OTHER VINES THAT ARE USEFUL 251 
begins to ripen. Afterward, a dry house will 
yield far better results. At all times, take every 
precaution against draughts. As before, the best 
protection against insects is prevention. Fumi- 
gate every two weeks with half- or quarter- 
strength hydrocyanic-acid gas, or by burning 
tobacco stems. Once among the melons, in- 
sects are almost certain to render the whole crop 
worthless. 
Fungous diseases are sometimes troublesome 
and also call for preventive measures, rather than 
attempts at a cure. Avoid mildew by keeping 
the plants dry at night and on cloudy days, 
and by painting the pipes with sulphur. During 
dark, cloudy weather, spray with soap or kerosene 
emulsion. Another, and probably the worst 
disease of melons is the canker or stem rot. This 
may attack the vines only a few weeks before the 
fruit is ready to pick, and, as there is no cure, we 
must guard against this enemy also. Always 
try to keep the stem, just at the surface of the 
soil, dry. A little cracked charcoal or white 
sand, placed around the base of the stem will 
accomplish this, and sometimes sulphur, applied 
when the very first symptom — a brown appear- 
ance of the stem — is observed, will dry up the 
disease. * Melons are sometimes bothered with 
