leaves behind a shining sticky substance, which closes up the stomata of
the leaves, and partially checks exchange of gases (assimilation and
respiration). Particles of dust, sand, and smoke carried by the wind,
and also the cast skins of the aphides, stick to the surface of the
leaves and render exchange of gases still more difficult. The leaves
develop brown dirty patches, and die off. Besides this, the spores of
disease-producing fungi, carried by the wind, stick very easily to the
places covered by the sweet fluid, and readily germinate in it. Aphides
may thus be the indirect cause of several diseases (_e.g._ smut). These
insects are destructive, therefore, to other plants than those infested
by them. _Remedies_: Spraying with any one of the fluids destructive to
them—soapy water; a decoction of quassia chips; tobacco water, not too
concentrated; Nessler’s fluid (1½ ozs. soft soap, 2¼ ozs. tobacco
mixture, 2 ozs. fusel alcohol, half a pint ordinary alcohol, diluted
with rain water up to a quart: when used, mix with one-fifth the
quantity of rain water); Koch’s fluid (2 lbs. soft soap dissolved in
half a gallon of hot water; ½ lb. of quassia chips extracted for twelve
hours in 5 quarts of rain water, and the fluid thus obtained boiled and
filtered. It is then added to the soap water, and the whole brought up
to 10 gallons by addition of rain water). Spraying with one of the
above-named fluids must be renewed in a short time, so as to reach all
the aphides wherever possible; if even a few remain untouched, there
will soon be a large number again. A warm evening is best for the
spraying. Infested plants can also be strewn with finely powdered
substances, or these may be scattered over them by means of a small
bellows. Since such substances should remain on as long as possible,
they should be used after rain or early in the morning, when the dew is
still on the leaves. Among powdered matters suitable for the purpose,
the following may be named: gypsum, lime, tobacco, wood-ash, insect
powder (prepared from the flower-heads of Persian species of
chrysanthemum and from tansy heads). It must also be pointed out, that
these remedies must be employed as soon as the insects begin to show
themselves in considerable numbers; it is not desirable to delay till
the infestation has made considerable headway, as it is then much more
difficult to get a satisfactory result. In some cases, it is desirable
to cut off and burn or otherwise destroy much infested parts, or those
parts on which the insects first begin to multiply (_e.g._ early cutting
off of the tips of the stems in field and garden beans).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account