Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-28
The Potato Bng...Tlmcly Warnings.


Now that it seems to be a fixed fact that
New England must take her turn in fighting
this pest Of the age, we hasten TO lay before
our readers The following statement Of Tresi-
dent Chadbournc of Williams College, who
speaks from personal experience Of three
years on the farm Of the University Of Wis
consin, which enables him TO make suggcs-
tions OF great value to our farmers.
1t would he impossible" he says, in
one article to mention all The curious things
Willingly and unwillingy discovered, con-
corning tins disgusting devourer One eN-
ample oil ITS work VIII suffice. Several acres
OF Potatoes near my residence, had been
Kept clear OF bugs by Manipulating, till
july when left Tor the East, aud the far
mer lett the potatoes TO their fate surprising
all danger past Some Of the larvn that had
oeen overlooked passed through their trans
formations ON the upper side OF the piece
where the land was high and dry, udintiug
from the dry knobs as centors. When re-
turned after four weeks the upper half OF
the piece was destroyed and the bugs were
moving like am army toward the damp
ground leaving nothing bnt the woody
hher "i the potato stalks behind them.
rams green lelt bushels OF them ON the
ground, hnt still the host increased and
they disappeared only when every yestige Of
green ON the potato vines was gone.
when driven To eNtremltics, the beetle
VIII attack tomatoes, and by some strange
power they discover the relationship of bell
peppers to the potato, and take them for
change oil diet As last resort, late in the
loll' they Will Iced ON pasture thistles, ap-
parently taking them as lunch, before go
ing INTO winter quarters. The only safe
guord against them is constant vigilance
strange as 1t may seem to those who have
only read OF their de'astations, "handpick-
ing proved To be the best remedy we could
ind' ! can only give results. We found in
that place. whore bugs were abundant, that
'i acre oil potatoes could be kept clear OF
'heih ny manu. lor hVe dollars by doing
'he "oiA at the rghi i"e and IN the right
manner IL 'hey are neglected a short time,
so tiat 'he iai''e become abundant ON the
vines Iars green is then the only remedy.
should always rely upon hand-picking, UNI
less some remedy has been discovered that !
nave mol seen mentioned should also try
ooPperaS water II / had ihein TO deal with
again. Iefhaps 1t has been tired, but no ac-
count OF It's cheet' mas come IN my way
II all VINO raise potatoes VIII plant them
only Oh inc best ground the cost OF protect
ing t'lem VIII not pe over hve cents a busheL
But planting acres Of potatoes on poor
ground must stop 1t costs the same to pro
tect an acre that yields twenty bushels as it
does one yielding one hundred. If every
farmer could be compelled by law to keep
his potatoes clear of the bugs, little harm
would come from the small numbers. But
one acre NJ potatoes neglected. will raise Juqs
enough 10 stock focnship They 20 through
their transformations most readily in a dry,
warm soil. Ifthe soil is very dry the changes
are retarded but to injure the bugs the soil
must be too dry for potatoes. In damp soils
they fare badly, so that we often see the dry