EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 379 



over-gTowu or the injury llial may be done in careless picking, which re- 

 sults in 1('arin<>- and break in«»- llie vines. In average growing weather, 

 48 hours may intervene hetween ])ickings and later in the seas<jn, 72 

 hours may not be too long-. This is assuming that the vines are picked 

 reasonably clean at each picking. It is im])()ssible to find and remove 

 every cncuiiilKM- at any one time, but that should be the aim. Large 

 cucumbeis in \\hich seeds are forming, sap the vitality of the vines 

 and a plant that has produced seeds becomes inactive and soon ceases 

 to grow, but just as long as it is prevented from j)roducing seed, it will 

 endeavor 1o do so. The result is that small cucumbers in abundance 

 will continue to form until the vines are killed by frost. 



There are so many factors which influence the yield that it is unwise 

 to try to tell any prospective grower wihat he will get in bushels per 

 acre. This much is certain, however, one acre of vines that is kept well 

 picked will produce more bushels and, therefore, a much greater net 

 profit than will two acres of as equally good vines which are only in- 

 ditt'erently ])icked. Two hundred bushels of marketable cucumbers is 

 the average yield of one Michigan grower over a period of nearly twenty 

 years. This was on a large acreage, so any fairly intelligent grower 

 who does not plant too extensively should be able to secure such yields. 



What are some of the advantages in raising cucumbers? If they are 

 grown under contract, they are a cash crop and the groAA'^r does not 

 have to worry about the state of the market; each picking is turaed 

 into cash as soon as delivered. Picking comes after grain harvest and 

 before corn harvest or in what is generally a slack time on most farms. 

 Unlike sugar beets, there is very little money invested in the crop 

 Ijefore returns are made. Picking is the chief item of expense and until 

 picking begins, there is very little expense attached to the crop. Un- 

 like potatoes, cucumbers are sold at a guaranteed price and a large crop 

 does not depress the market. No extra machinery is needed to handle 

 the crop. The implements usually found upon the average farm are all 

 that is required to take care of the crop from start to finish. The cost 

 of seed is insignificant. 



There are three of four insects which feed on the cucumber vine or its 

 fruit. The striped cucumber beetle (Diabrotica vittata) attacks musk- 

 melons and early planted cucumbers but does not work extensively in 

 the main or late crop plantings. Most growers plant four or five times 

 as many seeds as they desire plants which allows the beetles to take 

 some without niining the stand. If the beetles work too badly, the 

 vines may be dusted, preferably while the dew is on, with nine parts air 

 slacked, or still better, hydrated lime and one part arsenate of lead 

 jwivder. Paris green should not be used as it may burn the vine.s. 

 Coating the plants with a spray of six pounds arsenate of lead paste to 

 fifty gallons of water makes them distasteful to the insects. 



There is a plant louse which attacks cucumber vines. It is a sucking 

 insect, so cannot be destroyed by applying a stomach poison, but must 

 be killed by a contact spray if killed at all. If the first few hills 

 affected are buried, vines and all, it will do much to control the pest. 

 Keeping the vines thrifty is also a decided help since the louse always 

 prefers to feed on sickly and stunted hills. Eight pounds of whale oil 

 soap to fifty gallons of water makes a good spray but usually the ene- 

 mies of the louse will hold it in check. 



The Downy Mildew of the cucumber is a fungous disease (Plasmopara 



