CUCUMBER CURRANT 83 



the beetles appear about them, dust about half the plants 

 with green arsenite, reserving the other half for use if rain 

 or heavy dew makes the poison soluble and kills the vines 

 first treated. The beetles, attracted by their favorite tid- 

 bit, will feed upon the squash vines and be poisoned by the 

 arsenite. When the Cucumbers or melons are up, unless 

 they are protected by covers, spray with Bordeaux, and poi- 

 son more of the squash vines. When the beetles commence 

 to pair, the squashes may be cultivated up, leaving only a 

 few vines for the beetles to feed upon at flowering time, as 

 the insects prefer the squash flowers and will not molest the 

 others. Beans may be used with some success as a fall 

 catch crop, where wild flowers are not too plentiful. They 

 should be planted on the Cucumber or melon fields; and 

 when the beetles leave the old vines to feed upon the fresh 

 bean plants, they should be treated to liberal doses of poi- 

 son as well." 



The mildew on the vines can be prevented by Bordeaux 

 mixture spray. 



Currants. The Currant, being one of the 

 hardiest and most productive of fruits, is often neglected, 

 the patch allowed to become foul with grass, never 

 thinned or trimmed, the worms eating the leaves until, in 

 the course of time, the plants weaken and die. 

 Along the fence is no place to plant Currants, or, 

 indeed, any other fruit ; plant out in the open, at 

 least 5 feet from anything that will interfere with 

 cultivation. No fruit crop will respond more read- 

 ily to good care than the Currant. Clean cultiva- 

 tion and a liberal use of manure or fertilizers 

 will certainly be followed by -well paying crops. 

 One- or two -year- old plants may be set 4 by 6 

 feet. Trim the bush by cutting off most of the suckers 

 below the surface of the ground. If the season is dry, a 

 mulch of straw or leaves will assist the plants to establish 

 themselves. 



