Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-27
NO. 255
Misfellanepns.
THE POTATO BUG,

| AnS ou'on' Vi lhc pOtatO pug IN new
England, portions OF which have been vis-
| tied this season for the first time by the
| destructive insect, creates considerable
alarm in view OF its large increase next
| year, and consequent devastation of the
potato crop, which in Maine and some
other sections forms so considerable sta
pie of agricultural produce. The CoIora-
| do beetle Is not SO recent discovery or
product of evolution as many suppose.
having been described as long since as
| 1924. when specimens were seen on the
| Upper Missouri. Its original habitat was
| supposed to be co-extensive with its nat
ural food the solanum rostratun, which
| ranges from Texas and New Mexico to
the Upper Missouri, eastward Of the
mountains. Probably the Eastern ,migra-
ton OF the bug, which has brought it in
to prominence during the last few years.
commenced when the inroads of ciyiliza-
tion brought the potato into the native
| region OF the bug and furnished him at
| once with the incentive for travel and the
means OF subsistence along the route. As
early as 1859 the Colorado bug had
reached point one hundred miles west
OF Omaha. 1t appeared in Kansas and
Iowa in 1861, and entered Iowa the fol.
lowing year. In 1S64-5 the bug crossed
the Mississippi, landing in Illinois at five
points upon frontier of two hundred
miles. 1t has since journeyed towards
| the East at a rate of something over
seventy miles year. In 1867 it ap-
peared in the Western portions of Mich
igan and Indiana. and by the following
year had overspread the latter State and
invaded Ohio. In 1871 it swarmed
throughout the Ontario peninsula and
made its first appearance N the Middle
States. year or two PREVIOUS the bug
had penetrated southwark to Kentucky.
New York was overspread with the pest
| in 1873. II become well established in
the Atlantic States, from. Connecticut to
Virginia, during 1874, in the summer of
which year it appeared in Williamstown,
Mass, in small numbers. The year 1875
witnessed its increase and occupation of
other localities in the State, and its en-
try into Vermont. New Hampshire and
Maine.
The experience of the regions it has
passed over in its eastward course has
been substantially the same as to the
| manner OF its propagation and distribu-
| tion, and the close observations of emf
nent naturaIists have rendered US famil-
lar with its habits and the best means for
its destruction. The bug hybernates a
few inches below the surface and ap-
pears above ground in spring, before the
potato plant comes up, feeding upon the
young shoots. When the leaves are de-
veloped, the female lays her eggs on the
under side OF the leaf. The average
number produced by single insect is
estimated at one thousand. from which
consideration the advantage OF kill
ing them off early in the season will
be apparent In the West there are three
broods year. generally speaking, though
the beetle may usually be found at any
| time IN all its stages, as the laying period
covers term OF forty DAYS, and the earli-
cr deposits will have hatched out and
grown to maturity while some are yet in
the egg. The last brood burrow in the
ground about October, to remain dormant
until spIing.
The best remedy is hand-picking, thor
| Oughly and Systematically continued.
The survivors of the winter are compara-
lively few. and they make their way di-
| rectly to the first potatoes. so that by con-
| certed action OF the potato growers of
| neighborhood they could be easily disposed
of. BY planting a few early potatoes in
| a corner by themselves in every field to
be used Tor a late crop, and carefully
destroying the bugs as they gather to the
early vines, vast amount of trouble later
in the season will be saved. The eggs
and larvae on the vines should be looked
after and destroyed. II, however. the
early hand-picking has failed to- get rid
OF The bugs. poison should be promptly
applied. Paris green being deadly pois-
on should be used with great caution.
One part may be mixed with twenty of
cheap flour and busted on the vines in
the early morning when the dew is on the
leaves. One of the most simple of the
many contrvances which Yankee inge-
nuity has devised to accomplish this effec-
| lively is to silt the flour after mixing from
| fine muslin bag, attached to pole or
| from dredging box. There are many
''patent" preparations, sprinklers, &C., in
| the market, which profess to be eficacious
In spreading the poison. Carbolate OF
| lime, made by mixing half an ounce of
crude carbolic acid with pound of lime,
| is used by some as a substitute for Paris
green. 1t is busted on the leaves in o
similar manner. Air-slacked lime has al
so been used occasionally. The idea of
| starving the bug out by planting only
| early potatoes aud leaving him in the
| fall without subsistence is impracticable.
| There are many other plants which he
will eat in case his favorite food is unat-
tainable. Manuring, which tends to pro-
duce luxuriant growth of vines, makes
the removal of the bugs more difficult.
BY q combination of the farmers of a
neighborhood to plant each afew early
potatoes aud destroy the first bugs of the
season and their eggs as rapidly as they
appear, the evil can be easily got under;
but even by isolated effort potatoes can
be raised and protected by hand-picking
and poison, at an extra expense OF not
over five cents per bushsl. Bul unless
the farmer is resolved to exterminate by
every possible means all bugs appearing
upon his crop, it is better to forego plant
ing next season rather than 10 be the
means Of affording breeding ground to
the insect.