Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-03

To the Editor of the Free Press and Times
desire through your columns to appeal
to the farmers of Vermont, to make gen
eral and determined effort to exterminate
every Colorado potato beetle and every
larva of the beetle upon their premises. l
am led to do so from the circumstances that
there is prevalent negligence almost cul-
pable in this respect. The feeling that be-
cause the pest has not appeared in force
sufficient to pretty nearly wipe out this
years crop it may with impunity be per
mitted free range, is quite too common.
Another sentiment, and most despicable
one. is gaining currency, and that is that it
would be better for the farmers if half the
crop were to be destroyed by it. There is
unquestionably large crop of potatoes
upon the ground in this State, and
elsewhere but | cannot believe the best
remedy for over production. if such is the
case, which may be doubted, is the destruc-
ton Of the crop or any part of it with the
dreadful certainty of permanently establish
ing foe to the crop which will here
after totally exterminate it or remain tax
upon its production equal to all the other
cost
The Illinois correspondent of the Country
Gentleman. one of the closest observers IN
this country, and thoroughly well informed
on the subjects of which he writes, under
date of July 10th says ''1f the Colorado
beetle does as much damage East as he did
last year, tho chances are there will be
demand for the Western crop equal to that
of last year, when potatoes went out of Hi
nois BY the thousand car loads, at fifty
to sixty cents per bushel." We ought to
be encouraged by the experience OF
our Western friends and fight the foe as in
telligently and effectively as they do and
profit by our proximity to the best markets.
Ii we cannot compete with them in raising
potatoes it is doubtful if We can in any
thing. The difference in cost of transport
alton, after all that has been said about dis
| elimination. etc. amounts to pretty fair
pTOll Ou tut VI
But to return to the Colorado beetle, and
the question. What shall We do with
him? answer. nnhesitatingly, fight him
| with the very best weapon at command till
we wipe him out entirely, and in this am
but repeating what every potato grower
| from the Rocky Mountains 10 the Atlantic.
L. baa nd rcd tho
| advises All temporary expedients and
mild remedies have failed, and but
| one sure treatment il known, and
that is to feed Lin on Paris green. The
sensational letter of Mr. Hayes, State As
saver of Massachusetts,, has done the farmers
q great injury. Nobody questions but that
Paris green is a deadly poison, but the fact
exists that thousands of farmers have used
it without injury to themselves or anybody
else, except perhaps some Of the insects and
birds which prey upon the beetle, and it is
an indecent IT Election upon the intelligence
Of New England farmers to tell them that
they cannot handle poison as well as the
people out West, especially when they have
their ten years experience to profit by. |
know of potato fields which have been ex-
pensiyely hand-picked all Summer in which
there are more of the pests to-day than
ever before, ard yet the owners have not
got up to that point where they
can be il duced to apply the only sure rene
dy. They have" fusst I'd" with some of the
"safe" remedies till they are persuaded that
they improve the condition OF the foe, and
have finally abandoned them to keep on
with their hand picking. saw. to-day, in
ride of not more than mile, not less than
FIVE band picking parties. repeat that it
is the universal testimony of those who have
succeeded that the only reliable thing to use
is Paris green, and add the caution to buy
only of respectable dealers who sell the true
article. The best is the cheapest.
Iwish every newspaper in the State and
every man in the State could see the ne
cessity OF both prompt council and concerted
action against this great enemy to our great
table esculent. o. s. Bliss.
Georgia. July %. 1877.