SQUASH 197 



However, it is possible to grow the vines in spite 

 of the vine-borer, if care is taken. 



If this enemy is numerous in your locality, pre- 

 pare for him before you see him. Camphor, or black 

 pepper, sprinkled about the roots of the growing 

 plant while it is still small, will tend to drive him 

 away. Supplement this precaution by a good deal 

 of arsenate of lead, or Pyrox spray, with the hand 

 sprayer, when you are spraying cucumbers and other 

 plants. Put this spray all round the stem, close 

 down by the roots. It will kill the worm before he 

 has done much harm, if he tries to eat his way 

 through it. Later on, the flies developed from 

 these grubs evidently lay their eggs at spots along 

 the vines near the juncture of the leaf stems. 

 These eggs soon hatch, and the grubs work in from 

 these spots. Fortunately, however, if the vine is 

 well nourished, it will by this time be so large that 

 these late grubs cannot kill the plant. 



If, in spite of this care, the vine suddenly begins 

 to wilt, examine the stem, locate the hole, and slit 

 the vine just above it with a thin knife. In this 

 way, you can get the slug and kill him. If the vine 

 is not greatly wilted, cover the wounded stem with 

 earth, and it may recover. But if it is too feeble to 

 save, and yellow spots have appeared, pull it out 

 and burn it. Kill every slug you can. 



Beetles. — Besides the vine-borer, several kinds of 

 beetle attack squash vines ; but, as they work usually 



