Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-18
Controlling Garden Pests and
Diseases

Diseases
Inc seaeson of the year is at hand
Wnen the gardener begins his opera
llons for the year in earnest. Many
an individual has started out hope
iully in the spring, only to be
brought up short in the course of a
lew weeks by the fact that insects
or disease seem about to sweep his
crops away. Whatever can be done
10, In measure, meet and control
the advent of insect pests and plant
diseases should, therefore, be under
taken, even before the garden is
planted. Some suggestions along
this line will, therefore, no doubt
prove helpful at this time.
The cut worm is one of the in
sects which does tremendous damage
10 crops grown under glass and in
the open field as well. They are
particularly destructive to tomatoes,
sweet potatoes, corn and various
other plants. They cut these crops
or at about the surface of the
ground very shortly, after trans
planting. Corn naturally is not
transplanted, but the cut worms are
most destructive to it about the time
1t has attained a height of two or
three inches above the surface of
the ground. Cut worms will some
times destroy a large number Of
plants in a single night, and even
though their work may be done in
a sporadic sort of fashion they will
certainly prevent the development of
satisfactory and uniform stand
Cut worms are gray in color and
are generally easily found in the vi
entity where their destructive oper-
atlons were carried forward during
the night. Gathering and killing
them is one of the most certain
ways of controlling them. Cleaning
up alltrash about the garden is also
desirable. Spraying with LIS pounds
of arsenate of lead to so gallons of
water is good practice. For the
small garden use 5 teaspoonfuls Of
arsenate of lead and dissolve it in
one gallon of water. A large num-
Der of cut worms may be destroyed
by the use of poison bats. These
may be prepared as follows: Take
one-half gallon of sorghum or any
cheap, low grade Of molasses, mix
with this one peck of dry. bran and
four ounces of white arsenic, and
add two gallons of water. This ma
terial should be made into small
bats and scattered about the
grounds where the cut worms are
proving most destructive. Put these
bats out at night. Remember that
chickens and live stock should be
kept away from treated fields or
gardens.
Another source of annoyance to
the gardener is the white grub.
o,@e To, L. b.
OF such crops as strawberries, corn
and potatoes. They are particular
ly troublesome on areas of land that
have been in sod or wet for some
time. These bugs make their ap.
pearance in the early summer and
are familiar to everyone as the June
bug. The best way Of fighting this
pest is through a rotation of crops.
Hogs will eat large numbers of
them, and fowls pick up the grubs
on newly plowed land. Keep the
land disturbed or cultivated as much
as possible, and keep it clear Of
weeds. Deep blowing is an effective
remedy. - =.
The blister beetle is familiar
nuisance to all gardeners. They vary
in color from black to yellow, often
4 with dark stripes. They feed on
vegetables and frequently travel
about in large numbers. There are
so many at times that they are called
armies. They are especially fond of
beets, peas, beans and potatoes.
They do not make their appearance
as rule until the crop is partly
developed and their presence will be
observed until late in the season. A
good way of combating this nuisance
is to take so gallons of water and
3 dissolve therein is pounds arsenatc
Of lead. Apply this as soon as the
beetles appear.
Sometimes wireworms do a great
deal of damage in the garden. These
are the young of what are called
swapping beetles. They have about
the same tastes and proclivities as