Kew York Ageicultueal, Expeeiment Station. 253 



and cucumbers over this whole region, whether planted in small 

 gardens or in large fields. 



The earliest record we have of the injuries of this pest was 

 published in 1843 by William Gaylord.^ 



As early as 1864, Dr. Fitch^ tells us that he has had to use 

 some means for protecting his cucumber vines from the " cucum- 

 ber bug " for more than twenty years. In 1852, Dr. Karris'* de- 

 scribes the work of the " striped bug," giving a long list of rem- 

 edies and stating that a Mr. Levi Bartlett of Warner, IST. H., 

 has presented a method of making frames to be covered with 

 millinet for placing over the vines 



INJTTEY. 



Usually farmers complain only of the work of the striped beetle 

 on cucumber, melon, and squash vines at the time the vines are 

 coming out of the ground. Probably the harm done at this time 

 causes the largest amount of loss, but nearly as much damage is 

 produced later by the beetles gnawing the stems of the vines and 

 by their feeding on the flowers; the former weakening the vines 

 and the latter preventing the setting of fruit. Some damage is 

 caused by the larvae, or grubs, feeding on and within the stems of the 

 vines, but probably no more harm is done to the vine itself by the 

 larvae, than is done to the fruit, especially of the muskmelon and 

 squash. The larvae feed upon the rind of the fruits, mining into 

 them, making them rough and warty and producing conditions 

 which afford an excellent foothold for various rots and bacterial 

 diseases. The amount of real wilting of vines, due to the work of 

 the larva? alone, is slight, but the mining of the stems at or near 

 the roots weakens the vines and aids the work of diseases. 



At the time of the appearance of the new brood of beetles, 

 there is little chance for them to injure the old, tough vines, but 



2 Trans. N. Y. State Agr. Soc, 1843: 127-174. 



3 Tenth Report on the Noxious and Other Insects of the State of New York. 

 * Insects Injurious to Vegetation: 124-126. (Flint'i ed., 1852.) 



