55 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 

 Meeting called to order at 4 p.m. by President Fletcher ; 29 persons were present. 



THE SQUASH BORER, MELITTIA CUCURBITS, AND REMEDIES 



THEREFOR. 



BY JOHN B. SiMITH, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. 



The most dangerous enemy to squash culture in New Jersey is undoubtedly this 

 borer. Its life history is already fairly well known, and the question of remedies is the 

 vital one. Those usually recommended have not proved eminently satisfactory in prac- 

 tice, and cutting out is still most generally relied upon. Summer squashes are badly 

 infested, but have a large stout stem and usually mature a crop before the borers can 

 kill the vine. Of the later varieties the Hubbard is the favorite, not only of the grower 

 but of the borer. The missing links in the life history seemed to be in the egg stage, 

 and these were carefully observed by me during the present season. I found in every 

 case one or more eggs at the base of the plant, as near to the root as possible, and 

 usually on the underside of the stem, i. e., that portion of it resting on the ground. 

 The moth evidently gets as near to the base of the plant as possible, and deposits her 

 eggs as far towards the root as her ovipositor will extend. Rarely the egg will be 

 found at the axil of the first or second leaf stalk ; but it is at such points that the 

 insects rtst at night. The egg itself is chestnut brown in colour, in form a flattened 

 disk and of quite large size. The shell is quite hard and chitinons, but brittle. It is 

 not readily pervious to the kerosene emulsion diluted 12 times, but is readily crushed. 

 This stage is quite a protracted one, la.sting at least 12 and probably often 15 days. The 

 young larva when it leaves the egg moves off" less than an inch and immediately enters 

 the stem. This habit accounts for the ill success of the arsenical mixtures applied to 

 the stem. The difficulty of getting all around it is great in the first place, and the 

 larva eats so little that it has at least an even chance for t^scape. The kerosene emul- 

 sion might be more satisfactory but for the difficulty of getting the application on the 

 under side of the stem. When the egg-laying habits were observed the experiment 

 patch was examined, all the spare vines pulled up so as to verify the universal presence 

 of eggs, and then with the fingers the bases of the vines were rubbed thoroughly. This 

 was intended to crush the eggs, and it was effective. The process was twice repeated, and 

 two or three larvae only escaped. The other vines continued healthy and free to date. 

 Where planting can be deferred to July the vines will be free from borers, and this is 

 the plan adopted by some large growers In small or garden patches, rubbing the stems 

 of the vines near the base will prove effective and is a simple and cheap remedy Planting 

 summer squashes as traps and destroying the vines before the insects mature would also 

 be a good way to avoid injury. 



Mr. Riley asked whether Mr. Smith had tried the ordinary method of mounding the 

 vines with ashes. 



Mr. Smith said that he had not, and that he thought that this practice would simply 

 oblige the moths to lay their eggs higher up the stalk. 



Mr. Alwood said that he had found all cucurbitaceous plants quite resistent against 

 the injurious effects of kerosene, and inasmuch as he had been successful against 

 Diabrotica with kerosene emulsion, he thought that this substance would be available 

 against the borer. 



