Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-02-12

Few nils, as soon as ne QlSCOVerS LllS
first trace of their work, he can care
fully cut them out of the stalk, by slit
ting it, 1engthwise, over their bores.
If the part cut is Immediately covered
with moist earth, the vine will usually
live and seldom seem to suffer injury
from the operation Sometimes plants
can be saved by burying them up to
the third or fourth joint. This induces
strengthens growth. But the only
sssartin- sure way is to catch and kill
the moths. In the day time this is out
of the question. They're too lively. But
early in the morning and after sunset
they are very sluggish and can be
caught as easily as if they had no
wings. Their favorite roosting place
is on the leaves of the squashes, in
plain sight. OF course, this bug hunt
ing has to be kept up, and it's ques-
ton whether, if one has any large
number of hills, it would be worth
while. The only other plan of preven-
ton I ever heard OF is to delay plant
ing just as late as possible without en-
dangering the crop. AS the borers seem
to be little fonder OF winter squashes
than any other kind, this Is out of the
question unless you have a very long
season. In my latitude the summer
isn't quite long enough, no matter now
early I plant. l have heard of Dig
truckers giving up all attempts at rails
ing SQuasheS, because of their inability
proftably to fight this very pest
MIR. James }. n. Gregory, who in an
authority on all squash matters, BayS
he has sometimes killed the grubs,when
their presence was detected early
enough, by thI-usting a wire into the
holes where they entered, and which
may usually be detected by the borings
outside. He adds, in his book on
squashes: 1T happens at times, after
the vines have made a vigorous growth
of several feet, that they suddenly wilt
and die without any cause evident: no
insects are to be found ON the leaves,
there are no borers in the vines. I am
at loss to explain the cause of this.
unless IL be that the vine has been
poisoned by something that 1t has talk
en- into circulation"
Besides this borer and the striped
beetle which everyone knows there are
two bugs which bother my squash
patch badly sometimes. One is sort
OF mammoth Gladly bug almost half
an inch long and about as broad. yell
1owish- brown with black spots on the
back. This bug lays bright yellow eggs
on the under side of the leaves, which
hatch in about twelve days into yellow
These slugs eat on the under side OF
the leaves, seldom getting all the way
through, while the old bugs feed on
the upper surface. in semi circular
patches. Thus. between them, they get
the leaf both sides, coming and going,
as one might say They can be killed
by the use OF Insecticides. such as Par
is green. But one needs to be careful
that he doesn't also Kill the vines A
pound Of p2ris green 10 Il hundred and
atty ralI0as cf Wefer IS the propo~-
ton reeomneuGcd - Long Island
growers.
Then there is ire old orisinai, new
e. f. hs forgotten nor forgiven "squs-l
bug He's my particular pest arId
I've never get found o. heard sc any
J. E, Chi
him. when NOu' We done that, you'll
smell hin for a-u hour. ordiTtry sOfI-
tons If Paris gre III which viii not Kill
the vines he finds wholesome ard notlr-
ishiug; tobacco Gust h just loves to
chew. whale oil soap he reVcis in: ker-
oSene is so muCh sweeter than he that
he apparently regards it as q delightful
perfume: ucne C -e insect powders
worry hiTn. The feiuales lay their eggs
in files and piatOons on the under
sides Of the leaves, and every day, for
a. forth mt or so after the covers are
taken off my squash hills. go over the
bed. turning over each young leaf and
tearing out and burying the egg infest-
ed portions. 1 sometimes lay old wilted
leaves or bits of rubbish or fragments
OF shingles on the ground near the hills,
and often find these shelters hiding a
score or SO of grown bugs. Then
mash 'em.
Take it altogether, find squashes
uncertain sort of vegetables to grow in
my truck patch What with striped
bugs and beetles and borers and stink
bugs" and woodchucks, I often have
my hands more than full. The most
practical defense I have ever found is
the use Of newly turned sod ground on
which to plant vines. This usually
eliminates the striped beetle. It also
perceptfbly reduces the danger from
all the others, except woodchucls. But
can't quite get along without covers,
occasionally, for the young plants, and
constant care. when the covers are first
taken Off and until the vines get big
and thrifty enough to withstand the
attacks of their enemies. Even then,
raise just as few OF that sort of veg
etab1es as I dare to without risk of
losing my market. Some seasons they'd
pay mighty well But taking the years
as they run they are not, with me,
dependable profitable speculation.
THE FARMER.