Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-08-26
BUCLESS POTATO
EX-SECRETARY BONNEY TELLS
OF VARIETY THAT BUGS
WON'T ATTACK


in The Press as to whether any bug
less potatoes are grown in South Da-
kota, G. H. Bonney of Forestburg, S.
D., former state senator and a man Of
high standing, asserts that he has a
variety of potatoes so constituted as to
cause all the potato bugs in the Unit
ed States to starve to death and save
the potatogrowers of the country some
millions of dollars paid out for paris
green and an untold amount of labor
and money.
| When asked whether any variety OF
| ''bugless potatoes" iS known, both the
South Dakota Agricultural college and
the United States department of agri-
culture declared there was not. So if
Mr.. Bonney's positive claims are to be
considered, he has a vegetable discov-
cry not only novel, but of great i'm
pOrtance.
1t was estimated by a wholesale drug
house in Sioux Falls this summer that
it had sold fifty tons of paris green
during the season, almost entirely for
use on the Colorado beetle, commonly
! known as the potato bug. Many in
genious persons have endeavored to
| find labor-saving system of killing
| these pests, but to date there is no sure
| way of destroying them except by per-
sonally administering liberal doses of
| this poison. Fifty tons of paris green
is worth to the user about $50 900, and
| as the Sioux Falls drug house men
toned probably did not supply more
| than third of the state, it Is quite
| possible the annual bill for paris green
in South Dakota alone amounts to
| something like 100000. That means
in the United States the potato bug
| costs, in paris green alone, not less
| than 100000 a year. Notonly that,
but the bug reduces the yield of the
potato an unestimated amount. Any
way, it is certain this insect requires
good many millions of dollars for it's
| annual support.
TESTED FOR YEARS
Concerning his bug-proof potatoes
Mr.. Bonney says:
II have variety of potatoes called
| 'Bugless,' and as long as have known
them, they have never had bug on
them. I have them growing here now
| and can prove this assertion any day.
This variety was first brought here
from near Fergus Falls, Mimi, some
seven or eight years ago and has been
grown here ever since. Under no con-
ditions have the Colorado beetle ever
attacked this variety, even alongside
of other varieties destroyed. They are
good yielders-subject, of course, to
climatic conditions. The quality is I'M
| surpassed In their season, that is, from
| March Is to Sept. Is. They are in
form and looks similar to the Great
State of Wisconsin potato, large, round
| and slightly oval. The date they are
| first class for table use speaks we'll for
them. They are fine variety to ship
| for late eating, hard and mealy with
small, shallow eyes. Anyone who can
tell me why the bugs do not eat them
will present with peck of the seed"
Sample leaves of the potato were
| sent to Prof. N. E. Hansen of the
South Dakota Agricultural college, who
has an international reputation as the
man who introduced various fruits and
grains and grasses from Russia and
who has been the representative of the
United States government on such mis-
sions. He was asked for an explanation
and a statement whether he knew any
| thing about any "bugless" potatoes.
The leaves were particularly healthy
and perfectly sound and were declared
to be representative of the whole patch
from which they were taken. Prof.
Hansen's reply follows:
HANSEN DOESN'T KNOW OF THEM
II have no experience with and do
| not know of any such variety of po-
| tatoes. Several years ago l had few
varieties of potato from Germany and
ri mr. mt q
iety was practically immune to potato
bugs, but as it was inferior in other
| respects, the matter was not follow
ed up. 1t would certainly be wise 10
have the variety tested carefully in
several experiment stations before
heralding the fact abroad that such
variety existed"
Asked for a statement upon the sub
ject, w. ". Shear, scientific assistant
in the department of agriculture at
Washington wrote to The Press:
I'VE do not know of any variety of
potatoes that are not subject to the at
| tack of the beetle, neither do we think
| that the quality of the soil would af-
| feet the character of the vine to the
| extent of making 1t immune to insect
attacks. There is no doubt that If a
| variety of potato could be obtained
which produced vines that bugs would
| not eat, they would be desirable kind
to grow, but thus far such a variety
has not been found so far rs our in
| formation goes'
John HELM of Viborg, s. D., states
that he has raised the bugless potatoes
| for several years and invites the full
| est investigation 10 prove his state
ment that the bugs will not destroy
| them.
The South Dakota Agricultural COL
lege will be asked to test the new
variety Of potatoes In order that their
quality may be proved beyond all
chance OF dispute
| Sioux Falls-A despatch received
| Saturday afternoon from Omaha con-