THE EGG-PLANT. 175 



remedy, but the farmer, who fails to protect his crop by 

 destroying the first insects by poison, in case of their 

 visitation in devastating numbers, and to whom the 

 alternative is offered, would probably give up the cucum- 

 ber to Diabrotica, and betake himself to another crop, 

 rather than use from forty thousand to eighty thousand 

 boxes for the protection of from six to twelve acres. 

 The third of the beetles infesting the cucumber, the 



Fig. 43. GRASS-WORM 

 (Laphrygma frugiptrda.) Fig. 44. LARVA OF GRASS-WORI 



twelve-spotted Diabrotica is not so destructive as the 

 former species. 



The cucumber is the regular food plant of the Pickle- 

 worm (Phacellura nitidalis) while the more omnivorous 

 Grass-worm (Laphrygma frugiperda) only occasionally 

 feeds upon it. Both these lepidopterous insects become 

 numerous too late in the season to affect the crop of the 

 truck-farmer seriously. 



CHAPTEE XVIII. 



THE EGG-PLANT, OR "GUINEA CQUASH." 

 (Solatium melongena.) 



Aubergine, French ; Merpflanze, German ; and Melanzana, Italian. 



The Egg-plant is of tropical origin, and was introduced 

 into England from Africa in 1597. It derives its common 

 name from a small white variety which is similar in shape 

 and appearance to the egg of a goose. 



