236 THE HOME ACRE. 



run a gantlet of insects, and a little striped bug 

 is usually their most deadly enemy. These bugs 

 often appear to come suddenly in swarms, and 

 devour everything before you are aware of their 

 presence. With great vigilance they may be kept 

 off by hand, for their stay is brief. I would advise 

 one trial of a solution of white hellebore, a table- 

 spoonful to a pail of water. Paris green in solu- 

 tion, of course kills them ; but unless it is very 

 weak, it will kill or stunt the plants also. My musk 

 and watermelons were watered by too strong a 

 solution of Paris green this year, and they never 

 recovered from it. Perhaps the best preventive is 

 to plant so much seed, and to plant over so often, 

 that although the insects do their worst, plenty of 

 good plants survive. This has usually been my 

 method. When the striped bug disappears, and the 

 plants are four or five inches high, I thin out to four 

 plants in the hill. When they come into bearing, 

 pick off all the fruit fit for use, whether you want it 

 or not. If many are allowed to become yellow and 

 go to seed, the growth and productiveness of the 

 vines are checked. The Early White Spine and 

 Extra Long White Spine are all the varieties needed 

 for the table. For pickling purposes plant the 

 Green Prolific on moist, rich land. The other varie- 

 ties answer quite as well, if picked before they are 

 too large. 



