Imperial Valley press., 1922-04-05
VEGETABLE PESTS
DESTRUCTION
SOUGHT

Warm days of April bring out the
horde of crawling and flying pests and
the forces of blight and fungus to prey
upon the gardeners tender plants.
FOrewarned is fOrearmed. If the gar
dener takes proper precaution in ad-
vance, the damage will be small, if any.
An agricultural authority says this
will be cut-wOrm year in Southern
California, as the rains have served to
provide ideal conditions for their devel-
opment. 1t is exasperating to find
tomato plants moved down by this
thief of the night. A large proportion
of the vegetable gardens in this fav-
ored region go through the season with
out attack by insects, but this year the
cutworm will probably be found in
greater proportion than heretofore. The
remedy for these cut-worms is the same
as for slugs and snails--clean culture.
dust mulch, and poisoned bran mixed
as follows. TO one peck of wheat bran
add one tablespoonful of Paris green.
Mix and then add quart of strong
molasses and mix until it is crumbly,
Scatter around the plants. Keep poul-
try away.
Right now the home gardener should
provide himself with the proper artil-
lcry and ammunition to fight the
"bugs." Buy a hand sprayer, if your
garden is a modest one, or a more pre-
tcntiOus foot or power sprayer if it is
large, and carry and keep at hand the
necessary concentrated solutions and
pOisOns for use as ammunition in fight
ing the enemy.
The insects which attack garden
plants may be divided into two groups:
those which chew the fruit or foliage,
and those which suck the plant juices.
Eating insects may usually be de-
stroyed by spraying with poisonous
solutions or dusting powders, placed on
the plants which they attack. Arsen-
ate of lead is the poison usually used
for this purpose, but vegetables on
which this spray is used should be well
washed before being eaten. Spray the
garden plants at intervals of two weeks
with combination Of arsenate Of lead
and Bordeaux Nixture if signs of insect
injury appear. NDiseases which affect
garden plants are divided into two
classes, parasitic and constitutional
The parasitic maladies such as blight are
caused by fungi or germs, and usually
may be prevented by spraying with
Bordeaux. Little is known of the con
stitutional diseases, and little can be
done with them. 1t is generally best
to pull up the plant so affected.
Specific Remedies
Following is compendium OF rem
edies and control measures for the vari
Gus pests and diseases that are nc,
with in gardens Of Southern California
(Do not take an Eastern text for fight
ing California garden enemies.)
Bush or pole beans-Dust with sui
phur at first appearance of mildew OF
rust; Aphis or plant lice-spray will
blackleaf 40; Red Spider--keep beans
thoroughly irrigated and cultivated
and dust with sulphur.
Beets-Plant early as precautiol
against curly top, and irrigate early
aud often. Wixc worms-plow in fal
to destroy pupas, plant early and prac
tice clean culture.
Cabbage--Spray for apbis, and as
nicotine sulphate 40 per cent; or on
pound to 100 gallons OF water, for cab
bagc worms.
Sweet corn---for smut, destroy th
parts as soon as found, as there is II
control. The corn ear worm wa alway
have with us. busting the silk wit
powdered arsenate Of lead affords som
relief. Some gardeners pinch the uT