ARID AGRICULTURE. 



265 



POTATO 



BEETLES 

 AND BEET 



BEETLES 



CUT WORMS 



the surest, best and cheapest of remedies. Pro- 

 fessor Gillette, of Colorado, says that one of the 

 simplest and often a very effectual remedy, is to 

 grow plenty of chickens and turkeys to range 

 over the infested fields. Poultry must be pro- 

 tected at night against coyotes and other animals. 

 "Where large fields are affected, hopperdozers 

 may be used. Grasshoppers collected in this 

 way may be sacked and pressed or dried and 

 used as breakfast food for poultry. 



The Colorado potato beetle is common almost 

 everywhere. At our high altitudes this beetle is 

 sometimes effectually held in check by the "lady 

 birds,' 7 which eat their eggs. Beet fields often 

 suffer damage from the ravages of blister beetles 

 and other leaf-eating insects. It is not difficult 

 to destroy these insects by the prompt and thor- 

 ough use of the Paris green or arsenate of lead 

 spray-. 



The cut worms are produced by night-flying 

 moths and are most difficult to treat, because they 

 hide in the top soil, more especially during the 

 day. They generally feed at night. They may 

 be killed by baits of poisoned bran made as we 

 have suggested for grasshoppers. A trap crop 

 may be used in the garden by planting radishes 

 or other plants which cut worms like, between 

 the regular crop rows. Good trap crops are 

 young weeds which are eaten as well as other 



