The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-04-14

lio The curcuiio beetle lays its eggs
in the young fruit shortly after it sets.
In doing so it leaves a half moon
shaped scar, which is its trademark.
One of the surest ways of getting rid
of this insect is to jar the beetles
from the tree at this time.
Spraying is also an effective remedy.
The bordeauX-paris green mixture
may be used, but arsenate of lead is
better, since it is less liable to injure
the leaves. 1t is applied at the rate OF
three pounds to fifty gallons of water
The spray should be applied just be
fore the blossoms open. just after they
fall and again about fifteen days later
Poisonous sprays should never be ap-
piled to fruit trees while they are il
blossom. It is not necessary in 0rCCl
to destroy the insects and will kill
many of the honeybees. upon which
the blossoms are so dependent for pol
lination.
The insects that have been men
toned so far live by eating the leaves
and fruit and in doing SO take up
enough of the poison to put an end to
their destructive work. There is an
other class of insects, however. for
which such remedies are not effective.
These are the sucking insects. of
which plant lice are the most common
examples Insects of this kind feed
by drilling through the outer layer of
fh, Loo hov. RI nd fln MI r
juices. They thus escape damage
from any poison which may be on the
surface.
To get rid Of sucking insects some
substance which will kill by coming in
contact with them must be used.
There is nothing better for this pur-
pose than kerosene emulsion. This is
made by dissolving half pound of
soap in gallon of boiling rainwater.
This mixture is then taken from the
stove and two gallons of kerosene add
ed. The compound should be churned
violently for few moments by pump
ing it up with the spray pump and
back into the pail. This causes the
oil to mix thoroughly with the water
Before using. this original mixture is
diluted with six to ten parts of wa
ter.
A common insect affecting garden
crops and one that is hard to handle
is the striped cucumber beetle This
is serious enemy of cucumbers.
squashes, melons and other plants of
like nature. Spraying does little good
and is liable to injure the tender plants
as well. Where but a few hills are
raised. covering them for the first
two weeks with small box with mos
quito bar stretched across the top is a
good preventive measure Another eff
fective plan is to go over the patch
in the morning while the dew is on
and the beetles cannot fly. knock them
to the ground by giving the plant a
slight blow and put drop Of kerosene
on each one
Where any Of these crops are raised
on "a large scale the most effective
remedy is the use Of strap plants. ("
Plant the field to squashes week or
ten days before time to plant the main
crop. The beetles are especially fond
OF squash plants and will gather on
them In large numbers as soon as they
come up. Just about the time the 9th
er plants begin to peep through the
ground the squashes can be sprayed
with very strong kerosene emulsion
This will destroy both the SQUASH
plants and the beetles There will
usually not be enough of the latter left
In the neighborhood to do much dam
age.