The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-08-03
THE GREAT PEST.
The Colorado Beetlc in u New FicId--How
the bugs Work iu New York ind Brook

The Colorado Beetle in u New FicId--How
the Hugs Work iu New York and Brook
1yn.
The potato bug cannot be ignored.
They are having jolly times at Rocka-
way, at Canarsie and in the City of
Churches. At Rockaway the beach is
alive with the bugs, and bathers who
enter the breakers find themselves sur
rounded by the half dead, half lively
insects, who float in and float out, until
some enterprising wave sends them far
up on the sand. Then, under the re-
viving influence of the sun, they re-
cover consciousness, and march off
quickly toward the hotels, the green
fields and the gardens. No one seems
to know where they come from. But it
is very evident where they are going.
The potato fields at Canarsie, and of all
the region roundabout, are denuded OF
every leaf, and the vegetable itself is
utterly destroyed. In that vicinity egg
plant is largely cultivated. For this
delicious Wand the bug manifests marked
partiality, and all the patches in which
that plant is grown are devastated and
ruined. The streets of Brooklyn are
alive with them. They crawl upon the
pavements, enter at the windows, creep
upon the walls, and nestle in the beds.
It does no good to sweep them out, for
they rally in force and return. It is un-
pleasant to mash them on the carpet. 1t
is impossible to drive them off.
The great social problem is =" How
shall we get rid of the potato bugs 2"
A reporter of q comic paper called on
farmer White, of Bergen county, N. j.,
and told him he wanted " material for
funny article on the potato bug"
Brother White regarded the reporter
intently for moment, then leading him
to window, pointed impressively to
desolated tomato field, burst into tears,
and left him without o word. These
They are great public nuisance, under
mouth. They come from the West in
swarms. They fly, they hop, they run,
they float, they jump. They travel on
boats, in cars, by wagons. Various
theories are advanced about the myriads
that come by water. Some assert that
overcome by long flights across the
water they fall exhausted on the sur
face. Others argue that instinct leads
them to the water, on which they trust
themselves in full expectation of bliss
ful entrepot beyond the sea. But how
ever men may differ on that point, they
absolutely agree on the fact of the
abiding presence of the monster pests.
An ingenious farmer of New Jersey has
invented an instrumentality of relief, SO
far as potato fields and tomato patches
are concerned. IL consists of large tin
pot, looking not unlike an oyster stew
pan, the bottom Of which is made OF
gauze wire. This pot he fills with
mixture of paris green and plaster, in
parts of one to twenty. This, by the
aid of long handle attached to the pot,
he eprinkles on the leaves If The plants,
the bugs innocently partake thereof, and
incontinently die. He charges nothing
for the information, and guarantees the
cure. Other farmers act differently
They carefully pick the bugs from the
leaves and scoop them on ehovels and
carry them in barrels to the seashore,
where they dump them on an outgoing
tide. This is rather boomerang ar
however, for while few
thousands may be drowned, the great
multitude return, and when thrown
upon the sandy beach, and exposed to
the inspiring heat OF the sun, propaga-
ton is accelerated, and what was bad
before becomes worse and worse in
deed, An enterprising keeper of bath
ing houses near Rockaway dug large
hole, kind Of pit, in which, ON the
ashes Of large fire, he shovels bushels
of the bugs, and covers them with
earth. .-NelO York Sun.