Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-06-04
THE Potato BUGS--HOW TO
DESTROY THEN.
BY s. A. DwINNgLL.

nave mad 10 contend with them, for our
potato crop, ever since with no hope of
being able to cease our warfare for many
years to come.
AS they have now reached the shores
of the Atlantic. with prospect that you
may have life long warfare with them.
When they first came to us We under
took to exterminate them by picking off
the old bugs when they were seen upon
the vines soon after they appeard above
the ground, and then by destroying the
eggs which are laid upon the under side
of the leaf in orange colored patches.
But after all our vigilance many of the
eggs would hatch, and then we would
60 through the vines with tin pan in
one hand and stick about two feet long
in the other, and brush the bugs into
the pan, and scald them with hot water.
But this process had to be often repeated
for many bugs would fall upon the
ground and crawl at once upon the vines
again and continue their work. And we
found upon trial that this mode of ex-
terminating them was attended with so
much severe labor that the bugs were
generally more than match for US in
the end, and we lost our field crops. A
small patch in the garden can be saved
in this way.
We then began the use of paris green
mixed with -four, in the proportion of
ten parts of -four to one of pure paris
green. sprinkling 1t upon the vines
through fine sieve while the dew was
on them This was also a laborious pro-
cess. We finally found the following
mode the least expensive and laborious
and the most effectual: Put an even
table spoonful of paris green in pail
full of water and stir it until it is dis
solved, and then sprinkle the vines with
small broom made of the boughs of
some tlee-hemlOck, perhaps, would be
the best if convenient.
If potatoes are planted in drills, and
not in hills. some time may be saved by
the use ola sprinkler, especially where
large amount are raised; but it should
be made for that special purpose. 1t
should hold pail full. The end of the
sprinkler should be four inches in diam
eter and more oval or convex than the
crystal of watch Five tiers of holes
of the size of a lady's hand-sewing needle
number five, should be inserted. The
first four tiers from the outside should
contain sixteen holes each. and the fifth
eight, with one in the centre.
This will make seventy-three holes
and will spread the streams sufficiently t.
cover row of potatoes, SO that person
can sprinkle them as fast as he can walk
The field must be sprinkled as often a.
new crop of bugs begin to cut thu
leaves, which is usually two or tire,
times in the season. | would recommend
the use of the tin sprinkler only wher
the farmer is raising a large crop il
drills, and where time is valuable.
1t has been so often asserted tina
these bugs are poisonous that we exercis
care in handling them, and keep on tn
windward side when we scald them.
am inclined, however, to think tina
their poison is not very virulent. as
; have never known any one to be Injuries
in destroying them. know of no domes
tic fowl that will eat them. lftomatoe
are raised care should be exercised no
, to plant them near the potatoes, as tn
bug will attack the fruit of the former
The greatest vigilance should also b
exercised to prevent the pest from cross
ing the Atlantic. If a single pal
should find their way to Europe the
would spread over all the potato grow
ing portion of the eastern world, as the
propagate with incredible rapidlty.
Let no farmer be discouraged in plan
ing the usual amount of potatoes. Tn
enhanced price will repay your extra |;
Dor in their production. If the dire
tons here given, or others simila
should be followed by the farmers gel
Q orally in the eastern states in raisir
: the potato crop, it would put thousand
: of dollars in their pocket.-Corrcsp
> dence ofthe Worcester Spy.