THE S(;iUASH BUG 25 



Good C2iltu7-e. — The squash plant requires a deep, loose 

 seed bed and a fertile soil. If these conditions are favorable, 

 the plant shows great vitality and thrift; in this case the 

 attacks of insect enemies are not so effective. On the other 

 hand, plants grown in a sterile, compact soil are very easily 

 subdued. Therefore, keep the seed bed in good condition by 

 cultivating and weeding it, and thus reduce the obstacles to 

 the development of the plant to a minimum. 



Clean culture. — It is generally acknowledged that a system 

 of clean culture on the farm discourages insect pests. The 

 burning of useless rubbish in fields and along fences late in 

 autumn reduces the winter shelter for insects, as well as 

 destroys such as are already present. The collection and 

 destruction of the squash vines after the crop is harvested will 

 tend to discourage the presence of the bugs b}'^ preventing the 

 maturing of some of the nymphs, and not attracting winged 

 adults from other fields. 



HAND PICKING 



The process of collecting the bugs by hand must, appar- 

 ently, be the main reliance of the gardener against this pest 

 for many years to come. The bugs may be collected from 

 the vines or from the ground beneath them, from boards used 

 as traps, or from squashes planted between the rows of the 

 regular crop as trap plants for the bugs. Collecting from 

 each of these may be briefly discussed under separate head- 

 ings : 



In Spring 



I. Fro?n the vi72es or the ground. — Tiie full-grown squash 

 bug is the only form present in spring, when hand picking is 

 most essential. It is large and conspicuous, and is readily 

 caught on the leaves of the young plants. Some of the bugs, 

 however, seek shelter in the earth around the base of the stem 

 where they are likely to make a destructive attack upon the 

 plant, and should be looked for. Others are likely to find 

 shelter under leaves lying on the ground, or under clods and 

 stones ; such places should be examined carefully. The bugs 

 may be readily driven from such hiding places by a three per 

 cent, spray of kerosene and water, such as is thrown by one 



