The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-27
Advice to Potato Planters
BY NJ. |. Dean, State Horticulturi.t.

Owing to the prominence of the po-
tato-growing industry in western
Montana, it is of paramount impor-
lance that farmers should familiarize
themselves with the different potato
pests, and the best methods of con-
troll. There are two classes Of ene-
mics to the potato, viz: Insects which
prey upon the foliage or stalk and
fungus diseases which attack the tub%
ers in the form of scab, or attack the
vines and tubers as does the potato
blight. Many of these troubles are
first introduced into clean territory
by the bringing in of diseased seed,
and as dealers are bringing seed into
the state from all sections, great care
should be taken in the selection Of the
locality from which the seed is
shipped. 1t is conceded by prominent
| dealers in many eastern cities that the
| Montana potato, when well grown. has
no superior. The popular Northern
Pacific dining car service has built
up its fame by serving the Montana
great, big baked potato" and they
pay extra prices to the growers. who
produce the product. The potato is
a crop that d~eteriorates rapidly if
proper conditions are not given it.
The soil must be well drained; rich,
but not too heavy, and very carefully
irrigated if the large, clean mealy
tuber is produced. Montana has
worlds of that class of soil if it is only
selected. and treated properly. Vari-
ETY. does not enter so largely into the
selection of seed as does type.
The popular potato is the medium
sized, white, elongated, slightly flat
ened tuber with shallow eyes, fully
grown and matured. Varieties have
been juggled to the extent that deal
ers have given them local names and
disseminated the same variety under
many names, but the types remain
the anne. One precaution must be
taken and that is that varieties must
be used that will fully ripen where
grown.
Probably the most common pest in
Montana today lis the Colorado beetle,
as it stands first and foremost among
the enemies of the potato grower in
nearly all sections Of the country
where potatoes are grown. Some of
the Flathead sections are yet free of
this pest. About 1870 this beetle was
recognized as a. potato pest, and it is
probably responsible for the introduce
ton of Paris green, one of the first
arsenical compounds introduced for
the poisoning of leaf eating pests.
This has been worth millions Of dol
lars to the American farmer, as it has
opened the possibilities of a%rsenical
compounds for the control of all fruit
and vegetable eating insects.
The beetle is a native of the Rocky
mountain region and until 1855 seemed
contented to feed only upon the wild
plants of the solonaceae family, but
it's tastes seemed to change toward
the cultivated plants, and in 1859 they
had travelled from Colorado nearly to
Omaha. In five years they crossed
the Mississippi river and advanced
eastward until they covered the At
lantic states. There are some of the
western states that are yet free of this
pest.
Nearly everybody knows the life
history of this pest and the essential
thing in it's control is to get the old
bugs which first appear in the spring
by catching and killing or by poison
ing as soon as they appear. This can
be lone by chopping fine or smash
ing old tubers and placing them in
last seasons potato stubbles n pois-
oning them with Paris green. If
proper care is taken the young larvae
a be poisoned as soon as they
hatch. The old beetles deposit the
eggs upon grass. weeds and the pota-
to leaves as soon as they come out of
the ground and in about a week there
is Matched a hungry bunch of larvae
which gorge themselves upon the ten
der leaves.
This checks the growth of the plant
if it does not entirely kill it. There is
probably nothing better than Paris
green to combat the potato beetle
with. One pound to fifty gallons of
water will kill the young larvae, but
sometimes it is necessary to use two
or three pounds to kill the old beetles.
1t is advisable to use four pounds
of fresh lime with each fifty gallons
Of water, and if three pounds of cop
per sulphate is added it makes the
Bordeaux mixture, which is a fungi
eide and a preventative against po-
tato blights. 1t will also increase the
yield and quality of the potatoes,
ever though there are none of the
blights manifest because it stimu-
lates the growth of vines and they
measure the quantity and quality of
the tubers.
Potato Stalk Borer.
In some sections this insect has
rivaled the Colorado beetle in damage
done to the potato vines. In 1890 the
crop in Iowa was badly damaged. Ir
1895 it had spread to New Jersey ant
was more or less injurious In the mid.
die states. The grubs which bore
into the stalk of the vines are the
larvae of a small ashen grey beetle
which appear in the early spring.
On account Of the internal feeding