POTATO CULTURE. Ill 



the left hand, and a long paddle, made of a light barrel-stave 

 (which is just the right length), is used in the right hand to 

 gather the larvae in from a row on each side. We have a tin 

 pail, holding six gallons or more, with a tight cover, at the 

 end of the field. Into this we empty beetles or larvae. A 

 dose of boiling water at night fits them for the fertilizer-pile. 

 I should say that beetles and larvae are not nearly as numer- 

 ous as they were ten years ago probably not one-fifth as 

 many. Our neighbors pick beetles too ; and this destroying 

 the foes and leaving the friends may have helped us some. 

 When poison is used, the foes of the beetles may be destroy- 

 ed too. 



At first we hired children, partly, to pick the beetles. 

 Late years it has been done by a man from town, who is not 

 able to do heavy work, and doesn't need to, and still who 

 enjoys getting out in the field and pure air. He has taken 

 the job for his board, and it was not a heavy one. Again, 

 we must keep just so much help anyway; and machinery 

 enables us to care for the crop so rapidly that there is time 

 that could be devoted to this purpose, if needed, that would 

 cost us little. 



Strong-growing varieties, fertile soil, potatoes always on 

 fresh land (rotation) all these things help. Bugs eat the 

 weak little plants worst. You have seen it. Nature is down 

 on the underling ; " survival of the fittest ;" " unto him that 

 hath shall be given." Do you say those cattle are not doing 

 well because they are lousy ? You are twisted. They are 

 lousy because they are not doing well. Care for them bet- 

 ter. Care for your potatoes better. Some authority has 

 recently declared that yellows in peach-trees was caused by 

 lack of fertility. Bugs would do precious little harm here to 

 an acre of potatoes fed so they would grow into a solid mass 

 of vines in six or seven weeks after coming up, even if not 

 one was picked off. 



We observe the habits of the beetles. They fly only on a 

 warm day, and come from where they were the year before 



