110 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



black, forming a third narrower stripe down the middle of the 

 back ; the abdomen, the greater part of the fore legs, and the 

 knees and feet of the other legs, are black. It is rather less 

 than one fifth of an inch long. Early in the spring it devours 

 the tender leaves of various plants. I have found it often on 

 those of our .Aronias, Amelanchicr botryapium and oralis, and 

 Pyrus arbutifolia, towards the end of April. It makes its first 

 appearance, on cucumber, squash, and melon vines, about the 

 last of May and first of June, or as soon as the leaves begin 

 to expand; and, as several broods are produced in the course 

 of the summer, it may be found at various times on these 

 plants, till the latter are destroyed by frost. Great numbers of 

 these little beetles may be obtained in the autumn from the 

 flowers of squash and pumpkin vines, the pollen and germs of 

 which they are very fond of. They get into the blossoms as 

 soon as the latter are opened, and are often caught there by 

 the twisting and closing of the top of the flower; and, when 

 they want to make their escape, they are obliged to gnaw a 

 hole through the side of their temporary prison. The females 

 lay their eggs in the ground, and the larvae probably feed on 

 the roots of plants, but they have hitherto escaped my re- 

 searches. 



Various means have been suggested and tried to prevent 

 the ravages of these striped cucumber-beetles, which have 

 become notorious throughout the country for their attacks 

 upon the leaves of the cucvimber and squash. Dr. B. S. 

 Barton, of Philadelphia, recommended sprinkling the vines 

 with a mixture of tobacco and red pepper, which he stated to 

 be attended with great benefit. Watering the vines with a 

 solution of one ounce of Glauber's salts in a quart of water, 

 or with tobacco water, an infusion of elder, of w^alnut leaves, 

 or of hops, has been highly recommended. Mr. Gourgas, of 

 Weston, has found no application so useful as ground plaster 

 of Paris; and a writer in the "American Farmer" extols the 

 use of charcoal dust. Deane recommended sifting powdered 

 soot upon the plants when they are wet with the morning 

 dew, and others have advised sulphur and Scotch snuff to be 

 applied in the same way. As these insects fly by night, as' 



