TO KILL POTATO BEETLES. 211 



Mr. Beowx. I will say that I put it on, and the potato* 

 leaves were partially killed. I cannot say that that was what 

 killed them ; but I have no doubt about it, because I only 

 applied it to a few hills, and those few hills were the only 

 ones that were seared. The edges of the leaves looked as 

 though they .had been seared. 



Dr. Fisher. I have no doubt that Paris-green will injure 

 plant-foliage when too liberally applied; and that is the reason 

 why I make the suggestion that you use it in the proportions 

 of not more than one pound of Paris-green to one hundred 

 pounds of plaster; and my experiments next year will be to 

 increase, and even to double, the amount of plaster. There 

 is no need of applying a large quantity of the green. The 

 slightest possible quantity that you can get on will answer 

 just as good practical purposes as any larger amount : there- 

 fore it is useless, and possibly dangerous, to apply any 

 more. 



Major Phustxey (of Barnstable). I would like to inquire 

 how effectually they can be destroyed upon the vine by the 

 labor of boys, which would not cost much. It has been done 

 to a considerable extent, I believe ; the boys passing through 

 the rows with small pieces of shingle, and destrojang the 

 bugs upon the leaf. I believe Professor Chadbourne last 

 year recommended something to that effect, and stated that 

 the bugs, when not more than a week old, in large fields even, 

 with but small labor, had been destroyed by boys ; one boy 

 attending to an acre or more, and occupying but a few 

 hours each day, and destroying them upon the vines. That 

 has b ien preferred rather than run the risk of using Paris- 

 greeu. There is an objection in very many sections of the 

 State to the use of Paris-green for almost any purpose ; and 

 there is an objection in man}^ cases to the purchase of pota- 

 toes if people know that Paris-green has been used for the 

 purpose of destroying the bug. 



. Dr. Fisher. I consider that prejudice • entirely absurd. 

 We had a story last summer that the fish in the Connecticut 

 River, which were dying in large numbers at one time, were 

 poisoned with Paris-green that had been used in the potato- 

 fields on the banks of the Connecticut. That comes under 

 the head of bugs, but it is one of the hum species. 



Question. May it not be that the plaster has as much to 



