New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 573 



for the cucumber beetle. Prof. C. P. Gillettj-ecords, in Bulletin 5 of 

 the Iowa Agricultural College, page 17^), a series of experiments 

 with pyrethrum as a remedy for this insect. He found that pyreth- 

 rnm when dusted over the plants in the middle of the day did very 

 little good, but when applied early in the morning, in this case at 

 5 o'clock, it was a complete success. "At this time in the morning," 

 he says, " the beetles are cold and sluggish and their bodies are 

 damp with the dew of the night so that they do not fly away and 

 every particle of the powder that falls on them sticks." Pyrethrum 

 is a powerful irritant and kills by contract. 



Tobacco dust is a common remedy among farmers and other 

 growers for various insect pests. For the cucumber beetle it should 

 be applied liberally upon the hills early in the season, preferably 

 just as the young plants are about to come up. Later in the season 

 if the beetles are numerous the vines should be thoroughly dusted 

 with it while they are wet with dew or rain. If the beetles are 

 numerous apply frequently. The tobacco not only aids in keeping 

 the beetles away, but has valuable qnalities as a fertilizei-. 



Comhinations of preventive and remedial measures may consist 

 in using the protectors early in the season, and Paris green or wood 

 ashes or lime or other efficient remedies later, if the beetles are pres- 

 ent in sufficient numbers to do serious damage to the vines, 



SUMMAEY. 



From the above we may briefly summarize as follows: 



The striped cucumber beetle attacks cucumber, squash, melon 

 and other cucurbitaceous plants during two stages of its life history 

 namely, the larva or grub stage and the mature or beetle stage. 



The beetles attack the young plants just as they are coming to the 

 surface of the ground and eat the leaves of the vines later in the 

 season. 



The grubs attack the roots burrowing into them and causing the 

 vines to wilt. 



The beetles may be found upon the vines throughout the season. 



As a preventive measure the proper use of plant protectors is con 

 sidered j^ractical. 



Among the most successful remedies for this insect may be men- 

 tioned dry wood ashes, air slaked lime, dry wood ashes and turpen- 

 tine, Paris green mixed with plaster or water, pyrethrum, and 

 tobacco. 



