Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-04-14

Potatoes ana Potato Beetles,
In localities where the Colorado pota
TO beetle has appeared, there ID consid
cradle anxiety fclt in regard to tho iutur
OF tho potato crop. II the beetles aro Il
remain permanently with us--and w
can see no good reason why they shoul'
not become "a much ut home on the AT
lantic coast as on the great plains Of tn
West-then the cultivators of potatoes
must mako up their minds to fight th
pest from year to year, or give up TIN
cultivation OF one OF our most useful 'ant
valuable farm crops. The experience o
tho farmers of the Western States, wher'
the Colorado pest has been more or les
numerous for nearly twenty years, af
fords us no hope Of its passing away af
ter brief visit; but shows pretty con
clusively that it has come to stay witt
us rs long az food is provided, which
might be further interpreted to mean
"as long NJ grass grows and water runs;
for the fact il now we'll known that there
Are hundreds OF plants besides the pota
to, which serve it's purpose.
Taking the most cheerful view we may
OF this potato beetle question, it is ser
ious matter; and our farmers must make
up their minds to give the insect nc
quarter; but fight it early and late, per.
sistently killing nil that may be found
on their premises. If this is done by
one and all, they cannot become so num-
erous in any one locality MS to injure the
potato crop to any considerable extent.
The severe drought last season in part OF
the Eastern States, and especially within
n radius of hundred miles of this city, cut
off the potato crop so early in the season
that the second brood Of potato beetles
found little food to feed upon; and mill
ions must have persisted before reaching
the image or perfect state; still, enough
did find food to carry them through, and
they nre now alternating in safe quarters
ready to come forth to nip the first green
leaf from this springs planting. If all
had persisted within one, two, or more
States, their places would soon be sup
piled from without; therefore, there is
no safety in presuming that any particu-
lar locality, or region of country, is to be
free from them during the coming season.
The farmers in nearly ell of the North
ern States having had personal expert
ence with this insect, there is no longer
any need Of telling them what it can and
will do if allowed to have it's own way.
Either poison or kill the beetles in some
other way, or see the crop destroyed;
and MS there is no other alternative, it is
well to prepare the implements of war;
fare before the appearance of the enemy.
No other destructive agent has yet been
discovered 80 effective and cheap MS paris
green, and twenty years experience in
its Use have shown that it can be en-
ployed with perfect safety upon the
vines without the least danger of injur-
ing the tubcrs for food.
Many will doubtless plant early va
rieties, in order to escape the expense
and trouble Of fighting the beetle during
the entire season; for, in most localities,
there are at least two broods in season.
But if all plant early sorts, it is to be
feared that there will be scarcity Of po-
tatops late i'll the season; although, with
proper care, the Alpha and Early Rose
our two earliest sorts) may be kept over
in as sound condition as the very latest.
Upon the whole, it may be good policy
for the present to plant the early sorts
mainly, or until all cultivators of pota-
toes adopt some settled plan of fighting
and subduing the potato beetle. Last
year it had its own way over n large ex-
tent of country, comparatively few farm
ers making any attempt to destroy them;
thereby leaving the few who did to do
all the work in this direction, with little
or no prospect of success, on account of
the vast numbers of beetles maturing on
the fields of their negligent and perverse
neighbors This system of breeding
nuisances to annoy ones neighbors
should not be tolerated; and if all can
not work in accord in subduing such in
sect pests, there will have to be an APP
peal made to the Legislatures of the
States for law to compel men
to do their duty in such matters. 1t is
to be hoped that the good sense Of our
will prevail, and that all will
mite in making war upon this common
anemy.-Ne,r York SIN.