68 TRUCK CROP INSECTS. 
Melon Lice: Many inquiries were received during the sum- 
mer concerning lice on melon vines. In almost all cases, at the 
time the lice had been noticed on the vines, and reported, it was 
too late to give a satisfactory treatment. For this reason, a few 
notes on the melon louse may be advisable. 
The success of the treatment of the melon aphis depends upon 
how soon after the vines become infected they are discovered and 
treatment started. Farmers growing melons should examine their 
vines about the time that they send out their runners. By looking 
on the under side of the leaves, the aphis can be easily discovered 
while in many cases, their presence is plainly shown by the curling 
of the leaves. Frequently it will be found that only one or two 
vines in a field are infected. These should immediately be taken 
out and destroyed by burning, thus preventing the spread of this 
aphis to the other plants. If a larger number of plants are in- 
fested, they can be fumigated with carbon bisulphide or tobacco 
paper. A wash-tub or similar air-tight box should be inverted 
over the plant and a teaspoonful of carbon bisulphide used for 
each cubic foot of space enclosed. This treatment gives satis- 
factory results but recently it has been found that burning tobacco 
paper underneath the tub or box gives more satisfactory results. 
From one-half or one sheet of tobacco paper, according to the 
brand which is being used, should be burned under each tub or 
box. It is usually torn into one or two pieces and placed in per- 
forated tin cans on opposite sides of the frame and ignited. Fumi- 
gation lasts for from ten to thirty minutes, according to the 
strength of the paper used. If melons are grown extensively, 
frames made of muslin which have been painted over with oil to 
make them gas tight, can be used. One man can handle about ten 
such frames. At this rate, the work is rapidly carried on. If the 
aphis is not treated early the plants become too large to fumigate 
economically and as the leaves are curled, it is impossible to spray 
them successfully. 
Cucumber Beetle: During the summer, a graduate student, 
Mr. C. A. Sell, carried on some successful experiments upon the 
cucumber beetle. He was able to show that one teaspoonful of 
Nicofume or similar tobacco extract to each gallon of water makes 
a solution which is strong enough to kill larvae of the beetles on 
the under-ground portions of the cucumber plant, the stage found 
most destructive to cucumbers in cold frames. A cupful of the 
mixture is applied to each plant and at this rate, treatment costs 
about 40 cents per hundred hills. Further details of his work 
will be published during the winter in a circular of this depart- 
ment. 
* Work based upon data furnished by Mr. Frank Glbbs. 
