96 



THE FARM. 



body white, and the abdomen termmat^d ^'ith a feather-like tuft tipped with 

 white and black. In our accompanying illustration, the chrysalis, worm, 

 aad moth are shown. This worm belongs to the same genus as the pickle 

 worm (PhakeUura mUidaliK), the moth of the latter differing from that of 

 the former in having the ground-work of the wings a bronze-yellow, and 

 the black border a little broader. 



The melon worm is pro\'ing to be, in many parts of the country, a most 

 destructive enemy to melons, ciicumbers, pumpkins, and other cucurbita- 

 ceous plants. It goes to work in an exceedingly business-like way, making 



skeletons of the plant 

 leaves or excavating 

 numerous cavities in 

 the fruit where it ap- 

 pears. Sometimes it 

 forces ita way into the 

 melon until out of 

 sight, though more 

 frequently it makes a 

 shallow cavity an 

 eighth of an inch or 

 more in depth, and 

 in tliis pursues its 

 work. 



Efficient remedies 

 for this pest are still 

 wanting. Paris 

 green and London 

 purple would proba- 

 bly prove effective, 

 but it is not safe to 

 use these on account 

 of their liability to 

 poison those who eat 

 the fruit. Pyreth- 

 i-wni, or Persian In- 

 sect Powder, might 

 prove as effective in 

 ridding the plants of 

 the worms, and it has 

 the advantage of be- 

 ing entirely harmless 

 k) human beings. Whatever poison is used, it should be applied to both 

 foUago and fruit, inasmuch as the destruction of the former will prevent the 

 latter from coming to maturity. Early planting, so that the fruit may bo 

 picked early, or before the destructive brood appears, is a preventive, and if 

 the worms be destroyed on their first appearance on the fohago before the 

 fruit begins to form, there will be much less danger to the fruit crop. 



Insects on Garrten Vegetables. — The most common of these are the 

 caterpillars of medium-sized butterflies, the wings of which are white, vdi\\ 

 a few black spots; there are three distinct species, but all are similar iu 

 their habits. Wherever these butterflies arc seen flitting about over the 

 cabbage and cauliflower plants, trouble from " worm* " may soon be ex- 



THE MELON WOEM. 



