The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-05-06
CLEAN UP YOUR
POTATO BEETLES
Inspectors Making Desper-
ate Efforts to Eradicate
Pest of Spud Patches

Many of the potato growers and
growers of small patches are taking
the potato beetle clean up work as
. joke. It is very common to hear
the remark that "we had some beetles
and they all died. We didn't do any,
thing either. They all just disappear
ed, or the lady bugs are eating all
the eggs" These remarks are made
in the face of the facts that the beet
les are increasing each year.
It is also very common to hear the
remark "well the potato beetle has
come here to stay. It is impossible to
ever clean it up. came from coun-
try where there were millions of
bugs. They got all over the weeds.
alfalfa and trees. There is no use try
ing to clean them up.' These people
want to go on fighting the potato
beetle the same way that. they did
when they were boys fifty years ago.
1t is also a very common occurance
to hear the people that have the small
home patches say tthe potato beetle
doesn't hurt anything. It is all bunk.
won't clean up. What do we care
about the potato industry" This lit
tie home patch is the chief menace
and the largest obstacle to the erad-
ication of the potato beetle.
The Colorado potato beetle is one
Of the easiest insects invading farm
crops to clean up. 1t is big and clum-
sy and moves very slowly, which
makes it very easily picked off by
hand. In the spring just after the
plants get thru the ground if the
grower will pick off all the adult
beetles and repeat this two or three
times most of the beetles for the sum-
mer will be destroyed. Picking can
be done in much less time than it I
takes to hoe the patch. Spraying can
be done very thoroly if applied early.
The plants are then small and right
at the hands length. These factors
make it very easy to control the beet
le.
The belief that the beetle lives OH
al weeds is erroneous. The beetles
lily and light on many weeds and
various objects, even houses. But the
larvae or soft shells only reach ma
turlty On plants of the potato family.
clean up the night shades and all
Of the volunteer potatoes and the
weed problm is solved.
Spray the patch thoroly when the
young soft shells are found in the
neio. Parls green at the rate of one
pound to fifty gallons of water will
40 the work, but lead arsenate is
better. 1t does not wash or wipe off
as easy and shows what kind of
JoD OF spraying is being done. Use 2
pounds of arsenate of lead to fifty
gaiions of water. Don't resort to the
sprlnkllng or whistbroom method of
spraying. Rib up power sprayer.
thoroly. ''i'
Inc potatoes will have to be screen ,
90 II the grower doesn't get the field ,
) .aspected. TO make a field inspection ,
sne Inspector must visit the patch !
once week from now until digging
~ .,me' 1t is positively necessary for
.h the grower to notify the inspector
snat ne has potato field to be in
spec.eo. 1t will cost just as much per /,
a. 20 snip car to the quarantine ,
uis'r1cts ~ n.e II the fields are not inspect
81. Inc charge is made on the affi-
uavlt. The field inspection is free. .
ayone wanting the field inspection
please notify the horticultural in
spec'of at Prosser by mail. !.