The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-18
THE POTATO BUG
EASY TO CONTROL IF YOU GO AT
TT m THE RIGHT WAY.
Some Simple Directions As to How
the Pest Can Be Prevented From
Doing Much Harm.

Doing Much Harm.
There is great complaint from all
sides about the injurious work OF
the Colorado beetle, commonly
known as the potato bug. The insect
Paris green for poisoning it on the
is very easily controlled, probably
more so than. any other insect in
America. While most people use
Parise green for poisoning it on the
plant, they generally use the Paris
green without the addition OF lime.
Paris green can never be used on
plants without being diluted in some
form, unless a special powder gun for
this purpose is provided by which
the operator can gauge very accu-
rately the amount of Paris green
nut to an acre, which should be ap-
proXimately pound.
Where the farmer has no spray
pump available, of course, the next
best thing is to apply the Paris green
dry. In that case it is considerably
diluted with some dilutent, like road
dust, land plaster, -four, or some
similar cheap material, at the rate
of about fifty parts Of dllutent. 1t
can then be applied freely through
a dust, which may consist of tin
can with perforated bottom, or a
bag of osnaburg cloth. The material
is put in this bag and then shaken
over the plants.
Where spray pump Is available,
it is best to spray the insecticide at
the rate of one pound to 100 or 125
gallons OF water. When it is spray
ed it should not be forgotten that
to every pound the milk of lime,
made by Stacking 8 pounds Of quick
lime, should be added to the mixture.
When this lime is added, the solu-
ton may be used with safety on
potato plants in any quantities, and
no trouble from scorching will be
experienced.
Other measures frequently recon-
mended consist of sprinkling the
plants with road dust, -four, air
slaked lime, chimney SCOT, sulphur
OF even cotton seed meal. Most Of
these are very cheap, while some are
expensive. All of these have larvae
of the beetle, and by causing others
to decamp. The affect is not as
thorough, however, as that of good
poison, like Paris green, applied ac-
cording to directions given above.
Where a powder gun is available,
q person can set this at the rate Of
one pound to the acre, and by a
little practice can guage his steps
by walking across the field so that
the proper amount is applied. In
the morning, when the dew is on,
q large territory can be covered in
this way, and is one of the simplest
and cheapest ways of applying the
poison.
In buying Paris green it should
be borne in mind that coarse Paris
green is not good as an insecticide.
1t scorches more easily than a fine
ground Paris green. 1t is good
plan to always obtain the compo-
sition of the material in buying, or
know the house from which the
Paris green is obtained.
Paris green, ordinarily, should
not contain more than 6 per cent
soluble arsenic, while in some States
the law requires that no Paris green
sold in the open market shall con-
tain more than per cent. The
extent to which Paris green scorches
the plant depends upon the percent
age Of this soluble arsenic. For
complete descriptions for preparing
the various insecticides see Bulletin
141 of Clemson station.