CONTROL OF GAEDEN DISEASES AND INSECTS. 



61 



radibli flea-beetle^ in its occurrence on young seedlings. Bordeaux 

 mixture is good as a repellent or ^hen sprayed in combination Avith 

 arsenate of lead. Bordeaux mixture is discussed on pages G and 7. 



ROOT-BLIGHT. 



Radish root-blight causes dark and shrunken areas on the roots 

 (fig. 71). It is due to a fungus occasionally encountered in gardens. 

 Where this occurs radishes must be moved to a disease-free spot. 

 Beets also are subject to attack by the same fungus. 



SQUASH. 



Squashes, gourds, pumpkins, and similar crops 

 suffer from the same pests as those which attack 

 the cucumber. 



WILT. 



See cucumber wilt, page 46. 



I COMMON SQUASH BUG. 



If the plants escape the striped cucumber beetle 

 and the melon aphis they are apt to fall a prey 

 to the squash bug (fig. 72), commonly known as 

 the " stink bug," from its disagreeable odor. Like 

 the melon aphis, it feeds by extracting the juices. 

 A brood of these insects consisting of the adults 

 and young, of which there are five stages, may 

 destroy many plants in a short time. 



Control. — Fortunately, the common squash bug 

 is large enough to be seen easily. Hand picking 

 before it laj^s its eggs is of value. Even the eggs, 

 being in clusters, can be crushed or cut away from 

 the leaves. A lookout should be kept for the 

 bugs, beginning earl}^ in the season. 



Some of the remedies advised for the striped 

 cucumber beetle, such as protecting with covers 

 and the use. of nicotine sulphate, are helpful, but 

 the adults are difficult to kill b}' contact poisons. 

 The 3^oung readily succumb, especially when they 

 are molting or shedding their skins. 



The bugs may be trapped, also, by placing on the ground, at inter- 

 vals near the plants, boards, shingles, or pieces of bark or similar 

 material under which the insects can congregate for shelter. The 

 traps should be examined and the bugs clestroj^ed every morning 

 during the early season. 



SQUASH-VIIVE BORKR. 



After cucurbits have made good growth they sometimes are 



• attacked by the .squash-vine borer (fig. 73), which, however, is much 



more destructive to pumpkins and squash, especially Hubbard and 



marrow cymlings, than to other cucurbits. When these borers occur 



on cucumbers it is almost impossible to destroy them. 



]. — Uadish root- 

 blight. 



