164 Home Vegetable Gardening 



bed — at least the fall before planting, unless using a 

 special agricultural lime. The crop infested is some- 

 times carried through by giving a special dressing 

 of nitrate of soda, guano or other quick-acting pow- 

 erful fertilizer, and hilled high with moist earth, thus 

 giving a special stimulation and encouraging the 

 formation of new roots. While this does not in any 

 way cure the disease, it helps the crop to withstand 

 its attack. When planting again be sure to use crop 

 rotation and to set plants not grown in infested soil. 

 Cucumber-beetle: — This is the small, black-and- 

 yellow-striped beetle which attacks cucumbers and 

 other vines and, as it multiplies rapidly and does a 

 great deal of damage before the results show, they 

 must be attended to immediately upon appearance. 

 The vine should be protected with screens until they 

 crowd the frames, which should be put in place be- 

 fore the beetles put in an appearance. If the beetles 

 are still in evidence when the vines get so large that 

 the screens must be removed, keep sprayed with Bor- 

 deaux mixture. Plaster, or fine ashes, sifted on the 

 vines will also keep them off to some extent, by keep- 

 ing the leaves covered. 



Cucumber-zvilt: — This condition accompanies the 

 presence of the striped beetle, although supposed not 

 to be directly caused by it. The only remedy is to 

 get rid of the beetles as above, and to collect and 

 burn every wilted leaf or plant. 



