TIIE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 69 



pickling purposes. They were placed in a vessel to be washed, previ- 

 ous to being put in the brine. It was then observed that small, sin- 

 gular looking worms clung in the 'wrinkles' on the outside of some 

 of the cucumbers. These were washed oft, when accident, led to the 

 •discovery that inside every one of the cucumbers was secreted a 

 white, corrugated, creeping thing, from half an inch to over an inch 

 in length, resembling in miniature a rattlesnake's rattles, and not a 

 very pretty object to look upon. It turns out that nearly, if not all 

 the cucumbers brought to this market this season are affected the 

 same way. These worms certainly do not look very good to eat, in 

 the unpickled form; but we are told that they are entirely harmless 

 in the natural state, and probably add to the pungency and crispness 

 of the gherkin when forming part of ihe chow-chow, and other 

 relishes which grace every well regulated square meal. Like the 

 mites in the cheese, which with some are supposed to testify to the 

 good quality and healthfulness of the article, we suppose worms in 

 the pickles may fairly be considered a question of taste ; but, if it is 

 not obtrusive, we will add that we do not believe they are to our taste 

 or digestion, and, if it is all the same to the cucumber merchants, we 

 would rather not take any in our'n. 



In Missouri, I have myself found this insect quite abundant in 

 various parts of St. Louis and Jefferson counties, and the cucumbers 

 seem to have fared worse than the melons. That it was not confined 

 to these two counties, is also proved by the following communication 

 which appeared in the Journal of Agriculture, of September 10, 

 1869 : 



Pleasant Hill, Mo., September 2, 1869. — Last winter, seeing 

 many glowing accounts of the "Alton Large Nutmeg Melon," I sent 

 to Mr. Barler and procured some, paying thirty cents an ounce for 

 them; planted and worked well ; during; August, had some melons. 

 The first few tasted right well, but soon my "Green Citron" cantelope 

 ripening, the difference in the taste of the two was found to be so 

 great that we could not eat the Alton Nutmeg. Furthermore, the 

 lat ler had worms in them — the larvas of some insect— eating into 

 nearly every one. TheGteen Citron was rarely attacked by them. I 

 have raised this variety of Green Citron for several years, and would 

 not give one of ihe melons for a dozen Alton Nutmegs. It is sweet, 

 juicy and very rich in taste. When a boy, I can remember a cante- 

 lope that was raised by my father, called "Persian." I think the 

 Green Citron probably derived from it. 



Yours, G C. Bkoadhead. 



In Illinois, it was very destructive around Alton, during the 

 month of August; for, on July 19th, I received specimens from G. W. 

 Copley, of that place, and lound (Sept. 2, 1869), on visiting Mr. O. L. 

 Barler's large melon fields, that fully three-fourths of his melons had 

 been injured by it. Since then, several other Alton men have as- 

 sured me that it was equally destructive with them. It also occurred 

 around Springfield, for Mr. P. M. Springer sent to me, the last of Octo- 

 ber, a specimen of the moth which he had bred from a cucumber- 

 boring worm; while Mr. Walsh also found it abundant at Pock Is- 

 land, in the northern part of that State. 



In Michigan, as 1 learned from Mr. W. B. Ransom, of St. Joseph, 



