44 



li^JUEIOUS Il^SECTS 



two weeks, at the end of whicli time the skin is again 

 moulted, and the perfect beetle form assumed. All 

 the parts of this newly-developed beetle are at first soft, 

 but after remaining motionless in its cell until these soft 

 parts have acquired solidity and strength, it breaks 

 through the walls of its prison and works itself up to the 

 light of day. There are from two to three generations 

 each year, the number varying according to the latitude, 

 or the length of the winter. 



Of all the multifarious remedies proposed against the 

 attacks of this insect, there is none so effectual or so 

 cheap in the end, as inclosing the young vines in boxes, 

 which are oj)ened at the bottom, and covered with milli- 

 net on the top. Such boxes are made at a trivial cost, 

 and if j^i'operly stored away each season after use, will 

 last for many years. Whenever other remedies must 

 from necessity be resorted to, there is nothing better than 

 sprinkling the vines, early in the morning, with Paris 

 G-reen and Flour (one part of the Green to four or five of 

 flour), or with White Hellebore. It of course follows, 

 that if the beetles are effectually kept off, there will 

 afterwards be no worms at the roots. 



Much complaint has been made in various parts of the 

 country, of the sudden death of cucumber and other cu- 

 curbitaceous vines, from some unknown cause, and Henry 

 Ward Beecher seems to have suffered in this manner, 

 like the rest of us, but could find no worms in the roots 

 of his vines. I know from experience that such vines 

 are subject to a species of rot in the root, a rot not caused 

 by insects, and for that reason the more serious, since we 

 cannot tell how to prevent it. I have seen whole melon 

 patches destroyed by this rotting of the roots, but in the 

 great majority of instances where I have examined vines 

 that had died from ^^some unknown cause," I have had 

 no difiiculty in either finding the worms of the " Striped 

 Bug" yet at work on the roots, else the unmistakable 



