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JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 13 
of the strengths used. A soda-sulphur compound, made up like 
lime-sulphur, was tested, but seemed unpromising. 
In 1917 a small plot of squashes, severely infested with bugs, was 
sprayed July 18 and again August 2. Fish-oil soap, 0.2 pounds per 
gallon, without sulphur, was used. The infestation was checked, the 
plants recovered and bore a good crop; however, the bugs reached 
injurious numbers again in September. In 1918, one-sixth acre of 
squash and pumpkins was sprayed during the last week in July, using 
soap, 0.25 pounds per gallon, and sulphur, 2 ounces per gallon. The 
infestation was moderately severe and was causing some injury. The 
spraying was a complete success, no second application being neces¬ 
sary, and bugs were very scarce the rest of the season. 
Spraying. —We would recommend fish-oil soap, 0.25 pounds per 
gallon, with sulphur, as an efficient spray. The soap is hard to obtain 
in many places, but may usually be ordered from distributing centers. 
A good hand sprayer, with extension rod and angle nozzle, has given 
good results. A larger sprayer might be arranged for this work, but 
a man must handle each spray rod, as little could be done with fixed 
nozzles. Care must be taken to keep the sulphur suspended. Spray¬ 
ing should be postponed until nymphs are numerous and severe 
injury seems threatened. If it can be avoided altogether, and a good 
yield secured, so much the better. If the grower sprays in early or 
mid-summer, the bugs are almost sure to assume injurious numbers 
again before fall. In Southern Kansas, if spraying can be postponed 
until July 25 or later, injury will usually be eliminated for the rest of 
the season. Some adults and all eggs will escape the spray. Adults 
and eggs are scarcest late in July, when many over-wintered adults 
have died, and few of the first generation have matured. A coarse 
driving spray should be used, spraying first under the leaves, then on 
the larger stems. Wherever groups of bugs are found they should be 
thoroughly drenched, lifting stems and fruits if necessary, and directing 
the spray against bugs on the ground as they leave the plants. The 
bugs surviving will scatter, and re-assemble in a few days. If these are 
numerous, and if many eggs were present, a second spray ten days 
later may be desirable. This will take less time and material than the 
first, as the groups of bugs will be much fewer. The expense of such 
spraying is considerable. In experiments it has required one man 
about thirty hours to spray an acre, and the thorough application 
necessary will require 300 to 400 gallons per acre. Under 1918 condi¬ 
tions, the cost of spraying an acre was about $25; under 1914 conditions 
it would be about $15. It should be kept in mind that a patch of 
squashes or pumpkins grown intensively usually occupies only a frac¬ 
tion of an acre. 
