162 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



remedies are useful which render the plant distasteful, as the 

 pests cannot be killed by the usual spraying practices. 



The striped cucumber beetle is the familiar small yellow striped 

 beetle which appears about the time the tender cucumber, squash, 

 or melon leaves push through the ground. The beetles feed 

 voraciously on the young cotyledons, which if left unprotected 

 will be entirely destroyed. After satisfying their hunger, the 

 adults deposit their light yellow eggs in the ground. The larvae 

 hatch in about one week and work down the stem or under the 

 vines, burrowing into the tissue, sometimes completely riddling 

 the stem just below the ground. When mature the grubs enter 

 the soil and in late summer the beetles emerge to feed on wild 

 plants until cold weather begins. As a means of control, Bordeaux 

 mixture is a good repellent. Garden plots can be protected with 

 cheesecloth. Arsenical poisons are not effective. 



Cucurbits and melons are subject to several diseases which 

 may be limiting factors in the production of the crop. Of these 

 diseases the bacterial wilt, anthracnose, and mosaic are the most 

 important. 



Bacterial wilt is a disease caused by bacteria which are spread 

 by the striped cucumber beetles. The young plants droop and 

 die within a few days after being attacked. Spraying the plants 

 with lead arsenate powder, one half pound or one pound of the 

 paste form to ten gallons of water, will protect the plants from 

 the beetles and thus indirectly prevent the disease. 



Anthracnose attacks leaves, stems, and fruits and is often seen 

 on the fruits when they reach the market. A definite sunken 

 spot is produced which enlarges slowly until the rind is penetrated 

 when a soft rot sets in and the entire fruit decays. The disease 

 may be carried on the seed and therefore disinfecting the seed for 

 five minutes in formaldehyde (1 teaspoonful to 1 pint water) is ad- 

 visable. Spraying the plants with 4-4-50 Bordeaux is necessary 

 to control the disease in the field. Rotation should be practiced. 



