Show busy potato plea flea Is easily halted sprays and dusts are best suited for control of bothersome pest the potato flea beetle la is a tiny plump shiny black insect about as ai long as the diameter of 0 the lead in a pencil and slightly narrower in width the presence of flea beetles may be easily detected by the peculiar perforated appearance of the injured foliage in cases of serious damage to leaves by this pest says a writer in the wisconsin agriculturist the leaves look as if they had been riddled by shot the beetle hops like a flea which gives it its name during the warna warm days of june and july Is the tinie to to watch for this pest and use the sprays and dusts best suited for its control fie flea beetles feed on a large variety of plants but are most troublesome on cucumbers potatoes tomatoes e egg plants radishes and cabbage and are believed to be responsible for or the spread of certain diseases in july or august a second brood may play havoc with potatoes tomatoes and egg plants bortuna fortunately F tely flea beetles dislike leaf surfaces covered with any foreign material such as sprays or dusts and if treatments are made before serious injury occurs and it the leaf surfaces are thoroughly coated the insects are easily held in check since the adults appear suddenly and work fast it Is important to keep beep a close watch on the field or garden to detect defeet the first signs of invasion calcium arsenate in bordeaux bordea ui mixture Is regarded as the safest and most effective spray while tobacco dust with lime of a calcium arsenate and copper sulfate dust with lime are recommended among the dust preparations |