CUCUMBERS 235 



In the vicinity of Charleston, South Carolina, the planting of 

 cucumbers in the open can begin between March 20 and April I . 

 It is seldom that hard frost sufficient to destroy the cucumbers will 

 occur after the first of April, particularly in the Sea Islands, adja- 

 cent to the coast. The mainland plantings must be deferred until 

 somewhat later. 



A plan which has been resorted to in some instances with good 

 success is to sow rye in the fall on the area to be devoted to cucum- 

 bers, and in the spring after the cucumbers have been brought for- 

 ward in a cold frame as described above, turn back-furrows through 

 the rye to prepare a suitable place for planting the cucumbers. The 

 cucumber plants are then transferred to the ridges in the rye field, 

 the rye acting as a windbreak and protection to the young plants 

 to the extent that they can be safely set in the ground considerably 

 earlier than would otherwise be possible. 



Insect enemies. The cucumber grower is annoyed by the so- 

 called striped cucumber beetle more than by any other insect. 

 It frequently happens that unless radical preventive measures 

 are taken the first plants in small plantations are entirely de- 

 stroyed by this pest. Because of its aggressiveness and persis- 

 tency this beetle is a formidable enemy to combat. Where cucum- 

 bers are grown on an extensive scale and an abundance of seed is 

 used, it seldom happens that the beetles are sufficient in number 

 to destroy entirely the stand of plants. In the South no preven- 

 tive measures are resorted to except those of using large quantities 

 of seed and delaying the thinning of the plants until the season 

 of greatest damage by these insects is past. After the plants 

 become well established and possess several true leaves, there is 

 less danger of their being destroyed than during the early stage 

 of their growth. 



There is no specific remedy for the striped cucumber beetle. 

 Direct applications of poison, such as Paris green or other arsenical 

 compounds, will destroy the beetles when they occur in moderate 

 numbers. Arsenicals are used alone or mixed with finely sifted 

 plaster in the proportion of I to 75 by weight and are dusted over 

 the young plants. Pyrethrum applied with a powder bellows is too 

 expensive for general use, but is valuable in small gardens. It 

 should be applied early in the morning before the dew is gone. 



