The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1935-06-20
CONTROL OF INSECTS AND
DISEASES OF VEGETABLES

DlOEACLC VI 1OAGIO
Many gardens are practically ruin
ed each year through the ravages of
insects and plant diseases. Yet all of
this loss from pests and disease may
be prevented or controlled without
much cost or effort.
Garden Insects are of two types
chewing and sucking. Chewing in
sects such as the bean beetle, potato
bug, cucumber beetle, rose buy, flea
beetle, cabbage worm, etc., eat por-
tions of the leaves and vine, and can
be controlled by stomach poisS1s as
arsenate of lead, magnesium or cal
cium arsenate, paris green, etc. The
insecticides are used in the following
proportions for garden use:
Arsenate of lead (powder) 8 level
teaspoonfuls, water gallon. Mag
nesium or calcium arsenate 5 level
tablespoonful, water, 3 gallons.
Dust Method:
1. Mix 1 part of Arsenate of lead
with 6 parts of hydrated lime.
2. Mix 1 part Calcium arsenate
with parts of hydrated lime.
8. Mix 1 part of Magnesium arse
nate with parts of hydrated lime.
Either of the above materials may
be used. For bean beetle use Mag
nesium arsenate as the others may
burn the eban foliage. Since most of
the insects feed, at first at least, on
the under side of the leaves, it is es-
sential that the spray or dust cover
both sides of the foliage. Otherwise
both the labor and material will be
wasted.
Arsenical Substitutes: The use of
pyrethrum and derris compounds in
insect control has increased consider
ably. These materials, poisonous to
insects but non-poisonous to man, can
be used with safety on vegetable
crops at any stage of their growth.
Pyrethrum kills quicker than derris
but it acts only as contact insecti-
eide, loses it's strength quickly, and
usually costs more. Pyrethrum dusts
and sprays vary in strength and
should be used in the proportions
recommended by the manufacturer.
Derris compounds act both as con-
tact and stomach poisons, do not lose
their strength as quickly and, for
some insects at least, are more effec-
tive. For that reason they have gain
ed in popularity. DR.. Harry G. Walk
err, of the Virginia Truck Experiment
Station, states that derris dust con-
tanning from LIZ to 3-4 of per cent
rotenone properly applied will give
very good control of the Mexican
bean beetle. A spray containing from
2 to 2 IL ounces Of finely ground
to 8 gallons of water will also give
satisfactory results.
derris root a to per cent rotenone)
Derris dusts and sprays have also
shown promising results with cab
bage worms, the troublesome Harle-
quin cabbage bug, cucumber beetle
and other insects. Derris componds
cost more than the arsenicals but
they deser--e place in the pest con-
troll program. See your seed or drug
store for these abo e materials.
Sucking il sc is, suc|i IS aphio3 OF
plant lice, 'Sa: hoppers. squash bugs,
vine borers, tee, such the juice from
the leaves and vine. Since their feed
ing parts penetrate beneath the sur
face of the leaf, a stomach poison
will not kill them. They have to be
controlled by a contact or repellent
spray or dust as ~ Black Leaf 40
Nicotine Sulphate) / 1-2 teaspoon
fuls. soap 1-inch cube. water / gallon.
(2) Equal parts Of tobacco dust and
hydrated lime will repel various suck
ing and leaf eating insects if applied
frequently enough.
Diseases: Fungicides are materials
used to kill bacteria and fungi which
cause plant diseases. Bordeaux Mix
ture is the best spray for the control