ely from insect
attack, while vigorous plants will come through with much less damage. It
is advisable to insure rapid germination of seed through careful soil
preparation, to seed at the proper time for a quick and vigorous start and
to have sufficient available fertility to stimulate growth once the plants
have started.

There are two distinct classes of insects, the division being based upon
their feeding habits. The larger group, both in the size of the insects
themselves and in the number of species, is the leaf-chewing group. These
can be destroyed by the application of stomach poisons to the plants under
attack. The other group consists of the sucking insects, which penetrate
the veins carrying nourishment to the leaves and appropriate it for
themselves. Such insects multiply with extreme rapidity, generally feed on
the underside of the leaves and may cause complete wilting of the plant
before their presence is suspected. In such cases a "contact" spray or
dust must be used. This is based on the principle of causing the insect to
"inhale" the material through breathing pores along its body. The
insecticide must be composed of extremely fine particles or must be of
such an oily nature that it will readily penetrate such pores. In
addition to these, certain repellent materials are being developed which
cause the insect to seek food where the disagreeable conditions do not
prevail.

TABLE III

PRINCIPAL INSECTS AND REMEDIES[3]

-----------------+--------------+---------------+---------------------
Plants attacked | Chewing | Character | Treatment
| insects | of damage |
-----------------+--------------+---------------+---------------------
Tomato, pepper, |Flea Beetles |They gnaw or |Dust or spray with
eggplant, turnip,| |eat small holes|a prepared nicotine
cabbage, etc. | |in the leaves. |or pyrethrum mixture.
| | |Bordeaux mixture
| | |sprayed, or dusting
| | |for disease is also
| | |effective as
| | |a repellent.
| | |
| | |
Asparagus |Asparagus |Feeds on the |Dust with either