60 



FARMERS BULLETIN 856. 



the plants may be treated safely with either arsenate of lead or 

 nicotine sulphate, as the poisoned leaves will not be eaten. 



"VMien plants are attacked by the disease known as drop they 

 wilt suddenly and die. There may be found in the decaying heads 

 small, gray to black fungous masses, or sclerotia, which remain in the 

 soil to carry the disease over unless the plants are taken up and 

 destroyed on the first evidence of disease. 



Replant in another place. 



Head lettuce often develops a browning of the leaf margins known 

 as tipburn. This is due to the hot sun and lack of water. Prevent 

 by watering, and make the soil rich with rotted stable manure. 



Other lettuce troubles occur, but it does not pay to treat them 

 in the home garden. Plant a new bed. 

 * 



MUSKMELON OR CANTALOUPE. 



Cantaloupes are affected by the same insects which attack cucum- 

 bers, the melon aphis and cucumber beetles being particularly trou- 

 blesome. See " Cu- 

 cumber " (p. 43). 



LEAF DISEASES. 



The spotting and 

 death of muskmelons 

 are usually due to one 

 or another of three 

 fungi, the most com- , 

 mon being shown in 

 figure 56. Control by 

 spraying with Bor- 

 deaux mixture, aj)- 

 plied first when the 

 vines begin to run and 

 repeated every 7 to 10 

 days. Rotation is im- 

 portant for the crop. 

 wn.T. 



See cucumber wilt, 

 page 46. 



ONIOX. 



The onion and other 

 bull)ous crops often 

 are affected seriously by insects in the field. The common and AYelsh 

 onions, garlic, leek, chives (or sives), and shallot are subject to 



Fin. no. — Miiskinelon leaf-spot. 



