28 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO GARDEN AND ORCHARD CROPS. 



the destruction or control of the common squash bug. Among these 

 are: Protection of young plants with coverings; repellents, such as 

 land plaster or gypsum saturated with kerosene or turpentine; plant- 

 ing an excess of seed to distribute attack; stimulating the growth of 

 the plants by manure or other fertilizers, and, lastly, clean cultural 

 practice. 



If the precaution be observed of gathering the vines as soon as the 

 crop is harvested and burning them, many bugs in their different 

 stages will be destroyed and the crop of insects reduced for the 

 ensuing year. 



Of other methods in general use against this species are hand-pick- 

 ing early in the season and the trapping of the bugs by means of 

 boards, pieces of bark, or similar material, placed about on the ground 

 in the garden. 



Protection to cucurbits other than squash and perhaps pumpkin 

 can be secured, as was demonstrated during the past two years in the 

 writer's experience, by growing these plants with the others to serve 

 as trap crops. Attack will thus be centered upon a few plants, where 

 the insects can be more readily controlled by the measures already 

 mentioned. As corroborative of the above statement, it may be men- 

 tioned that Mr. E. L. Horton, jr., East Steamburg, Schuyler County, 

 N. T., wrote May 24, 1898, that this species would not touch cucum- 

 bers if there were any squashes in the neighborhood. In our corre- 

 spondent's experience this species showed a preference for squashes 

 over pumpkins, and of pumpkins over cucumbers and melons. 



THE HORNED SQUASH BUG. 



(Anasa armigera Say.) 

 RECENT OCCURRENCE. 



July 12 and 13, 1897, Anasa armigera Say was observed by the writer 

 near Colonial Beach, Westmoreland County, Va., on cucumbers. A 

 lookout was kept for the species from that time, with the result of its 

 being taken by the writer and Mr. E. C. Pratt, who assisted in field 

 work, on August 2 at Poolesville, Md., on squash; August 10 at Seat 

 Pleasant, Md., on cantaloupe; and later at Ballston, Va., on cucumber. 

 August 25 it was found on cucumbers also, on the Conduit road, Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, and a few days later it was taken in all stages at 

 Tennallytown, D. C, at which place it occurred in great numbers, doing 

 perceptible damage to a late crop of cucumbers. On the 29th of Sep- 

 Tember this insect was again observed at the latter place on water- 

 melon in all stages, from egg to adult, hundreds being found on a single 

 vine. All of the other cucurbits on this and neighboring farms had 

 been harvested and the vines pulled up, which fact will, in a measure, 

 account for the numbers of the insect at this time. In every instance 

 where observed these bugs were associated with Diabrotica vittata and 



