INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CUCUMBER, MELON, ETC. 1 59 



on the beans and, having an abundance of food, do not attack 

 the young cucurbits. 



Driving, etc. — In some sections "driving" is practiced. Air- 

 slaked lime is dusted over the plants with the wind and the 

 beetles fly before it to the next patch where similar methods 

 have to be employed. Another remedy is to dust the majority 

 of plants with sifted ashes, road dust or plaster, and cover 

 those which are undusted with an arsenical, in the proportion of 

 one-fourth of a pound to about 40 gallons of water. The 

 beetles are thus driven to concentrate on the clean plants, where 

 they are killed by the poison. 



Refuse tobacco dust sprinkled on the hills when the soil is 

 moist acts as a repellent and as a fertilizer and mulch for the 

 plant. Applications must be renewed when rainfall necessitates. 



Pyrethrum and other insecticides dusted on the plants are 

 useful, but expensive. Paris green and other arsenicals applied 

 dry as for potato beetles are valuable, but all poisons must be 

 renewed frequently and are not generally to be relied upon 

 when the beetles are exceedingly numerous. In case Bordeaux 

 mixture is used as a protection against fungous diseases, Paris 

 green should be added, as it necessitates little additional trouble 

 and the mixture will prove more effective than either when 

 used alone. 



Stimulating growth. — A considerable degree of exemption 

 from injury accrues from the stimulation of a crop by heavy 

 manuring, or the use of mineral fertilizers and frequent 

 cultivation. 



The Twelve-spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica 12-punctata 

 01.). — This beetle will be considered at length in the dis- 

 cussion of insects affecting sweet corn. In exceptional sea- 

 sons it does nearly as much injury locally to cucurbits as the 

 striped cucumber beetle, with which it is nearly always asso- 

 ciated. At such times, the same remedies should be employed. 



