Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-08-16
new POTATO SCOURCE
County Agent Gunderson In
Circular Letter Warns
of New Pest.


The appleleaf hopper is new pest
potato growers in this section must
fight to save their crop from ruin.
County Agricultural Representative
Gunderson has issued the following
information to Villas county growers:
II am sending you circular issued
by the University on the new potato
pest. We were hoping it would not
reach us but it is here and some fields
are nearly ruined already. What we
have thought was sun scald or tip
burn is in most cases caused by this
insect. visited several fields Friday
far apart and found leaf hoppers in
every one. Only by spraying as di-
rected can the crop be saved. Tri-
umphS seem to be attacked the worst
probably because they were the far
thest along when the fly laid the eggs.
But the second generation will attack
the late potatoes unless the insects
are destroyed now. Look under the
leaves on any vine that appears dried
up and see if there are not small
green lice there. They are the ones
that cause the willing
"The circular gives the remedies
now known. Possibly later better
remedies will be found but at present
they are the only ones known. Kero-
sene Emulsion can be made at home
from kerosene, soap and water. The
tobacco preparation cannot be OBJ
tanned here now but the druggists
will likely soon have it.
"Call the attention of your neigh
bors to this danger. 1t is the worst
calamity that has ever affected our
potato crop and if not conquered will
ruin the crop.
"For further information call on me
or write OSCAR GUNDERsON.
The apple leafhopper has appeared
in destructive numbers over a large
part Of Wisconsin and is now in Vi
las county. You can find them on
your own potatoes. Go and look at
them as once. They suck the sap out
of the leaves and cause them to turn
black and dry up. In the worst cases
even the stems have blackened and
died.
Most of the damage is done by the
young insects which stay on the I'M
I - II 1oo roy
" but do not hop. These were chang
ing to adults with wings in southern
Wisconsin July 10 July %. These
little green fyhoppers fly readily and
will spread to late potatoes, beans,
and adjoining crops where another
generation of young will be produced.
Just how serious this will be cannot
be predicted until early in August.
Aphids are also appearing on many
fields. They will be found in small
patches near the tips of the leaves.
The rene ly for the Leafhopper will
apply equally we'll for the Aphids.
REMEDY: The best remedy is
nicotine sulphate, ordinarily sold as
''black Leaf 40" by seed stores and
drug stores. Use it in the proper
tion of part TO $40 of water, II
teaspoonsful to a gallon, or a. table
spoonful to a pail. Five times as
much soap as tobacco solution should
be added to the water.
IT the "BlaclI Leaf 40" is not OBJ
tainable, kerosene emulsion may be
used. To make this add two gallons
Of kerosene, one bar Of soap lone
quart Of soft soap to gallon of boil
ing waller and run back and forth
through u spray pump until it makes
cteamy emulsion. On small amounts
an egg beaten may be used.) Use one
part of this mixture to seven parts of
cold water.
Either the tobacco solution or the
Kerosene emulsion must be thorough
ly SPRAYED so as to strike the under
surface of the leaves, as the remedies
only kill the insects that they hit.
Use an iron pipe bent into a crook
for spraying underneath, or else draw
the potato vines over just in font of
the sprayer by dragging a heavy
stick over them, allowing the spray to
strike just at the plants are bent and
springing up.
The young hoppers are readily
killed by this method. The ones with
wings will usually fly and escape this
treatment. If they are numerous
enough to warrant treatment, spray
in the early morning when they are
sluggish. The reason late potatoes
were not attacked was because the
leafhopper few to the fields and
laid their eggs before the late pota-
toes were up. The second generation