292 



The Cucurbits 



way as the striped cucumber beetle. Control: Same as for 

 the striped cucumber beetle (page 285). 



Melon wobm (Diaphania hyalinata). — The adult is a moth 

 with pearly white wings, marked with a shining iridescent 

 brown band along the front and outer margins. The eggs are 

 laid on the young buds, leaves and stems of the vines. When 

 full grown the caterpillar is about 1 in. long and mottled green- 

 ish yellow. When partly grown it is yellowish or greenish 

 with two white stripes on the back. The first brood of cater- 

 pillars feeds mostly on the foliage and does not cause much 

 injury to the fruit. The larvse of the later generations feed 

 at first on the buds or foliage and then attack the fruit, feed- 

 ing on the surface and burrowing through the rind, causing 

 decay. Control: Plant summer squashes ahead of the main 

 crop to serve as a trap. Spray with arsenate of lead (paste), 

 3 lbs. in 50 gals, water or bordeaux mixture. As soon as the 

 crop is harvested, vines and waste fruits should be gathered 

 up and destroyed. 



The melon (or muskmelon) is a prevailing inhabitant of 

 the vegetable-garden and is much grown by market-gar- 

 deners. It has a shorter season than most forms of water- 

 melon, and lends itself to a wide 

 variety of soils and conditions at 

 the same time that it is rather ex^ 

 acting if the greatest success is to be 

 attained. The commercial product 

 is grown mostly in special and lim- 

 ited localities, and yet a given lo- 

 cality may not long hold its leader- 

 ship, he melon is now a popular breakfast food, in its 

 season taking the place of grapefruit. It forces well, and 

 for this purpose some of the special English forcing varie- 

 ties are most useful. 



170. Melon seeds (Xabout2). 



