The Republican journal., 1875-07-08
The Potato Bug.

beetle known as the ROCKY Mountain pO-
tato bug, and which has for years raw
aged the potato fields Of the Western
States, has now brought the bugs into
New York and the edge of New England
We hear of them already in Connecticut,
and shall hear more. They threaten to
devour the vines on the growing crop. 1t
appears that they have already fairly over
run the agricultural regions Of central
Pennsylvania and western New York, as
well as the best parts OF New Jersey,
where they are devouring the vines and
running the crop. The full grown bug
hides in the earth during the winter, re-
appearing in the latter part Of the spring,
and increasing with astounding rapidity.
Several successive broods are Matched
from the "original settlers" during the
summer; and, as the female bug attains
It's maturity in a fortnight, and at once
reproduces tens of thousands Of eggs for
other swarms, it is not to be wandered at
IL
ing the habits Of this beetle, estimates
that from single pair the increase in one
season will equal the astounding number
Of $4,000, 900 The second crop" of the
bugs is by far the most destructive, 1t is
said that nearly all the injury is done dur
ING the three weeks in which the insect
passes through the Larvae TO destroy
the eggs is to destroy the followers To
destroy the beetle is to prevent further
deposit Of eggs In Orange county, New
York the farmers it is said 90 over their
fields armed with two paddles made Of
shingles. They examine every leaf, and
wherever there is a deposit Of eggs the
paddles are brought smartly together up
on it, and thousands of future beetles
destroyed by blow. The Larvae and
mature bugs are picked of by hand and
| thrown in deep vessels and carried away
| and crushed. No farm work except that
actually necessary to be done is allowed
to interfere with this process Of cNtcrmi-
mating the potato bug
In many townships along the western
tier Of counties in New York the farmers
employ children TO pick of the bugs by
hand, paying them at the rate of three
cents q quart. Long rows OF children
are now seen busily at work in the potato
fields, picking off the bugs, and carrying
them off in deep pals or buckets to be
burned. But it appears to be no easy
matter to Kill these bugs, even by fire
Unless they are placed in a decidedly hot
fire, they seem to survive and escape !;
and they are not hurt any by soaking
them for a day and night in 4 strong solu-
ton Of Paris green, OF even Of corrosive
sublimate. A Herald correspondent, who
has been travelling among the farmers OF
the southern halt of New Jersey, relates
some droll accounts of the obdurate vital
ity Of the potato bug. He says:
Mr. Edward Davis farmer living on the
BordentoWn road, gathered about a peek of
these on Saturday last put them on Il large
bundle of straw, set fire to it. and. the result.
not one fourth We're killed Those not killed
| crawled slowly forth, looking like parcheti
grains of coffee, and walked eisurev off to
complete their summer contracts
Joseph K. Flanagan, formerly editor of the
Philadelphia Daily News, now living near Bur
lngtOn, tells the toughest story Yet reported.
Driven almost to madness by his nearly inef-
| tectual attempts to destroy the full grown
beetle, he threw about Il hat full of them by
way of experiment into red hot range; the
larger portion was killed. but many of them
dropped down through the CRATE, craN led over
the hot ashes and out upou The Kitchen floor IN
no apparent need of medical assistance.
At Burlington, New jersey, the report
er was informed by MI Ambrose F. Stark
that during the past fortnight upwards OF
two tons of paris green" have been pur-
chased for the farmers of the southern
part of New Jersey for the destruction of
the potato bug. 1t seems the creature
does not eat the Paris green but is Killed
by eating the potato vines that have alb
sorbed the poison. This so-callel Paris
green, or Scheele's green the arsenite OF
copper, is as deadly a poison as any form
of arsenic known If the vines absorb it,
the sap must in some way affect the pota-
toes themselves; and it becomes serious
question whether such a deadly method
OF discriminating the bugs can be safely
| resorted to. Philadelphia gentleman,
Professor Paine, recommends to the farm
ers what he calls y cheap, safe and certain
n,atbnI rt Il 40
1t is a preparation OF water, lime and sui
phur, in the proportions of 4 pound each
of lime and sulphur, and four gallons of
water. 1.-The bugs drink ereedilv of this,
and die very soor afterward.'
1t is fully settled that the bugs them
selves are poisonous. Persons who have
handled them and ircautiously eaten fruit
or other food without carefully washing
their hands, have been rendered dcathly
sick, and some have died We read such
accounts as these:
farmer named Nose, Tyler of Damascus.
Wayne county, Pa, While picking bugs from
his vines one day this week, took chew Of
tobacco, using the fingers with which he had
been handling the bugs. Shortly atterward he
was taken deathv sick and had to be assisted
to the house. physician was called, and he
pronounced his illness caused by poison from
the potato bug taken into his system with the
tobacco. lie was quite i'll for a day or two.
Another farmer, named Winans, in Sullivan
county, \. y. was Frustrated BY the fumes
arising from number of bugs upon which he
poured boiling water TO try its effect upon them
He was seized with violent vomiting and spasns
in the stomach.
One effect of the ravages of this post
among the potato fields of New York and
New England will be to raise the price of
potatoes next fall.
The Alabama Claims commission has
70 Can't Jntb I,nt Enp o,,or