Garden sanitation, and fall tillage deep enough to destroy the cocoons, are effective control measures. Also, where only a few plants are involved, locate the wound and slit the stem with a razor blade or sharp knife, thus puncturing the borer. Then place moist soil around the stem to a height a little beyond the wound. New roots will develop, thus compensating for the injury.

Harvesting. The proper time to harvest is crucial for obtaining maximum quality of cucurbit fruits. Cucumbers for pickling should be harvested when the young fruits attain a length of 2 to 4 inches, roughly 3 to 4 days after the flower has opened. For dill and larger pickles, harvest is delayed until fruits are 6 inches or more in length. The slicing type is harvested when the fruit is 8 to 10 inches long.

Top, girl with squash she grew in Children's Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York. Below, if vine separates from fruit easily, as with this cantaloupe, melon is ripe and should be harvested. Note cantaloupe is propped on flower pot to keep it off ground.

For muskmelons, nature has provided an unmistakable sign. At maturity, an abscission layer forms between stem and fruit. This layer appears as a crack, completely encircling the stem, at the point of attachment to the fruit. If the stem has to be forcibly separated from the fruit, the fruit is immature. The abscission layer, or "slip" as it is known in the trade, is characteristic of most muskmelon varieties except the casabas and honeydews. Maturity in the latter is judged by softening of the blossom end of the fruit, and subtle changes in the fruit's color.

The expertise required to select a watermelon at prime maturity is only acquired by experience. For the amateur, some of the guesswork can be eliminated by rapping the melon sharply with the knuckles. A crisp, metallic sound indicates immaturity, while a dull, flat sound suggests maturity. Also, at maturity the ground spot usually changes from white to light yellow.

Summer squash, which is consumed in the immature state, is best harvested when 3 to 6 inches long, about 3 to 4 days after the pistillate flower opens. At this stage summer squash is tender, crisp, and has a good flavor. It should be harvested 2 to 3 times per week.

Winter squash, or baking squash, normally is harvested when mature. Maturity can be roughly estimated by pressure from the thumbnail on the fruit exterior. If the skin is hard and impervious to scratching, the fruit is mature.

Fruits of pumpkins and gourds are customarily allowed to remain in the garden until frost destroys the vines, or they deteriorate.

Storage. Most cucurbit fruits are consumed fresh. Honeydew and casaba muskmelons can be stored as long as a month in a cool, dry environment. Pumpkins and the hard-shelled squashes can be stored for several months if properly cured. This means the fruit should be mature and carefully handled at harvest. After harvest, they should be placed in a room or other area with temperatures of 80 to 85 F for 10 days, then transferred to a cool, dry place, preferably with temperatures of 50 to 60 . In storage, the fruit must be well-ventilated, not piled on each other.

Since the cucurbits are large, vigorous plants, requiring relatively huge amounts of space for maximum development, the number of plants that can be accommodated in the average garden is minimal.

Plant population should be enough to cover the needs of an average family. Six cucumber plants, if harvested regularly, will produce sufficient fruit for a family. Muskmelons produce 2 to 3 fruits per plant and needs should be based on this estimate.

Watermelons are not heavy producers. Most varieties produce 1 to 2 melons per vine. Some of the varieties with small fruits are more prolific.

Two to three well-grown plants of bush summer squash will produce an abundance of squash for the average family and the neighbors, if harvested at regular intervals. For the average garden, 4 to 6 vine type squash or Pumpkin should be sufficient.

Gourds are terrifically prolific. Two or three vines on a trellis will produce 12 to 24 fruits depending upon the variety.

Thump test tells this young feller his icebox watermelon is ripe. But the most definite proof (and the most fun) comes from taste-test.