June, 1919 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
139 
Watch for Potato Beetles 
The hard-shellecl striped potato 
beetles are already beginning to 
make their appearance and will 
soon lay their orange-colored eggs 
in masses on the under sides of 
the leaves of young potato plants. 
Almost before one realizes it, the 
pinkish-red larvae or “slugs' ’will 
hatch from these eggs and will be- 
gin to feed on the tender tips. 
Important. Spray when the 
“slugs” first begin to hatch. Don't 
wait until the plants are partly 
eaten. Every leaf that is eaten 
reduces the potato yield. 
Sprays to use. Lead arsenate, 
calcium arsenate and zinc arsenite 
are all effective and stick to the fo- 
liage better than paris green. The 
last two are cheaper than the .first. 
They should be used at the rate 
of two pounds to two and one-half 
pounds of the powder to 50 gal- 
lons of water and 50 gallons 
should ordinarily cover an acre. 
Paris green may also be used at 
the rate of one pound to fifty gal- 
lons of water with the addition of 
two pounds of slaked lime, Paris 
green often causes burning, does 
not stick to the foliage as well as 
the former three, and does not 
show white on the plants. 
The poisons may be added at the 
same rate to Bordeaux mixture 
where this is used against flea 
beetles and blight. 
Applications. The spray should 
be applied when the young first 
begin to hatch and should be re- 
peated as necessary. Ordinarily 
two applications per season are 
enough. 
Cover all parts of the plants. 
Unsprayed parts give the “slugs” 
a chance to feed for some time be- 
fore they reach the poison. 
L. G. Gentner. 
The Raspberry Beetle or Byturus 
A small, slightly hairy, light 
brown beetle, about one-seventh 
inch in length is causing consider- 
able damage to the buds and ten- 
der leaves of the raspberry in Wis- 
consin this year, especially about 
Madison. As soon as the blos- 
soms appear they are also attack- 
ed, the stamens and pistils being- 
eaten off, and thus often causing 
a total loss of the crop. 
These beetles lay their eggs in 
the blossoms and as soon as the 
eggs hatch the young grubs carry 
on the destructive work started 
by the adult beetles. When abun- 
dant many of the grubs adhere to 
the berry at picking time, making 
it necessary to carefully handpick 
the fruit intended for table use. 
These beetles need not cause 
any alarm if proper controj mea- 
sures are applied as soon as they 
are noticed. Spraying- is the best 
method to get rid of this pest, us- 
ing 2 pounds of powdered arse- 
nate of lead to 50 gallons of water. 
It should be applied very thor- 
oughly, especially to the young- 
growing tips. NOW is the time; 
the beetles are already working, so 
make a thorough examination of 
your red raspberries (they do not 
seem to attack the black varieties) 
and if you find the beetles do not 
delay the spraying. 
Chai’les L. Fluke, .Jr. 
Cutworms are Injuring- Plants 
Already many young plants are 
being cut off by cutworms. This 
is especially true on land that was 
in sod last year. Growers should 
watch their fields and gardens 
closely and where the injury 
shows up should immediately 
broadcast poison bran mash in late 
afternoon or early evening at the 
rate of about 5 pounds per acre. 
The poison bran mash is made 
up as follows : Thoroughly mix one 
pound of Paris green or white ar- 
senic or two pounds of lead arse- 
nate with 25 pounds of bran. Di- 
lute two quarts of low grade mo- 
lasses with two or three gallons of 
water and add the juice and pulp 
of six finely ground lemons or 
one ounce lemon extract). Stir 
this into the bran, adding more 
water, if necessary, to make a 
crumbly mash. 
A small number of plants may 
be protected by placing either stiff 
paper collars or tin cans with tops 
and bottoms out around the plants 
and pushing well into the soil. 
L. G. Gentner. 
Controlling Asparagus Beetles. 
Asparagus beetles may be satis- 
factorily controlled by dusting 
the infested plants with fresh air- 
slaked lime, according to entomol- 
ogists at the Ohio Experiment Sta- 
tion. The treatment has the best 
effect if applied in the early morn- 
ing when the plants are damp 
with dew. 
On large areas plants to serve 
as baits may be allowed to grow at 
intervals in the rows. These plants 
may be treated each week by dust- 
ing with arsenicals or the plants 
may be cut and burned. Plants 
dusted with poison must not be 
used for food. 
On new beds spraying or dust- 
ing with arsenicals will kill both 
the adult and larval forms of the 
beetle. The dust commonly used 
for this is four pounds of arsenate 
of lead to one barrel of air-slaked 
lime or plaster. 
Watch the red cedar trees for 
signs of cedar apple, a yellow or 
orange colored mass of material. 
This is one form of the rust that 
has injured many apple orchards. 
Cut this off the trees and destroy 
it or take the whole cedar tree if 
you would have good fruit. 
