PRACTICAL PAPERS—COLORADO POTATO BUG. 343 
using it not to allow any of it to get into the eyes or nose, as 
it is a virulent poison. Perhaps as good a mode as any, where 
the bugs have not been permitted to get too great a start on the 
vines, would be to introduce amonsf them a number of the 
spined-soldier-bug described and figured above (Fig. 52.) By 
beating forest trees into an inverted umbrella, large numbers 
of these cannibal bugs may be obtained in a short time, and 
temporarily deposited in any convenient vessel, along with a 
quantity of leaves, to prevent them from fighting and destroy¬ 
ing one another. It must be recollected, however, that many 
plant-feeding bugs, very much resembling our soldier friend, 
occur on trees along with him, and that, unless care is taken 
to discriminate between your friends and your loes, your ex¬ 
perience may be as unfortunate as that of the London cockney 
who bought a wolf instead of a sheep dog to take care of his 
sheep. 
Paris green has now become the remedy, and is the best yet 
discovered. Having thoroughly tested it ourselves, and hav¬ 
ing seen it extensively used, we can freely say that, when ap¬ 
plied judiciously, it is efficient and harmless. If used pure 
and too abundantly, it will kill the vines as effectually as 
would the bugs, for it is nothing but arsenite of copper (often 
called “ Scheele’s green” by druggists), and contains a varied 
proportion of arsenious acid, according to its quality—often as 
much as fifty-nine per cent, according to Brande & Taylor. 
But when used with six to twelve parts, either of Hour, ashes, 
plaster or slacked lime, it causes no serious injury to the foli¬ 
age, and just as effectually kills the bugs. The varied success 
attending its use, as reported through our many agricultural 
papers, must be attributed to the difference in the quality of 
the drug. 
We hear many fears expressed that this poison may be 
washed into the soil, absorbed by the rootlets, and thus poison 
the tubers; but persons who entertain such fears forget that 
they themselves often apply to the ground, as nourishment for 
the vines, either animal, vegetable or mineral substances that 
are nauseous, or even poisonous to us. Animal and even veg- 
