The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-07-18
M1Skt 1ar1tt.
THE COLORADO Potato BUG,

Many other substances have been rec.
commended, and some have been p.
ported to be useful but where IT, has
been so in one case, in hundred other,
they have failed. This is true of air
Stacked lime, solutiops of saltpetre rec
pepper, fue dust Of iron furnaces, &c.
The long continuance of this insect
at the West, where it seems to be &C
cepted as steady and constant trou
Die, has induced investigations of every
nature; but there seems to be no other
universal remedy when the insect gets
q foothold than the one we have named
Of course the beetles make their ap.
pearance first. 1t is not worth while
to repeat a minute description of them,
except to say they are about half an
inch long, considerably rounded in the
body, yellowish with ten black stripes
on the wing covers.
The first broads do not seem very
greedy and do little mischief, their en-
ergy seeming devoted to laying eggs
for future crops. These eggs are vel
low, and are clustered by tens or TWEEN
ties on the under side of the leaves.
The worms soon hatch out and then the
harvest begins. The worm, we may
state, is disgusting looking, rounded in
shape, reddish black in color, tighten
ing as they grow older and larger, and
with rows of spots along their Sides
1t every farmer as soon as the beetles
make their appearance would carefully
go through the potatoes and hand-pick
the bugs and crush the eggs, the first
insects would be much reduced.
After the worms hatch out and begin
operations, if in any force, it will be
almost impossible to reduce them by
hand-picking. Then the Paris green
comes in. This is by some applied in
solution, or rather mixed with water,
but undoubtedly the best plan is to mix
with plaster, and use dry, sitting on the
vines when the dew is on them, or
when they are wet from rain. One
part by weight of the Paris green is
sufficient for twenty or even thirty parts
of the plaster. The mixture is best
applied from tin box with a perforat-
ed top. If so fitted as to have a long
handle, it will be convenient to use in
applying the mixture
Our own experience with the sasect
is as follows: When the 5setles first
appeared, for several days we were en-
abled to keep them down by hand-pick-
ing, and also to crush the eggs, but
they soon came in too great numbers to
allow of the latter being possible, and
the Larvae or worms beginning to appear
in considerable numbers, as soon as we
believed the first crop was Matched, we
applied mixture of Paris green and
plaster, one part to about twenty by
weight, busting it over the vines early
in the morning when they were wet
with dew. By the next morning al
most every worm was dead, and we
have seen no others since, and only an
occasional beetle
There, has been Ia raia since ~
son was applied up to the .: ' ne t pTs
writing, about ten r. .ilile VI tn.s
can be seen o. .ays, ana tne Pias.ei
With L. I'LL adhering to the leaves.
..,e potatoes it is found generally
necessary W uuSI INC SihCS '"ieo.
We refer to what we have heretofore
said on the danger of using this mix
ture, which is virulently poisonous
Keep to the windward of the rows
when busting them with it and do not
breathe the flying particles. AS fur
Their caution as to the dangers attend
ing it's incautious use we annex the fol
lowing:
DANGERS OF PARIS GREEN.
AS this virulent poison is now being
in frequent use on the potato and cot
ton insects, the following precautions in
it's use, from the PAINT AND Oil JOUR
NAL, may be found timely:
AS the handling and use of dry Paris
green, especially by persons unaccus
toned to it's use, is attended by consid
cradle risk, and often followed by ser
GUS consequences, we make the follow
ing suggestions founded on our exper'
fence as manufacturers:
All packages, whether large or small
should be plainly marked poison.
There is great danger in the mix.
ing of this green for potato bug and
cotton worm poison, owing to the fine
dust which arises in the process, which
is inhaled and also rapidly absorbed by
the pores of the skin, especially if the
person using it should be in state Of
perspiration. To guard against this
the hands and face particularly nos
trils) should be protected as much as
possible, and should be carefully wash.
ed after working in it, or in any of the
preparations of which it is an ingredi
emit AS it penetrates and poisons
wood, gets into the seams and crevass
es of articles made of metal, and even
into earthenware that is at all porous
all household utensils; or anything in
barn or stable which cattle or horses
should have access to, in which the ar
ticle may have been mixed, or from
which it has been used, should be care
fully set aside, and never again used
for any other purpose.
Malignant sores are not infrequently
caused by scratching the skin when itch
ing or irritated from handling the green
1t should be constantly borne in mine
that it is more dangerous and deadly
poison than arsenic, and farmers, plant
ers and others, when purchasing, SHOULD
be duly cautioned to exercise the utmost
care in using it.
AS a remedy for the poison, the free
use of milk as beverage is recon
mended, but we have found hvdratec
peroxide of iron Ga simple harmless
remedy the best antidote. Sores caus
ed by the green should be well covered
with it, as with an ordinary salve, and
tablespoonful in a wine-glass of water
should be taken twice day internally
while working with the green This
remedy can be obtained from any drug
gist or chemist.
The consumption of Paris green has
largely increased within a few years
and the article is now applied to such
a variety of purposes, that carelessness