70S 



THE FARMERS HANDBOOK. 



All the foliage-eating beetles are difficult pests to cope with, both on field 

 crops and orchard trees, as they are much more difficult to kill with arsenical 

 sprays than caterpillars, and would, even if the poison acted in a reasonable 

 time, do most of the damage before they died. A contact poison has no 

 effect upon them, as they are well protected with their hard chitinous cover- 

 ing. Trapping them seems to be the only practical way of destroying them. 



For other insect pests, such as Rutherglen Bug (page 491), see Leaf- 

 eating Ladybird (page 718), Cutworms (page 437). 



PUMPKINS, SQUASHES, MARROWS, GRAMMAS. 



For market and for domestic purposes, and as cheap, nutritious, and long- 

 keeping fodder for stock of all kinds, many of the varieties coming within 

 this group have proved to be worthy of attention. There is some confusion 

 as to the correct designation respectively of each distinct section of this 

 family, but for all practical purposes the following classification will 

 suffice : — 



Pumpkins. — There are two distinct types of pumpkins — Table, medium 

 size, generally flat, with thick flesh, fine-grained. The seed cavity is small in 

 proportion to the size of the pumpkin. Cattle, large size, somewhat spheri- 

 cal in shape, flesh coarse and sometimes with woody lumps. The seed cavity 

 is large in proportion to the size of the pumpkin. 



A Crop of Cattle Pumpkins at Grafton Experiment Farm. 



Of the table pumpkins there are five well-known types — Ironbark, Crown, 

 Triangle, Button, and Turk's Cap. Most of the cattle varieties are red in 

 colour, and of very large size. Some of the varieties are better adapted to 

 hot districts than others, but generally speaking the Ironbark and Crown 

 varieties can scarcely be excelled in any district for productiveness, for value 

 for both table and stock purposes, and for keeping qualities. Owing to the 

 ease with which cross-fertilisation takes place, it is not wise to grow the 



