126 THE POTATO 



on the Pacific Coast. Great losses often occur in stor- 

 age as well as in the field. The moths fly at night, 

 and lay eggs on the stalks and tubers. Destruction of 

 the moths by trap lanterns, the destruction of infested 

 stems, careful hilling of potatoes, getting them under 

 cover as soon as dug, cleaning up the refuse of 

 the field, and a rotation of crops is recommended. 

 In storage, fumigation with i^ pounds of carbon 

 bisulphide per thousand cubic feet of air-space will 

 destroy all the larvae if repeated five times at intervals 

 of two weeks. This gas is inflammable, and no lights 

 must be taken near. It is a heavy gas, and sinks from 

 the top of the building. 



POTATO STALK WEEVII, ' ( Trichobaris trinotata ) . 

 This beetle attacks the stalks, causing them to wilt. 

 It is found from Canada to Texas and Florida. The 

 vines should be destroyed as soon as attacked, and 

 weeds belonging to the potato family kept down. 



Another insect has caused similar trouble in Maine. 3 



GRASSHOPPERS {Melanoplus sp.) do much damage 

 during some seasons, especially after the hay crop is 

 cut, by severing parts of the leaves. Bordeaux mix- 

 ture containing an arsenical poison is the best deter- 

 rent, being better than the arsenical compound alone. 



THE JUNE BUG (Lachnosterna sp.). The big white 

 larvae of these beetles often eat the tubers. They are 

 most prevalent on land which has been in grass, 

 although if land is in clover but one or two years less 

 trouble may be expected. 



1 Consult U. S. D. A. Div. of Entomology, Bui. 33, 6. Ind. Report, 1895. 

 Kan. Bui. 82. Pa. D. A. Report, 1896. N. J. Bui. 109, pp. 25-32. 

 3 Me. Report, 1897, p 173. 



