13
Growing Good Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest
Some Ideas on the Homely "Spud" by Men Who Know Whereof They Write.
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
In this, tbe fifth of a series
' of article on potato growing,
diseases affecting potatoes in
the Northwest are discussed in
interesting ft vie.
By O. M. MOREIS, Horticulturist; J. O.
HAIXs Plant Pathologist, and M. A.
Y0THEB8, Asst. Entomologist,
at Washington Experiment
Station.
THE SPECIES of flea beetle most
abundant in this state, and in the
whole Northwest, in fact, is a dif
ferent speeies from those commonly
found in the middle and eastern states.
Ita habits and the nature of the damage
it does are much the samo as those of
the eastern species. Our species is
known as "The Western Potato Flea
Beetle." The larva, pupa and adult are
saown in t ig. 1).
Fig. 1. Tbe Western Potato Flea
Enlarged. (After Ore. Ag. Exp. Sta.)
During the season of 1913 this tu
on of toe most serious potato pests we
bad. It was especially abundant in
Eastern Washington, where in many
places it so hindered the growth of the
potate vines that the potato crop was
materially lessened. Doriag tbe month
of August it was no uncommon thing
to see the potato leaves almost com
pletely covered on tbe under side with
these small brown beetles. The adult
beetles are very small, about the size
of the bead of a pin only more elon
gated, and are of a brownish black
color. They get their namo "Flea
Beetles" from their ability to jump
very quicklky when disturbed. The
ebaraeter of their work is shown in
(Fig. 2). They eat almost always if not
Fig. 2. PoUto leaf showing charac
teristic flea beetle Injury. (After Jo
nannsen, Maine Exp. Sta.)
entirely from the under side of the
leaves and do not feed clear through,
but lcavo a thin, transparent membrane
on the upper surface in many cases.
Tbe leaves, after being fed upon, have
the appearance of having been shot
full of fine holea.
Pest la Serious.
The seriousness of this pest is in
creased by the fact that in many parts
or toe country it (as well as the east
ern species) is known to assist uninten
tionally in the distribution of the
fungous disease of the potato known as
early blight. The fungous enters the
tissnes of the leaf through the exposed
eaten edges of the feeding punctures
and spreads from them throughout the
leaf.
The eggs of the western species are
unknown, and those of the eastern
species have been found only a few
times. They are laid singly in the
ground in the latter part of June and
the first part of July. The larvae,
small, white and thread like, : re found
in the ground feeding on the potato
stems and tubers. Where at all abun
dant these krvae give the potatoes a
pimply appearance, which may serions
ly affect their sale as choice potatoes.
The larvae grow to their full size,
pupate in the soil and then transform
Beetle. A, r.dult beetle; B, papa- C, larva.
to adult beetles. Th-re are two genera
tions during the season. Ths'past sum
mer they were most abundant during
August. The adult beetles of tbe fall
generation pass the winter as adults,
and attack thj potatoes in the spring.
Treatment Is Advised.
The most effective 'reatmcnt for this
pest is to spray the plants with Bor
deaux, at intervals of about two weeks,
as long as the beetles are present. The
Hordoaux srves merely as a repellant.
Although the bettlcs work on the under
surface of the leaves only, it is possible
to poison them with an arsenical, such
.is arsenate of lead, applied to the un
der surface of the leaves. Bordeaux ap
plied to the under surface of the leaves
as well as to the upper surface is more
effective then when applied from above
only. Spraying machines are to be had
that are adapted for this kind of spray
ing, but with a little ingenuity any
sprayer can be so adjusted that it will
spray both tbe under and upper sur
faces of the leaves at the same time.
Such a machine not only places the
poison in the only place in which it
can be effective, but also increases the
efficiency of the Bordeaux repellant by
plaeing it on both surfaces of the leaves
at once.
Wire Worms.
Wire worms are primarily known as
grass infesting insects and do their
greatest damage te the grains and
grasses, including eorn, bot they are
aot averse to feeding upon the potato
tnbers when they happen upon them in
the ground, and often do considerable
damage by boring holes through them.
They are usually found in low grass
land or land one or two years removed
from the sod, but are oftea found in
land more or lees cultivated.
The wire worms are slender, white or
yellowish grubs (Fig. 3) from one half
to one and one-half inches long and
about one eighth of an inch across.
Some specimens are much smaller, how
ever, and some larger. Tbey are some
what flat and have smooth polished
skins more or less like shells. They
havo six short legs just back of the
head and a sucker-like foot on the last
segment or joint of the body. Some
kinds develop into pupae in the fall
and reach maturity the next summer;
others require two or three years to
complete their transformation. The
adult of the wire worm is the common
"click" or snapping beetle, as shown
in (Fig. J). There are maay kinds,
Fig. 3. Larva and adult of a wire
(After Forbes, Illinois.)
varying from one-fourth to one ineh in
length.
Methods of Control.
Wire worms are among the most dif
ficult insects to eontroL The best
remedy so far devised is fall plowing
to destroy the over wintering pupae in
their cells in tbe ground. Repeated each
fail for two or three years, this pro
cedure will work out most if not all
of tbe wire worms from the soil. Owing
to the fact that all of the larvae do
not develop to maturity in the same
season, this prolonged treatment is
necessary in order to remove those
pupae requiring two or three years to
develop.
baity fertilizers, such as Kamit or
nitrate of soda have been used with
good results. These salts act as repl
iants. Poison bait, such as green alfalfa
poisoned with strychnine, placed nnder
stones and boards -n the gardens have
killed many of them. Poisoned slices of
potato or carrots are also good baits.
Crop rotation is valuable in working
the lnrvae out of the land. Clover
should follow the crass, eorn er seme
other cultivated erop follow tbe clover
and then potatoes. Or potatoes may fol
low two years of clover or alfalfa.
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DEACONS NOT "DRY" ON
EASTERN SHORE
BALTIMORE, Md., May 23. Dor,
ing a bearing before the public service
commission, it developed that, unless he
be a druggist, tbe only way a resident
of the "dry" Eastern shore can eb-
tain liquet is te beeome a chureh of-
fieer.
. The hearing was held on the protest '
against the increased rate on liquor put
into effect by the Tdehester Steamboat
Company. Capt. Hiason, president of
the company, admitted that be was do
ing everything he could te discourage
the shipment of liquor by his line.
Under the new law, liquor can be
shipped only to druggists, for medicinal
purposes, and to churches, for sacra
mental pwrpescs.
In his argument Attorney Chapman
for the Tolehester Company said:
"If a gallon of liquor or six dozen
bottles of beer were shipped to a
church and a man called for it and said
he was deacon of the ehureh, how was
the agent at the wharf to know whether
the caller was telling the truth t"
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