﻿EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT 



and ashes, applied to each hill of potatoes just as the plants are com- 

 ing through the ground — the object being to check the cracking and 

 raising of the soil, and thus prevent the beetles from hiding around 

 the young plants at night or during cold weather. The application 

 appears in addition to keep the beetles off, at the same time that it 

 invigorates the plant. 



Col. Fred. Hecker, of Summerfield, Ills., writes me that he had the 

 past summer a patch of potatoes covered with straw, which had 

 entire immunity from the insects' attacks ; but it is doubtful whether 

 under the same treatment such immunity could always be relied upon. 



Of machines not previously referred to, Mr. S. S. Rathvon of Lan- 

 caster, Pa., speaks very favorably, from experience, of one patented 

 by Mr. Anthony Iske of that town. It is a machine simple in con- 

 struction, but is quite effective in sweeping the bugs from potato and 

 tobacco plants into receptacles provided for that purpose. It is com- 

 posed of two pieces of tin gutter pipe, about two feet long, which 

 hang near the ground, one on each side of the row of plants, while 

 above them is suspended a broom. The revolution of the wheels on 

 which the machine is propelled causes the broom to vibrate from side 

 to side, knocking the bugs off the plants against wooden shields, 

 which are placed behind the gutters into which the insects fall. The 

 gutters are said to be adjustable and to accommodate themselves to the 



[Fig. 2.] 









Peck's Spray Machine. 



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