The New York herald., 1876-07-08
THE COLORADO BEETLE.
ITS RAvAGEs AMONG coNNRCTICUr potato
YIELDs-PRosPEcr OF AN ALMOST TOTAL d.
srRIfd-rIoN OF THE POTATO CROP


ITS RAvAoEs AMONG CONNECTICUT potato
rELDs-PRosPEor OF AN ALMOST TOTAL d.
sTRUcTIoN OF THE POTATO CROP.
NEw HAvES Conn. July 5. ls7d
The insect pest known the Colorado beetle or
potato bug, graphically described In the columns Of
the HERALD last year. ana which, by It's deadly sting
and general ravages, came SO near verifying the
HrRALD's prediction of potato crop seriously dam
aged and market prices Of the peoples avorite es-
culeni advanced is again Connecticut soil in such
numbers as TO render certain that unless great
counteraeting influence is exerted, the general crop
will be almost totally destroyed The frequent
rains OF early June usually help plants to
outgrow IL the movements OF insects
but this year SUCCESSION OF hot dry days, has en-
abed beetles which reached the State last seasos
wntered In the SOIL If to take time by The fore
lock when spring opened and farmers began to plant,
possession Of the nelds and have everything
their way. The early varieties of the potato, ex
cept where means have osen taken to Kill
the bugs. among the treated. Instances are
numerous in the southern and western portions OF
the State where the rows OF potatoes fields
loaded with bugs that from distance, the eye
discern tho difference in color OF the plants a.
compared with other portions OF tho same field The
kind of SOIL whether sandy, like that surrounding
this city, loamy, In Fairfield and Litch-
field counties, seems TO have no perceptible effect on
the insects movements, but everywhsre-in the care
fully patch the aborng man. yell as in the
broad e the thrifty iarmor-he insects terro's
work goes on
The beetles are Of three kinds The largest and most
formidable resembles the common bug known AZ the
bug and iamIarly called the June or lady bug.
Is Of the brown color, and ia addition to The little
black stripes on the wings is distinguish oy dark
coored dots In rows on either side oI tno BODY below
the line OF the wings The head many times smaller
the body OF bug the poisoned bill which
head contains executes It's deadly work with amaz
ing rapidity. OF Independence Of and stod indf
ference all that is going about hm chsractorizct
resting place by tho hand by the WINDS breath he
Immediately recovers his equanmity, and when, rs
appears him, no eye Is looking he ascends The 20
tato stalk and proceeds to business again. Tho III
which TO- 0J0 OF these desperate workers IN one
will can. without much dgurng, be deter
mined.
KIM favored with wings which he uses to advantage
IN nyns rom plan. to piSns as u IN ne exercise ere o.
stalks die and that promptly. HIS activity crcdtaDle
to the beetle family, is OF the greatest annoyance
TO the farmer who, while hc can hope
for better things long the pest simply
preys upon tie they put ortE, must despair
which strikes death at tho very root, takes
pace. In color, as compared with The first named,
there lite TO distinguish them out IN sizo being
in a gwen space OF The third bug, ike the CON-
ecnered y, breeds upon the potato plant and mas
the advantage ove his coworkers IN that when one
taken ranks operations no. hndered, Tor,
10 borrow the expression Ot discouraged Fairfield
county farmer, VII bug Killed 10000 lighting
bugs wilt come TO the funeral" 1t inirequent 10
see each these three OF bug in one tield
In rwalk the farmers declare their crops
about ruined, that there Is little hope except
from potatoes piane cd late In Fairfield, some planters
have boldly set combat the common enemy, not
only Oy the OF poisoned powders but BY the uss
brushes aud pans One OF the curious sights OF that
this Is the farm hand with brush In one
hand and tin pan IN the other following tho potato
rows through the field, oping the saucy little IN.
vadcrs These when tho pan iull are consigned te
the fire. In instances the work, winch cannot
succeed, IL COSTS too much time aud labor, is prac.
tsed by farmers hereabou. The OF Paris green Is
dc med be the est and most eifcacious way OF
getting rid OF the bugs contact with II IS fatal
chiel trouble the adoption OF this means
consists IN the tact that the bag, as II IN
the exercise innate ingenuity carries on his work
mostly under the potato leaf Ihe Paris green striking
the If al the top the hand OF the farmer
atls 10 reach grand source OF trouble In short
time the wind, ovorng, removes the poissn
IRON place, ana after the bug emorges from
his fortified position and sets about uitllihs his ms
SION Hellebore some localities is III successful Use,
but only limited amount OF that drug can DO OBJ.
tanned usually the drug stores, u cannot be dc.
pended IS a stock annlhalOr. Wood ashes and
capncss the articles most generally sought aud
much good work has accomplished by thor use.
While the agitation Of the bug question last ycar hap
pened be followed iy fair potato crop, and later by
low market prices, there are those willing 10 believe
similar results may be not unreasonaby expected this
year. review and inspection OF the potato neds OF
Connecticut they appear with their myriads o! bugs,
large small actively at work today Is the pest
answer TO vain and shallow delusion.