The Greeley tribune., 1904-10-12
FIGHT A PEST
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
STATION GIVES ADVICE
How to Destroy Potato Beetle
Flea-Caution about Using
Fumigant in Dugout
Advised

The agricultural experiment sta
tion at Fort Collins has Just issued
press bulletin No. %, dealing with
the potato flea beetle and other pests
injuring the potato crop. There is
some good advice in the bulletin
that the growers would. do we'll to
study carefully.
The bulletin says in part: The
injury caused by this beetle to the
potato harvest consists in mines
made by the larval form under the
skin or into the flesh of the tuber.
The insect at this stage appears like
tiny worm. One may often see
portions of it protruding from the
tuber when dug. The worms now
in the potato will develop into the
adult, a minute black or dark brown
beetle, which feeds upon the leaves
of potatoes and similar plants. In
patches where it is numerous the
leaves will often be found to be
punctured with little round holes.
These may not be numerous enough
to attract attention, even when the
damage to the crop is considerable.
The only sure way to discover the
pest is to unearth several hills of
potatoes in different parts of the
field and examine the tubers care
fully.
Efforts should be made at this
time of the year to forestall the pest
next year.
To accomplish this the potatoes
should be dug as soon as their ripen-
ing will permit and, if possible, ex-
posed to the air and sunshine for at
least few hours, preferably day,
before picking from the ground.
In case the damage should be
continued in the stored tubers some
method of fumigation must be res
tOred to.
''Of these probably carbon bi-sul-
tide will be the most satisfactory.
Carbon bi-sultide is a volatile in
tiamable liquid which may be OBJ
tained in quantities at about ten
cents per pound from Edw. r. Taylor,
Cleveland, Ohio. In the ordinary
potato cellar about one half pound to
one pound will be necessary for each
ten foot square of the floor surface.
ITO apply the fumigant hte cellar
must first be made very tight. Close
the ventilators so that none of the
fumes will escape. Make the door
tight and prepare cloth or other ma
terial to pack around it when it is
closed. Then shallow dishes or deep
plates may be placed on the bins as
high as is convenient. This is in
order that the fumes, which are
heavy, may settle down over the
potatoes. When all is in readiness
the dishes may be filled and the
doors closed promptly and securely,
and left in this condition until the
following day, when they may be
opened and the fumes allowed to es-
cape before anyone is permitted to
enter.
''It should never be forgotten for
| a moment that the fumes of carbon
| bi-Sultde are very explosive and
poisonous. No fire of any kind
should be allowed near the open can
or in the building where the. liquid
is being eyaporated. This caution
applies to lighed pipes, cigars and
| lanterns.
UNFORTUNATELY the damage to the
potato tuber does not stop with the
insect injury. Various forms OF fungi
are abundant and ready to enter and
extend any injury. 1t would not be
surprising if the badly infected tu-
bers would also rot badly. Early dig
ging and exposure to the sun Will
not only kill most of the insects,
but will be helpful in that some
forms of fungi are also killed by ex-
posure to the sun.
The necessity of handling green
POTATOES so as to avoid bruiSing can
not be too strongly emphasized.
Bruised surfaces on potatoes, espec-
tally if they are sacked or placed IN
piles while the injury is still moist,
invite the entrance of the germs of
decay.