The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-23
Fighting Insect Pests.

Fighting Insect Pests.
As remedies are discovered for dis
es.>es Of plants. and noxiouS insects are
kept in check, the farmer + sometimes
sslsldenly oonfrunte,i with a new insect
enemy or with some disease which 10
him was previously ui.soowa. There
are causes Cor such happenings, A. oom-
meroe between countries opens a path
way for the introduction ~ in-s''ts and
diseases, though every Precaution may
have been take. 20 prevent such mis-
fortunes The potato beetle = an
American native, however, but was
unknown until advancing civilization
penetrated his headquarters in Coiora-
do, when he Immediately returned the
recognition Of his presence by ssssS.Ic-
ing East. The potato beetle y now
here 10 stay, for, while millions Of
pounds Of arsenic have been used in its
destruction and thousands Of busy
haads have assisted in picking tine
vines, il has not been within the pow
er Of farmers to annihilate the pests
The potato beetle is not alone, however
a. the cabbage worm holds its ground
and the gypsy moth, san Sose scale
and various forms Of fungi continue to
entail loss and expense amounting to
millions of dollars.
COMBINATION REMEDIES.
To combat the raysges Of the insects
and other plant enemies farmers should
work together and Use the proper reme-
dies at the right time. AT the New
York experiment station it has been
discovered that better results are OBJ
tanned by using Paris green and Bor-
deaux mixture together than to use the
Paris green alone, as the combination
protects against both the potato beetle
and the flea beetle. 1t is best to be
careful and use the required remedy,
and for purpose, rs Paris green does
not destroy plant lice, kerosene emul-
sion is not preventive of miidew and
Bordeaux mixture is not efiicacions
when used for the destruction of cur
rant worms. Each remedy must be
applied for a special purpose and one
can not be substituted for the other.
Bordeaux mixture is fungicide and is
used not to destroy such diseases as
potato blight, but to prevent the diff
Guilty, hence it is valueless if applied
after the disease has been established.
If used in connection with Paris green
tusing the Bordeaux mixture with Paris
green instead of water the twofold
object of destroying beetles and blight
may be accomplished.
THE COST AND THE GAIN.
The farmer has been well informed
on these matters, and well knows that
in order to produce good crops he must
resort to the remedies, but lie hesitates
when the cost of the labor and ma
terials are estimated. The cost will de
pend, however, on the amount of bene-
fit derived. 1t may be anything but
economical to allow the crop to be de-
stroyed because the expense for reme-
dies aud their application must be met,
but il has been demonstrated that there
is large gain over the cost If the crop
is tres..ed at the proper time, and this
gain depends nnOn the varieties of
potatoes planted, as mach as sll.50per
acre having been gained by uhe use of
remedies compared with crops treated
diff rentlr, as this profit was estimated
after the cost for remedies had been de
Quoted. There are occasions when
remedies are used needlessly, but farm
ers must learn how to avoid 80 doing.
What is necessary is 10 attack all fungi
early in the season and keep it away
from the crop. BY so doing the ex-
pense of treating the crop later will be
saved. When the potato beetle must
be destroyed the combination of Paris
green and Bordeaux mixture may con-
tinue a. preventive of blight and is
sure to destroy beetles. n knowledge
of the fact that these two remedies can
be advantageously combined will effect
a great saving in labor and time.