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hiding places in which they have passed the winter and gather 

 about the plants. Not satisfied to wait for these to reach the sur- 

 face they often burrow into the ground to meet them and begin 

 feeding, while as soon as the leaves appear they gather upon them 

 and upon the stem which is often cut completely off by the insects. 

 Later, older plants are injured by the beetles, while the young are 

 at work at the roots. 



The eggs of the beetle appear to be placed on the stalks of the 

 plants just below the surface of the ground, and after a time each 

 hatches, producing a little slender worm-like form which feeds on 

 the cucumber roots and other parts of the plant which touch the 

 ground, till full-grown when it is a little more than a quarter of 

 an inch long. After attaining full size the grub changes in the 

 ground into a quiet pupa which does no feeding and which remains 

 in this condition from one to two weeks, according as the weather 

 is warm or cold. When this period ends, the outside shell of the 

 pupa bursts, setting free the adult beetle which proceeds to lay 

 eggs for a second brood. 



Just how many broods occur in Massachusetts is not known, but 

 there are at least two and possibly three each year. 



Treatment. 



No entirely successful method for holding this insect in check 

 has as yet been found. In several ways, however, their ravages 

 may be lessened at small expense. Where practicable, covering 

 the hills with netting before the plants appear is of value, as by 

 the time the plants are too large for the nets, they have attained a 

 size sufficient to enable them to withstand the injuries caused by 

 insects, better than those just starting. A convenient form of 

 netting cover is made by taking two pieces of board about six 

 inches wide and long enough to reach the plants of the hill. To 

 the middle of each board nail a pointed piece of lath in such a way 

 that when the lath is driven into the ground the board will stand 

 on edge and form one side of a box. Two such pieces may be 

 placed at any desired distance apart, and cheese cloth be tacked 

 on so as to form the top and the other two sides of the box. The 

 chief advantage of such boxes is that on putting them away at the 

 end of their usefulness, very little space is needed in which to 

 stow them. While in use the earth should be so packed against 

 the box as to leave no space for the beetles to crawl under and 

 thus reach the plants. 



Another treatment is to dust the plants while the dew is yet on 

 with a mixture of Paris green, one pound, and plaster or flour 

 seventy-five pounds, or else with air-slaked lime. 



