The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-06
THE coEoRADo PorATo BUG.


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THE COLORADO Potato BUG.s
Never since the introduction of the
destructive pests have such general
and well-grounded fears prevailed that
they would destroy the growing crop
of potatoes. as are entertained this sea-
son. They began to make their ap-
pearance in the vicinity of Chicago as
soon as the first potato tops showed
themselves above the ground, and they
have continued to Increase from day
to day, notwithstanding the persistent
efforts of cultivators to destroy them.
1t has seemed in some instances that
twenty came to attend the funeral of
each one killed. Not only are they
destroying the potato crop, but in some
instances they have appeared in such
numbers upon the. tomato CROP. as
soon as transplanted, as totally to de-
YOUR the plants. They feed in pref
erence, upon the potato and egg plant,
(SoLANUM MELoNGFNA), the next upon
the tomato. They are said to feed ex-
clusively upon plants belonging to the
night-shade family, although we dis
covered them, upon one occasion this
spring, feeding upon the plant of the
common garden thistle (CTRLIUM LAM
CEoLAM,) and we have found them
also feeding upon and laying their
eggs on buckwheat. In fhe absence
of their natural food we suppose they
might be induced by starvation tofeed
upon plants that would not only be
unnatural to them, but absolutely
hurtfui.
There are three ways that this pest
can be kept in check first. by abstain
ing throughout an entire region of
country for one season from planting
potatoes second, by persistently pick
ing the mature beetles and eggs from
the vines and destroying them; and
third, by dnsting flle foliage with Pa
ris green, or Scheele's green of the
druggists (ARsE,IITE OF CoPPER), which
mixed with five to twelve parts of
flour, according to the proportion0f,
arcenioHs acid which the drug con-
tains ; and in order to establish this
you must depend upon the druggist of
whom you buy. The best contains
from fifty-five to fifty-nine per cent,
but it is sometimes adulterated SO as.
to contain not more than ten per cent.
1t is one of the most deadly poisons
and should not be inhaled. Ofl.this
there is no danger if ordinary precau-.
ton is taken. Put the mixture into a.
sleazy sack-one of the thin ones in,
which table salt is sold, is good; fas-
ten this to stick at the end of a short
string, and in passing along between
the rows, carrying it on the opposite
side from which the wind blows con-
tinue to beat il until the foliage is
completely, though lightly, busted
Herewith, The insects, in eating, eat
also the poison, and are thereby Killed
1t will not be necessary here again to
refer to- the first manner OF getting rid
of them, becauseit would be impossi-
bic to get united action thereon; but
the second manner stated that of
picking the beetles and eggs, in con-
nection with the Paris green, will be
found effectual and economical; for q
crop that costs SO much III the prepa-:
ration of the land and the cost of the
seed, will warrant good deal of labor
in saving it. One individual within
our knowledge, this spring, plowed
and planted the land with beans
There had already been expended in
preparing the land, seed, planting and
once hoeingLover three hundred and
fifty dollars, 1t would have been wise
economy to have expended as much
more in saving the crop (and one-half
that amount would, undoubtedly, have
secured it) from the depredations of
the beetles and the larvae.
Every one of the beetles killed be-
fore laying her eggs will save the
Matching of somewhere near one thou
sand of the Larvae, this being the NUM-
ber which Mr.. c. V. Riley, State En-
tomolOgist of Missouri, states as tflel
quantity which the female is capable
of laying before she becomes barren.
In about fifty days" they undergo
their various transformation onss from
eggs, larYse and purpe, to perfect bee
ties, againcapable of laying their eggs.
Thus we see that the larva hatched the
first OF June would deposit her eggs
about the twentieth of july The
produce being from q single beetle,
say, 250 females-allowing one-half
loss from various contingencies, and
one-half for males-these would de-
posit 25Q,000 eggs, and their. progeny.
again would lay 12,500,00 eggs. Thus
it will readily be seen that the swarms
of beetles that infest the crops, ifaal-i
lowed to increase and multiply, would
in the second generation, only, totally
destroy every potato, tomato, and egg
pldItt lTOu every 1f0IQ anu 2aruGn III
the region infested with them. Our
own plan is to kill the beetles by atak-l
ing two short pieces of lath, shafen-.i
ing the end of each to chiseI edge,
the bevel being only on one side, and
crushing them between them. The
chisel edge is TO enable you to pick
them from the ground more easily
We have found this more convenient,
especially for getting them from the
ground between the plants when
young, than the pinchers which have
been recommended. 8fsisaso'4 etfi
When the plants attain height of
six inches or more, they may be read
lily knocked into pan by folding a
newspaper and striking the plants a
sharp blow, and the same plan is also
economical in getting rid of the Larvae
Care should be taken if the beetles or
larvae are burned, not to inhale the
smoke, as it is said TO be dangerous.
The better way is to have a vessel con-
taing kerosene in which to throw them.
After they are killed they should be
buried. ,.fs .,,s ss...F
Have no faith in killing them by
shaking down upon the earth and lay
ing elder branches along the rows
They must be dealt with by hand, and
if you believe you can overcome them