4 
species, and it is safe to assume the existence of three generations 
annually for the District of Columbia and southward. 
Toward the end of the season the beetles congregate under the stems, 
prostrate portions of plants, and withered leaves of cucurbits, often as 
many as 50 or 60 individuals assembling about a single plant, and later 
they seek other places of shelter. The beetles begin to disappear near 
Washington during the first cold nights of October, but hibernation may 
commence earlier. 
REMEDIES. 
Direct applications of poisons will destroy the beetles when they 
occur in moderate numbers, but have not proved entirely efficacious 
when the insects are most abundant, hence recourse must be had to 
preventives and repellents and to certain cultural methods. Living as 
the larve do underground, it is more difficult to reach them than the 
beetles. Their destruction could be effected by saturating the surface 
soil about the roots of infested plants with kerosene emulsion. 
Jovering young plants.—To prevent injury to the young plants early 
in the season, coverings are used. A cheap frame may be made by 
cutting a barrel hoop in two so as to form two semicircles, which are 
then placed at right angles to each other, and the lower ends inserted 
in the ground with the curve uppermost. Two strong wires bent in the 
form of croquet arches can also be used. The frame is covered with 
gauze or similar material, held in place with earth packed about the 
edges, to prevent the beetles working under it. It is necessary to keep 
the plants covered only while they are young, and the same covering 
may be used year after year. 
Early planting, etc.—Where no covering is used it is advisable to 
start the plants in frames or in hothouses, or to plant the earliest 
varieties and set them out as soon as possible so as to get the plants 
well established before the appearance of the beetles. In combination 
with this, the setting out of late varieties should be postponed until 
after the first appearing beetles have laid their eggs and dispersed. 
Planting an excess of seed.—In lieu of the above practices a certain 
degree of relief can be secured by planting an excess of seed so as to 
distribute attack. After the first danger is passed the hills can be 
thinned out to the desired number. 
A method which has furnished good results in some localities con- 
sists in planting the seeds in squares, one each week, as shown in the 
diagram. The first planting “1” is frequently killed, and may | 
be followed by the second and sometimes the third. As long —— 
as the insects are seen they are poisoned, and this is continued 
until a stand of plants is obtained, as it is seldom that all four plantings 
are destroyed. 
Clean culture and trap plants.—Much injury from this as well as 
