For a succession or long-continued crop, plant a few hills in rich
moist land about the last of May. The young plants always run a
gauntlet of insects, and a little striped bug is usually their
most deadly enemy. These bugs often appear to come suddenly in
swarms, and devour everything before you are aware of their
presence. With great vigilance they may be kept off by hand, for
their stay is brief. I would advise one trial of a solution of
white hellebore, a tablespoonful to a pail of water. Paris green--
in solution, of course--kills them; but unless it is very weak, it
will kill or stunt the plants also. My musk and watermelons were
watered by too strong a solution of Paris green this year, and
they never recovered from it. Perhaps the best preventive is to
plant so much seed, and to plant over so often, that although the
insects do their worst, plenty of good plants survive. This has
usually been my method. When the striped bug disappears, and the
plants are four or five inches high, I thin out to four plants in
the hill. When they come into bearing, pick off all the fruit fit
for use, whether you want it or not. If many are allowed to become
yellow and go to seed, the growth and productiveness of the vines
are checked. The Early White Spine and Extra Long White Spine are
all the varieties needed for the table.
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