New Yorx AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 253 
and cucumbers over this whole region, whether planted in small 
gardens or in large fields. 
The earliest record we have of the injuries of this pest was 
published in 1843 by William Gaylord.” 
As early as 1864, Dr. Fitch’ tells us that he has had to use 
some means for protecting his cucumber vines from the “ cucum- 
ber bug” for more than twenty years. In 1852, Dr. Harris* de- 
scribes the work of the “ 
edies and stating that a Mr. Levi Bartlett of Warner, N. H., 
has presented a method of making frames to be covered with 
striped bug,” giving a long list of rem- 
millinet for placing over the vines 
INJURY. 
Usually farmers complain only of the work of the striped beetle 
on cucumber, melon, and squash vines at the time the vines are 
coming out of the ground. Probably the harm done at this time 
causes the largest amount of loss, but nearly as much damage is 
produced later by the beetles gnawing the stems of the vines and 
by their feeding on the flowers; the former weakening the vines 
and the latter preventing the setting of fruit. Some damage is 
caused bythe larvee, or grubs, feeding on and within the stems of the 
vines, but probably no more harm is done to the vine itself by the 
larvee, than is done to the fruit, especially of the muskmelon and 
squash. The larvee feed upon the rind of the fruits, mining into 
them, making them rough and warty and producing conditions 
which afford an excellent foothold for various rots and bacterial 
diseases. The amount of real wilting of vines, due to the work of 
the larve alone, is slight, but the mining of the stems at or near 
the roots weakens the vines and aids the work of diseases. 
At the time of the appearance of the new brood of beetles, 
there is little chance for them to injure the old, tough vines, but 
2 Trans. N. Y. State Agr. Soc., 1843: 127-174, 
3 Tenth Report on the Noxious and Other Insects of the State of New York. 
4 Insects Injurious to Vegetation: 124-126. (Flint’s ed., 1852.) 
