This section is from the book "The American Garden Vol. XI", by L. H. Bailey. Also available from Amazon: American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants.
"Insect Life" for March gives a continuation of Professor Riley's "Insect Pests of the Household," being a chapter on cockroaches, illustrated by drawings of the most common species, the croton bug or German cockroach, showing each successive stage from the egg to the adult. The roaches which infest the country are of three species ; only one of which is indigenous, and this one is the least harmful of the three and is commonly called the " black beetle." It is much larger than the other two, being frequently an inch and three-quarters in length. The other two are imported species, the largest being the oriental cockroach and nearly allied to the American species just mentioned. It particularly thrives in ships, which it infests the world over. But the croton bug, so called from having first appeared in force on the introduction of the Croton water system in New York City, is by far the most abundant and does the greatest damage. They are nearly omnivorous, but particularly eat everything containing paste, and therefore wall-paper, book-bindings, etc.
The only practical remedy is to be found in the free and persistent use of fresh buhach or pyre-thrum powder.
Spray your trees, spray your grape vines, spray your potatoes. Spray everything.
 
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