stick their beaks into the leaves,
and suck the juices. They are rather
difficult to control, as they are Iound
mainly on the under side of the leaves.
One remedy is to spray with some
form of tobacco extract or nicotine
sulphate, using about one teaspoon
full in q gallon of water in which
there has previously been dissolved
q one-inch cube of laundry soap. The
mixture should be thoroughly stirred
and applied underneath the leaves
especially, using some form of sprayer
or atomizer that will create a fine
mist.
If the gardner finds some insect
with which he is not acquainted he
should write to the extension division
of his state college of agriculture.
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