The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-03-29
JOHNSON URGES
fight ON BUG
LOCAL DEMCSTATION AGENT
SAYS POTATO RAiSERS SHOULD
NOT GIVE UP-BUG EASILY
WHIPPED.

WHIPPED.
The Colorado beetle (the potato
bug) is probably the best known CT
all the pota-eating insects. 1t seems
to have been q native of Colorado
hence its name. 1t began it's eastward
march before 1860. In 1882 it reached
Nova Scotia, and has been pest over
the whole eastern portion of the coUn-
try ever since. That it will ever dis
appear hardly seems probable, altho
it varies in number greatly in different
sections at different times. 1t flies
readily in bright hot weather, but the
distance it can cover in this manner
does not seem to be known.
A few persons state that they be-
lieve the bug came from something
attached to the potato. 1t is known
fact that untold numbers of families
deprive themselves of the excellent,
wholesome Irish potato solely on &C
county of their not being able success
fully to exterminate this pest when it
appears. Others fear to use the pois-
ons with which it can be controlled.
Be it known that this bug does not
come from an egg or anything else
attached to the potato at the time of
planting. This beetle winters by bury
ing itself in the soil, coming out with
the first hot days of spring, and some
times appear in such numbers on po-
tato field, where the plants are just
breaking ground, that all growth made
for several days is eaten. 1t is at this
stage Of the growth of the plants that
they are hardest to combat, as there
is so little leaf surface that it is prac-
tically useless to try to poison them.
They mate at once and egg laying
commences within few days if the
weather remains warm, the little pota-
to plants frequently having several
hundred eggs on them when two or
three inches high.
If the plants can be covered up with
soil it will spoil these first egg clus-
tiers, these clusters are yellow and
may be easily discovered on the I'M
der side OF the leaves. The work of
fighting them should not be delayed
until damage is done the plants, as it
will result in a loss of crop that will
amount to many times the cost of the
labor and material needed to rid the
field Of them.
Now for the control of the pest: 1t
is utterly useless to put anything OF
the potato cuts with the hope of the
plant taking up and storing enough of
the bad tasting substance to ruin the
appetite of the bug and drive him
away. 1t is thought, and is practiced
to small degree by few, that Gov
er'ng the cut with sulphur before plant
ing will keep the bug away. The bee
tie simply did not happen to find these
patches where no damage was done af-
ter such treatment.
Bug Death is recommended by an
authority, and it is claimed to be en-
tirely harmless to stock or human be-
ings.
Taris green may be used as dust
for the beetles. One pound Of Paris
green mixed with from to 20 pounds
of air-slacked lime, perhaps best to
mix in proportion so as to give a good
green tinge to the mixture. Flour may
be used in the same proportion, but
2 or 3 pounds of slaked lime should
be added to prevent burning by the
Paris green. Dust this on with an or
binary flour sack when dew is on the
plants. Apply uniformly and do not
wait too long to repeat the operation.
Paris green may be used also as
spray in proportions of 1 pound of
Paris green, pounds OF lime and 100
gallons of water.
Arsenate OF lead may be used in
paste form, 3 pound to so gallons of
water or in dry form, one and one-half
pound to same amount of water.
In mixing either of these insecticides
for the spray makes the powder into
paste by adding little water and
mixing before adding to the large guam
tity Of water.
If you need help to fight Mr.. Beetle,
let our aid be requested. You can
whip the little bug. Don't miss all the
good, juicy, we'll favored, .healthful
appetizing Irish potatoes on account
of Just little bug"