The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-08-01
GOVFRNMENT GIVES WARNING
POTATO MOTH WORKING INJURY
~ SOME PARTS OF COUNTRY.
nonartment of Agriculture Tells How
70 Sort Tubers and Gives Remedy
for Killing the Moth.

for Killing the Moth.
UAsHINGTON, D. C.-The potato
Thar moth is working such injury to
.o+oto crops in various parts of the
sountry. especially in California and
rovos that the bureau of entomology
- the United States department of
agriculture has issued special warn
10 and instruction to potato growers
=. holm them overcome this highly in
t,rious pest. According to the spe-
.ioIis+s this moth is being rapidly
.nread over the country in shipments
- infested potatoes and. by careless
methods of using and distributing
seed potatoes. The warning is given
.. this time in order to enable the
farmers to take special action with
GOOD they will use for the fall crop.
The department particularly urges
notato growers to sort the potatoes
for seed two weeks after digging and
+ben 10 sort them over two weeks
later The tubers unaffected by the
tnber moth should then be placed in
q moth proof bin. 1t is easy to pick
mt the infected tubers because of
tho eycrement of the moth, which adj
heres by means of web to the out
side of the potatoes and can be easily
detected.
TIL tubers placed in the moth proof
hin after the final sorting should then
he fumigated by means of carbon hi
snInhid COR bisulphid of carbon as it
is also known, in order TO kill any
moths which might have bred out or
have slipped in through crevices, and
when the bin was opened. Carbon
bsulphid is applied by pouring small
quantities into fiat vessels such as
milk pans or pie tins. An average
of three pounds should be used in
1000 cubic feet of space. 1t is more
effective at high temperature, so or
80 degrees Fair. being best. About
A pint is poured into each receptacle
and the pans are placed in the bins
at the top. The gas being heavier
than air naturally penetrates the
mass of potatoes, reaching those at
the bottom. The bin should be tight
" closed for from "a to SO hours
with good assurance that the germi-
mating power of the seed is not de-
stroyed. The utmost care should be
taken that no fire, such as that from
a cigar, electric fan, stove or even a
gas light or lamp should be brought
into the vicinity. Otherwise, as the
gas is very infammable, fire may
result or an explosion follow.
All potato growers should keep a
careful lookout after fumigation.
At first the fumigated seed potato
should be inspected daily to detect
any growth of the insect; later, OBJ
servation every other day and finally
once a week should be sufficient. II
there is any indication that the tuber
moth is propagating a second fumiga-
ton with carbon bisulphid should be
given.
This method of saving seed pota-
toes is so simple, although very eff
fective, that the specialists fear that
many potato growers will disre-
gard it.
In order to grow potatoes the gov
eminent points out that it is neces-
saTy for farmers to work overtime on
cleaning up campaign, which
should begin at once on receipt OF
this special notice. Small and use
less tubers and tops should be very
promptly cleaned up and burned. The
land should be narrowed to break up
the clods and leave as few hiding
places as possible for the moths. For
The same reason all weeds and all
plants of the potato kind, such as
nlghtsheds, ground cherries and sim
liar weeds, should be destroyed over
large areas surrounding the potato
neId. The department urges growers
OF potatoes to cooperate in this gen.
eral work and thus lessen important
~ the numbers of the moths and re-
duce their chances for propagation.
II Is believed that if general coopera-
uon can be secured it will be possible
10 stamp out this insect pest. Any
Shpshod method of raising potatoes
at this present time is regarded as
particularly dangerous because OF
THIS moth, and the specialists urge
growers in infested districts to choose
some other crop rather than to raise
potatoes in a careless manner. I'm
less protective measures are adapted
at once there will be a serious reduc-
uon OF the potato crop.
n d. Fl IT ID.