Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-07-27
rhs s,rlp.a cueumher ne,,,..
F. II. Hall OF the Geneva. N. Y. Ex.
pertinent Station saws:

against these beetles for only short
time in the spring. when they begin to
feed: and again. in the fall. against
beetles OF the new brood. This fall
poisoning will succeed only where
there is not an abundance OF Wild fall
flowers; for the beetles will desert any
poisoned crop for the imprisoned how-
ers and will feed upon the flowers to
considerable extent. any how. II they
are to be found. Many poisons were
tested upon the cucumber fields OF
Long Island. during 1897 and 1898. In
GLIDING Paris green. laurel green. green
arsenite (arsenite of copper and lead
arsenite. These We're applied dry. in
water, In Bordeaux mixture. and In
resin-lime mixture. alone: and In vari-
GUS combinations. Green arsenite.
dry. gave best results. II was found
q waste OF the poisons to apply them
In bordeaux mixture. as the mixture
so repelled the insects that they would
not eat the sprayed vines to secure the
poison. These poisons. applied In
water. are liable to burn or stunt the
plants. II Is necessary. then. II We
wish to poison the beetles. TO use
trap crop to attract the insects and to
apply the poison to this crop Instead
OF 20 the plants We ie.ign to protect
On small sreas Il may be advisable
to shut In the small plants OF the
growing crop by the weil-Snown eio'h-
topped boxes: by the tcn,-liSe cloth
covers spread over nrchei hoops or
wires: by boxes made from \ rcctanSu-
lar piece CT cloth and two short e-inch
boards with eieats attached to insert
In the soil and hold the boards up
right: or even G-inch wire plate
covers Covers. however. are too cx-
pcnsivc on large areas and they have
the disadvantage OF frequently max
In. the plants weak so that winds will
snap them on or twist and ruin them
when the covers have to be removed.
II covers arc used alone their removal
leaves the unprotected vines not only
for feeding places but for breeding
places for the beetles.
Bordeaux mixture. IL thoroushly and
frequently applied makes as ctliclen;
a protection aa the covers. Ii much
cheaper and at the same time protects
the plants from diseases. This mix
inrc a-,o-li formuia) should bo spray
cd upon I'll. cucumbcrs when they arc
Just we'll up. again when they show
the third leaf and the third time Just
before the plants commence to form
runners. Tho early application can
probably best be made with KNAPP
sack sprrycr and later ones by any
good pump spraycr. The three appli-
cations should no, cost 8. per acre.
The Bordeaux mixture is n much
better rcpcliant. accordln. TO station
tests. than kerosene. turpcntinc. to-
baeeo dust. cow-maIurc. burdoek in-
fusion. slug shot. bug death or an?
other known compound. Indeed. al,
materials OF this class. supposed &c
drive away the beetles by their dis
tasteful odor. proved failures when
used alone. Air slakcd lime. busted
over the vincs. will make them un-
pala'ablc to the beetles. but tho limo
Is liable TO stunt the plants. I, may
be used. with care. by those whose
crop Is not large enough to warran:
purchase Of spraying outfit.
All OF these appliances or appl,ca-
tions. covers. Bordeaux mixture or
lime. merely pro,ec, the young plants
until they are strong enough to stand
the injury from the beetles; they do
not kill the insects. To do this. trap
crops arc needed. As the squash is
the beetles :avo:ite food plant. this
vegetable should be plantcd-in single
rows along the margins OF small
patches. In several rows around large
helds-about four days before the Gu
cumbcrs or melon seeds are sown,
When these trap plants are up and the
beetles appear about them dus, abou;
half the plants with green arseni,e. re-
serving the other half for use II rain
or heavy dew makes the poison soluble
and Kills the vines first treated. The
beetles. attracted by their favorite It'd
bit Will feed upon the squash vines ana
be poisoned by the arseni,e. When
the cucumbers or melons are up. I'm.
less they are protected by covers. spray
with Bordeaux. and poison more of tn,
squash vines. When the beetles COM
mence to pair the squashes may be
cultivated up. leaving only few vines
for the beetles to feed upon at flower
Ing time. as the insects prefer the
squash flowers and will not molest the
others.
Beans may be used with some sue
cess as fall catch crop. where wild
flowers are not too plentiful. They
should be planted on che cucumber or
melon fields: and when the beetles
leave the old vines to feed upon the
fresh bean plants. they should be treat
ed to liberal doses Of poison as well.--
F. II. Hall of Geneva, N. Y. Experi-
ment Station.
Value OF the Experiment Station.