The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-07-05
Given by the Georgia Department
Of Agriculture
FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE,
some News Relating to Farming, Gar
dening, Dairying, Stock Raising,
Etc, Which VIII BE Interest
ing to the Farmers.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
ATLANTA, June 1, 1894.
COLORADO POTATO BEETLE.


bug that is doing great damage to my
potatoes. What is it, and what is the
remedy? r. G.. c., Dallas, Ga.
The enclosed bug is the Colorado po-
tato beetle which, in many sections of
the country, has been very destructive
in the potato fields. It has only in re-
cent years made its appearance in north
Alabama and north Georgia, and east
and middle Tennessee. Paris green or
London purple, both being arsenites,
are regarded as the best remedies Use
In the dry form, mixed in the proper
ton Of one pound of the poison to five
OF flour, and two of dry dust, fine ashes
or air Stacked lime; apply with sitter
or perforated pan. If sprayed or sprin-
killed. over the vines in liquid form, use
a small teaspoonful to two gallons of
water or even three gallons. Be careful
in handling the Paris green or London
purple, as 1t is a deadly poison.
CUT CLOVER.
When is the best time to cut clover
for hay? P. o. P, Crawfsh Springs.
In our opinion, the best hay is made
by cutting the clover when it is in full
bloom, before the seeds have formed.
Experiments on this subject coincide
with this view.
THE HORN FLY.
Through large portion of southern
Georgia this pest has proven very an
noying to cattle, and while we have pre-
v1ously answered as to life habits of the
fly and the remedies suggested by the de-
partment at Washington, yet, owing to
the large number of inquiries that con-
tinue to be made, we give the following
valuable suggestions from the work of
the Mississippi experiment station:
The remedies for the horn fly consists
of a. various applications to the animals
to keep the flies off; (9) applications to
the animals to kill the flies; and (3) ap-
plications to the dung to kill the larvae.
During the past two seasons we have
experimental with many substances
which have been applied to keep the
flies from the animals, most of which
have proved of but little value, as they
evaporate so rapidly. The following,
however, have been fairly satisfactory,
as they keep the cattle free from flies
from a week to 10 days.
Crude cotton seed oil or fish oil and
pine tar mixed, about two parts of the
former to one of the latter. The two
mix readily and are very easily applied
to the animals at milking time by means
of large paint brush Applied in this
manner it takes but half minute to a
cow, making the cost of the application
but small item. We have treated $50
head at time with the crude cotton
seed oil and tar in this way, using but
four gallons of the oil and less than two
gallons of the pine tar. The cost of the
oil is 30 cents per gallon and of the tar
about so cents, making the total cost of
the application to $50 head about s.. go,
or about three-fourths of a cent per
head.
A preparation known as ''gnat oil, ="
which is largely used in some localities
for buffalo gnats, as its name implies,
has given about the same success as the
above. 1t is made as follows
Crude carbolic acid, ounce.
Pennyroyal, 1-2 to l ounce.
Sulphur, 1-9 pound.
Crude cotton seed oil, 1 gallon.
This was applied to the animals in the
same manner as was the first prepara-
ton. and we were unable to see any
difference in the animals treated with
the gnat oil and those treated with the
crude cotton seed oil and pine tar MKT
ure, both preparations keeping the ami
mails free from the flies from a week to
10 days, depending to some extent upon
how numerous the flies were at the
time.
The best application to kill the flies is
kerosene emulsion. In 1892 we expert
mented quite successfully in this line.
The milk emulsion was used, made by
mixing thoroughly one part of slightly
sour milk with two parts of kerosene
and then diluting this with 12 to IS
parts of water. The emulsion was
applied to the animals at milking time
by means of knapsack sprayer, di-
recting the spray directly upon the flies
as much as possible. After three appli-
cations in as many days the flies were
killed out SO that they wers not again
numerous until nearly three weeks la
ter. In 1893 the emulsion remedy was
again tried, but not with as favorable
results. The crude cotton seed oil and
tar mixture being so cheap and 80 easily
applied, we have adopted this method
of treatment as the best.
Some writers have recommended the
application of lime or plaster to the COW
dung in the field to kill the larvae as be-
ing the best method of lessening the