The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-27
THE FARM AND THE GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO HOUSE,
WIFE AND AGRICULTURALIST

4 Late Spring-Insccts-Thc Potato
CrOp-OniOns From Seeds-Cost of
Plant Food-Grape Growing-Fer-
tfIizer for Cotton-The OK MARBLE.
Farm and Garden Notes.
Farmers and gardeners generally have
complained that it has been peculiar
spring. 1t has been unusually difficult to
get good stand of anything in the gar
len and in the field. Though the winter
was far from being a severe one, the
soil seemed to be colder than usual on
he first of April termination was alb
normally slow with all kinds of crops,
md then destructive insects put in
very early appearance and evinced dis
position to destroy the garden crops az
once and without the least compunction.
lice, flea beetles, Lincoln bugs, cut
worms green worms, grasshoppers and
last, but probably the worst of all the
Colorado potato beetle, came early on
the scene, and set In on their respective
plants. The last insect has done consid-
cradle damage. Last year it appeared
in injurious numbers for the first time
in Middle Georgia, and a great many po-
tato growers, were prepared to expect its
temperance this year. and to some ex-
tent made preparations TO fight it. Such
as did this, of course, have saved their
crops without much loss perhaps. There
were many though who did not expect
it, and consequently have permitted their
crops to be destroyed.
In this particular section drouth and the
potato bug existed simultaneously from
April Is to May Is, and the potato had
a hard time in reaching normal msturi-
ty. There will be an abundance of small
potatoes this year, as the consequence of
the combined influence of bug and drouth.
One gardener, that we know of,has been
going over his potato patch every other
day for the past three weeks, killing by
hand the insect in its various stages of
development. He applied Paris green
and Bordeaux mixture over free
ly to the potatoes, and wnile
the poison destroyed a large number of
beetles and larvae it was not sufficient
to keep the potatoes free from them lie
was afraid to apply poison second time
and concluded he would rely on hand
killing to carry the crop through. He
has had job of it. No doubt our friend
will learn by next year to make a more
economical fight with this insect.
Careless gardeners will probably con-
tinue to lose their crop of potatoes for
several years yet.
AS this insect has come to stay, 1t will
be necessary for growers to learn how to
intenigeutly contend with it.
1t is destructive to several other gar
den crops, notably the egg plant which
it will destroy in a very little while if
not closely watched. 1t is to be hoped
that it will not acquire a taste for the
sweet potato vine. Last year we discoV-
cred a few on the vines, but that may
have been something accidental, rather
than intentional. 1t would be a genuine
calamity if such voracious insect should
find the sweet potato plant to be agree
able food The later broods of the potato
beetle may, on the disappearance of the
Irish potato vines in early summer, turn
to the sweet potato as a means of pre-
serving life. The vines are in a very
succulent and inviting condition just at
that time. Well, we will not anticipate
such an evil.