50 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO GARDEN AXD ORCHARD CROPS. 



Mr. Ernest Walker, of Cleruson College, S. C, writing May 18, also 

 states that good success in the treatment of this species accrued from 

 the use of Paris green, particularly when applied dry. diluted with flour. 



Tobacco. — Both Mr. Andrus and Mr. TT. S. Stauffer contribute their 

 testimony to the value of tobacco as a means of keeping this insect in 

 subjection. The former states that when there is an abundant supply 

 of tobacco waste (stems), a liberal plowing under of 1 or 2 tons to the 

 acre is effective. Mr. Stauffer writes that during the year 1898 many 

 of his neighbors were bothered with this insect, but that he had experi- 

 enced no trouble, which immunity he attributes to the use of tobacco. 

 In preparing soil he used tobacco ribs in lieu of manure, and as soon 

 as the plants appeared above ground they were treated with tobacco 

 dust, the application being repeated at intervals of a week. Plants 

 not having the same treatment were destroyed. The ribs in the ground 

 about the roots appeared to be more effective than the application of 

 dust to the plant itself. 



Kerosene emulsion. — Prof. "VT. B. Alwood. Blacksburg. Ya., in a letter 

 dated May 18, states that he uses kerosene emulsion very successfully 

 against this species, it being simply necessary to watch the plant and 

 observe when the rirst beetles appear and spray the hills early in the 

 morning while the beetles are stupid and lie hidden under clods and 

 around the stems in the hill, and that if this is repeated several times 

 it enables the grower to defeat the pest. The emulsion is diluted ten 

 times, and applied so as to thoroughly drench the soil. 



Mr. A. W. Butler, Brookville. Ind., writing May 12, also states that 

 ''kerosene emulsion, prepared with sour milk or buttermilk, and applied 

 with a whisk broom two or three times, usually gives relief" from this 

 beetle. 



"Slug shot." — Mr. George Mudgett, Johnstown. Pa., writing under 

 date of July 27. states that he has success in repelling this species from 

 young squash plants by the use of Hammond's slug shot. Mr. Henry 

 Holzapfel, jr.. a florist of Hagerstown. Md., is also authority for the 

 statement that this species can be overcome by the use of slug shot. 



Pyreihrum. — Mr. C. P. Gillette, in a recently published bulletin (Bui. 

 17. Col. St. Ag. Expt. Sta., p. 10), states that he has killed this species 

 very successfully by dusting upon them pyrethrum from a cheese-cloth 

 sack. To be successful, however, the treatment must be made early in 

 the morning before sunrise. 



Trap crops. — Mr. J. H. Hevey. in a letter dated November 5. informed 

 us that late squashes on his place at Ingornar, Miss., were entirely free 

 from this beetle, a condition which he attributed to gourd vines planted 

 in the vicinity. 



In the writer's experience this species prefers cucumbers to other 

 plants, and it seems probable that the other cucurbits could be pro- 

 tected by planting, as practiced by Mr. Hevey. cucumbers or gourds as 

 a trap crop, using insecticides freely on the latter. If this should not 

 suffice, immunity from attack should result if the main crop were dusted 

 with sifted ashes, road dust, or plaster, as already advised in the cir- 

 cular on this species. 



