Evening star., 1943-04-11
Early Care 1nsures Successful Crops
Spraying Duing anu Pests Diseases

.
Bugs and plant diseases attack
flowers and vegetable crops in war
time as In peace. They are always
with us and so a real effort must be
made to keep them under control
even though this is time when
some of the most effective chemicals
are needed in the war effort. How
ever. there are others that we may
use to secure reasonable control.
Vegetable crops as whole are not
seriously affected by plant diseases.
Occasionally tomatoes will need
spraying to control foliage diseases,
or perhaps they will be affected by
the blossom end rot Of the fruit.
Insect enemies Of vegetable crops,
however. are numerous and we must
be constantly on guard to keep them
under control. The Mexican bean
beetle is probably the most serious,
as beans are a mainstay in most
victory gardens The beetle may be
controlled only through regular and
thorough spraying or busting of the
undersides of the foliage. Bean
foliage is tender and is injured by
lead arsenate Calcium arsenate, if
diluted with lime, may be used. al
though magnesium arsenate, while
expensive. is probably safer. All
arsenicals are poisonous and should
not be used after the beans have be-
gun to form. Rotenone is very good,
pyrethum is fair and both are nom
poisonous to warm-blooded animals.
Where they may be obtained they
are much more desirable for the
control of the bean beetle than the
arsenicals, f1ourides, etc.
Cabbage worms, squash vine bor-
ers, aphids and many other bugs
will be with us and they can all be
controlled by one spray or another.
The chewing insects may be con-
trolled by stomach poison such
as the arsenicals. flourides. rotenone,
pyrethum. etc. The main point in
their control is to have the poison
on the foliage wherever a bug stops
to take a bite 1t is not safe or de-
sirable to use any poison except
rotenone or pyrethum on the foliage
Of lettuce, cabbage, chard or on any
part of crops which are to be eaten,
even though it will be washed.
The japanese beetle will probably
be present In greater numbers this
year than last and several vegetable
crops are on its preferred diet How
ever, the Japanese beetle dislikes to
have its food discolored or favored
with any fores2a substance, so it is
unnecessary to use a poison. Lime
flour, sifted ashes, etc, sprinkled
over the foliage will. in most cases
be just as effective as poison.
The ornamentals are bothered
more by plant diseases, especially
the roses. phlox, delphinium and
hollyhocks, than are the vegetable
crops. Roses are constantly under
attack by blackspot. while mildew
spreads to many plants during pc
riods Of cool moist weather. While
bordeaux. copper compound, Is
non1ally used for their control, we
may turn to some one of the many
forms Of sulphur and secure approx
imately the same protection.
The chewing insects of the orna-
mentals are not very numerous, al
though some of them are rather
difficult to control, especially the
leaf miners. In most cases they may
be controlled with lead arsenate by
carefully timing the application.
Fruit trees offer the most difficult
problems for wartime gardeners.
Fruit to be clean and sound must be
protected. Apples are constantly
under attack by the codling moth
and the only means of protecting
the fruit is to keep 1t covered at
all times with poison theld in place
on the waxy coated fruit with
sticker). Peaches and plums need
protection from the curculio, the
oriental fruit moth and from brown
rot. Sour cherries are occasionally
bothered by worms, while the sweet |
kinds are usually attacked by the
brown rot. Lead arsenate may be
used to protect these fruits from the
while sulphur may be used
as means of control for the rots.
In addition to the chewing insects
above there are the nu-
merous kinds of sucking insects
aphids, or plant lice as they are
called, which attack our
fruits, flowers and shrubs. |
While these pests are small and
easily overlooked they are injurious
to the plants, sucking their sap and
them, as we'll as spreading
diseases. The aphids are not diff
cult to control. Nicotine sulphate is
the most commonly used material,
strong soap and water is
nearly as effective. The main point
in control is to see that every aphid,
and collectively, is hit
by the spray. Both the nicotine sui
phate and the soapy water are con-
tact sprays and such must be ap-
piled to the aphids if they are to
do any good.
The choice of equipment to control
these pests is largely a matter of in
dividual preference Spray tanks
may be had in all sizes and prices.
Busters are available and generally
are inexpensive. The same kinds
Of materials may be had for busters
or for use in a spray When care