Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-11


llowergardeu notes for July, 10y Prof. May
uard, Of the Massachusetts Agricultural Col.
legc which our lady readers have asked for,
and will, we fear, regard us as negligent Of
their wishes for omitting) We presume he
thought we were, in our interest for agricul-
tural education, neglecting things Of more
immediate importance, aud designed to give
us o gentle admonition
But wc assure him that our eyes, on. Of
them at least, were fixed upon that bug,
and We have been collecting information
against the time when it will be in imne-
diatc practical demand For we have found
out that the advice to cent this out and pin
it in your hat" or "paste it in your scrap
book, is rarely attended to, aud that all ag
ricultural advice that is not timely, as well
as good, is very apt TO be lost.
The genuine Colorado potato beetle has
not yet made its advent into Vermont, ex-
cept slightly in few towns bordering upon
western Massachusetts,, aud there not to any
disastrous extent Lake Champlain will
probably prove an impossible barrier in its
northern half and the bug will, therefore,
come into the state on the north from Can
ada. The few we now have will do but
little injury the present season, but next
year theywill begin to be plenty, where now
they are scattering, and will spread more or
less all over the state. Next season, there
fore, the campaign against them must begin
in earnest
We do not believe that this insect will be
an injury to any good farmer, but on the
contrary a benefit. 1t will be one of the
instruments in the hand Of Providence to
freeze out " the scrub-farmcrs, who will lose
their crops, while those who take the noces-
sary pains to protect their fields, will get a
good yield and big prices.
President Chadbournc's advice is very good
and timely, and Manipulating, the first year,
viii no doubt be an effective means of pre-
venting damage. But we may rely with
perfect safety upon the serub.farmer for
raising bugs enough to stock the county to
such an extent that after the first year hand
picking will not amount to much.
Paris green must then be our chief depen-
dence, unless it shall prove that the belle
bore powder used for destroying the currant
worm is also effective against the potato
bug, as has been asserted. If so, land It
is easily tested) we should 10y all means
advise its use for hellebore, though medic
inal plant, is not, strictly speaking, apoison,
except in the same sense that snuff and to-
bacco are poisons There is not the slight
est danger in using it to kill insects. This
is not the case with Paris green, an arseni-
cal compound which Is deadly poison in
small quantities, either swallowed or in
hailed, and in very minute quantities liable
to cause serious inflammation Of the eyes, lips
and nostrils, where the dust reaches them.
This being the case the greatest care should
be taken to prevent children or animals
from getting access to the green, or any
mixture of it. 1t is so powerful that a very
small quantity only is necessary to destroy
any insect. One pound to the acre-equal
to about one-tenth Of grain Of white ar
senic to a square foot-is quite sufficient for
single application to potato vines The
following formula is given by Western
correspondent to the Ne,c Engiand Farmer,
for mixture that has been found perfectly
effective in eight years trial
One bushe by measure, of good, fine land plas-
ter two quarts fresh air saked line six quarts
rye or wheat fine mddings, or three quarts flour
of same one and onc-hali pounds of pure Paris
green l. e., arsenite of copper. Mix well in
box in open shed or barn, and do not nhale the
dust. Apply early on a still morning, while the
dew is on, SYl the hand from a te,spoonful to
tolLespaorf,d to hill accordingto size, wen stht-
tered ever the tops II done thoroughly, the field
will be rid OF them in twenty -four hours dead or
departed II not winged they will be dead II
the hills are large and foliage abundant, with an
exubemnco of leaflets or spurs on stalks, intro
duce the baud within the tops aud sprinkle little
with rotary motion Of the hand, then dust the
entire tops II the foliage is not profuse, busting
the tops is sufficient, rs the weight of the plaster
will carry it through the hill
This is probably the very best and safest
way to handle Paris green in dry form.
But, except in a very still day, there is al
ways danger that the dust will be blown
into the face, with evil consequences. We
should, therefore prefer to use it mixed in
water, though this method will require more
of the green to the acre. The way to apply
it, is to put a tablespoonful into sprink-
L 4 II e