Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1898-09-15
AN ENEMY TO
CANTALOUPEs.
supt. Griffin, of the Expert
ment Station, Writes of
q New Danger.

a New Danger.
To tho Editor OF the Enterprise:
There has appeared this season,
in some places, an insect affecting
the cantaloupe which it behooves
the growers to combat at once in
the most effective way.
1 have reference to the melon
louse. AS yet its presence has
caused no nppreciable loss, but it
is an insect that reproduces with
extreme rapidity, hence the neces-
sity for giving it early and vigor-
ous attention.
By giving some information of
its life history and best known
remedies for its destruction l hope
to aid our growers in combating
it. Probably in june. winged
forms first appear in our fields
that soon produce living young in
countless numbers. They con-
tinue to increase in numbers until
well into the fall, The injury is
done by the insect piercing the
tissues Of the plant and sucking
its juice. When gorged they ex-
crete "honey dew" and a fungous
growth that appears upon this dew
is what causes the blackening of
the plant and even the ground be-
meath it.
This insect is not particular up
on what it feeds. Mr.. Pergande,
of the U. s. Dept. of agriculture,
who has probably given it more
study than any one else, has re-
corded it feeding upon 30 plants
other than those belonging to the
melon family. The list not only
includes many of our common
weeds, field and garden crops,
but embraces some orchard and
fruit trees. AS late as October he
has observed it upon purslane,
dock, pigweed, plantain, morning
glory, red clover, strawberry and
many others. Owing to its wide
range of food plants It is thought
probable the insect can live upon
almost any plant.
Authorities are of the opinion
that it is carried over the winter
lin the egg state upon variety of
plants and the same viviporous
forms also survive in the same way.
Besides the winged forms which
limigrate, the wingless forms are
distributed by winds and ants.
Ants are very fond Of the honey
the aphides secrete end protect
and harbor them for the purpose
Of securing it.
REMEDIAL MEASURES.
! The cantaloupe grower should
keep a strict watch when hoeine
and at its first appearance combat
it. One killed then is equal te
thousands later, SO rapid is tLeil
reproduction.
Its ravages in any community
should be checked by the united
action of all concerned.
But little ben.st can be accom-
plished by the individual farmer
if those surrounding him are cu1re-
less in this important matter.
This work should begin in the
fall, us soon rs the melons have
been gathered, by thoroughly
blowing under a.! vines, weeds etc.
Probably no other means Of COM
batting plant lice is SO successful
as clean culture. This method
commends itself to us not only for
the special object under consider
alton, but for the health Of the
community at large. Such mass
of decaying vegetation can not be
otherwise than detrimental to the
health of the community.
The fertility thus added to the
soil is a matter of no small impor-
tance not to mention the benefit
accruing to the soil from fall plow-
ing, which enables the winter ele-
ments to disintegrnte it.
BY this general cleaning upI
myriads of food plants, upon which
the insects deposit their eggs and
spend the winter. will be destroy
ed, to say nothing of the large
number of lice killed.
In the spring n careful watch
should be Kept and the first affect !