The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-31
!. The Potato Beetle.

| n1XCurc OI THilS OIcCd tllO liOQA VI
slaked lime, using two tablesp0Onsful
of the former to- a quart of either the
lime or flour.
There is no danger whatever OF p0is-
oning the potatoes, as articles of hui
man food, through the absorption OF
the poison, either through the foliage
or by the tubels from the soil. Paris
green has been in use among potato
growers in other parts OF. the country,
as remedy against potato beetles, for
over twenty-five years. When first
suggested for the purpose many OBJ
5Uected to its use through fear the crops
would be rendered poisonous as food.
Even some scientific men at that time
expressed some fear of the remedy.
But all such notions have proved
groundless, and Paris green is now the
standard remedy against the insect in
question.
Paris green is poisonous and a deadly
one, of course, should be kept in vessels
plainly marked poison! and out OF the
reach Of children or careless persons.
Paris green costs about 20c Il pound.
Much that is on the market is adulte-
rated and sometimes almost valueless.
One should be sure he is getting the
genuine article. A reliable test Of PIT
rity is to put some of the poison in
common household ammonia or harts-
horn. If the Paris green all dissolyes
leaving no sediment it is alright. Any
sediment indicates impurity. BY ap-
plying this simple test much valuable
time may be saved as well as useless
expense, especially when extension po-
tatoes are to be treated.
For applying the powder a good
method is to tie up q pound of the poi
son diluted as above in piece OF coarse
cotton bagging. This is affixed to the
end of stick some three feet long. A
similar bag is attached to the opposite
end. The stick should be just long
enough to reach from row to row.
Taking this appliance the operator
walks down the rows jarring the stick
while holding it so that the bag of
poison is suspended above the vines.
In this way two rows may be treated
at one time, OF even three or four rows
by arranging the appliance for the
purpose.
The powder may also be applied with
smallhand bellows, specially construct
ed for the Distribution of powders.
These may usually belhad of dealers in
agricultural supplies, or the larger
florists.
In other parts OF the country spray
ing the potato vines with arsenical
poisons for the destruction Of the pota-
to beetle has come into use, and is now
more generally the method of fighting
potato beetles than by means of the
powder applications.
AS potatoes frequently suffer from
fea-beetles and blight OF fungus dis
ease of the foliage, for which Bordeaux
Mixture has been found a valuable
remedy. It is common now to COM
bine the arsenical poison with Bordeaux
Mixture and apply the two remedies at
the same time, thus saving the expense
Of one application.
The liquid is applied with a regular
spray pump mounted on barrel in a
wagon. There is a special tank and
cart spraying machine geared up to
work by horse power for use in low
field crops on a,large scale, but the
apparatus is expensive. The spray
pump mounted on q barrel in u wagon
will answer all ordinary needs.
Such pump, compared with ordi-
nary water pumps, is rather expensive.
This is partly owing to the fact that all
interior parts must be made of brass to
resist the corrosive action of the liquids
used in spraying.
The nearest point where spraying
appliances may be had which the writer
knows of is "The Farm Speciality Co.,"
of Griffin, Ga. There may be other
dealers in South Carolina. If so it will
be no doubt desirable to get appliances
as near home as possible.
The spray-pump will need one or two
runs of 3-4 inch hose attached. These
should be from twelve to twenty-five
feet long.
The device for forming the spray is a
small specially constructed nozzle at
the end of the hose. Two good nozzles
are what are known as the Bordeaux
and dvermorel. The appliancci i'll opera
ton shouldpermit of thoroughly spray
ing all the foliage Of one or more rows
as fast as horse can walk.
Bordeaux Mixture consists of copper
sulphate or ''blue stone'' 6 pounds,
lime pounds, and water 45 gallons.
To make crush six pounds of copper
sulphate, enclose it in a piece of gum
my sacking and suspend next the sur
face of the liquid in ahalf barrel of
water In a separate vessel slake four
pounds Of fresh, quick or unslaked
lime, with a small quantity OF water,
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