302 ANNUAI^ REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The jjotato bugs, which are oue of the worst of the enemies of 

 the potato at the present time, should be closely watched and 

 desperately fought, before they are able to put in their pernicious 

 work, as it is of the utmost importance that the foliage of the 

 young growing plants should be unmolested, to enable it to carry 

 on the good work assigned to it. The partial annihilation or punc- 

 turing of the leaves by the beetles will often induce blight, and 

 when the young plants are thus affected in their early stage of 

 growth, they will never fully revive, but will die prematurely, 

 without result, often curtailing the crop very materially. For this 

 purpose Paris green is very effective, but should always be used in 

 connection with limewater, which must be well strained, to have 

 it free from sediment and allow its passing through nozzles without 

 clogging them, if sprayer is used. The limewater should always 

 be produced from freshly burnt lime, of equal weight with that of 

 the Paris green with which it is to be united. The lime has the 

 property of neutralizing the caustic power of the Paris green, and 

 thus the mixture has a similar effect upon the foliage of the plants 

 as Bordeaux mixture. It will tend to freshen up, instead of burn- 

 ing andMujuring the plants. To keep on the side of safety and make 

 sure of success, I would certainly not venture to apply Paris green 

 without the addition of lime. 



To lessen labor and expenses, when growing potatoes, a good 

 potato digger, sorter and light, strong bushel boxes are almost in- 

 dispensable. When it is necessary to store potatoes in bulk of 

 hundreds or perhaps thousand of bushels, necessitating them to 

 be placed in bins or large hea[)s of from four to five feet in thick- 

 ness, they should positively be allowed to remain in the soil at least 

 from ten to fifteen days after (he vines are entirely dead before 

 being dug, in ordcM- to become fully seasoned and have the skin 

 become hardened, to admit of their handling without bruising and 

 rupturing the same, which would make them subject to decay. 

 Also, the seasoning process in the soil, naturally destroys, to some 

 extent, their power of generating heat when stored, which, if in 

 excess, would likewise induce rot and cause an endless lot of trouble. 



For good results, I" have found it best to have them stored in 

 a dark, cool and slightly moist place, with conditions somewhat 

 similar to those of the soil itself, from which they were taken. As 

 a money crop, the potato possibly ranks first among the many other 

 common farm crops of the present age and should, for this simple 

 reason if for no other, be, at least to some extent, included in our 

 rotation. With this same purpose in view the very best care and 

 attention should be given it and every means should bo employed to 

 make as reasonably sure of a successful crop as possible, even if 

 a heavy limestone soil must necessarily be employed on which to 

 raise it. 



