234 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



do not feed on vegetation, and the beetles, when mature, fly to the fields in swarms to 

 feed. The crops which are most generally attacked are mangels and beets, but tomatoes 

 and potatoes are also attacked. A satisfactory feature, too, is that a swarm seldom 

 remains for any considerable length of time in any one field. 



The Cucumber Flea-beetle (Epitrix cucumeris, Harr.). — This minute beetle, 

 which does not exceed one-twentieth of an inch in length, is black, covered with short 

 fuscous hairs, and is much more frequently complained of as a potato pest than as an 

 enemy to any other crop. It is sometimes, in hot dry summers, one of the worst 

 enemies of the potato, eating many small holes through the leaves and reducing them 

 bo much that they are unable to perform their functions. Reports of injury have 

 been received from Vancouver Island and several places in Ontario. The best remedy 

 for this insect appears to be spraying the vines with Bordeaux mixture. This treat- 

 ment has given far better results than spraying with Paris green. The practice, too, 

 of spraying potatoes with Bordeaux mixture is also an excellent" one, as being an effec- 

 tive preventive of the Early Blight of the Potato, as well as of the much more de- 

 structive Potato Rot or Late Blight. 



The Five-spotted Hawk-moth (Protoparce celeus, Hbn.). — The large caterpillar 

 of this moth, known as the Tomato Sphinx, is frequently found in some numbers upon 

 tomato vines, but its work is so conspicuous and the tomato makes such rapid growth 

 that its injuries are very seldom important in Canada. However, the caterpillar feeds 

 on many other plants belonging to the Nightshade Family, such as the potato and 

 tobacco. It is frequently the cause of considerable loss in the large tobacco fields in the 

 county of Essex, where it is generally spoken of as the Tobacco Worm. This name, 

 however, belongs properly to an allied species, Protoparce Carolina, Linn., which occurs 

 very rarely in Canada. Prof. Lochhead, of Guelph, writes : ' The Tomato Sphinx was 

 very abundant in 1901 on tomatoes, potatoes and tobacco. In fact, it was no trouble to 

 gather hundreds of specimens of the large worm in a few hours.' During the past sum- 

 mer some reports were received from western Ontario of injury to potatoes by the cater- 

 pillars of the Five Spotted Hawk-moth. The potato, however, must be considered an 

 exceptional food plant and the insect is not likely to become a regular pest of that 

 crop. 



THE POTATO-STALK WEEVIL (Tricholaris trinotata, Say). 



During the past summer, another insect has been added to our Canadian list 



of crop pests. Prof. Lochhead 

 writes to me as follows : — 



'In September I received from 

 Mr. J. A. Auld, M.P.P. for South 

 Essex, specimens of potato vines 

 which were completely destroyed by 

 the Potato-stalk Weevil, and he 

 reported that this insect was very 

 prevalent in Pelee Island. Last 

 year, he said, the island exported 

 30,000 bushels of potatoes, but this 

 year it will have no more than 

 enough for itself, and none to spare. 

 It is almost impossible to tell the 

 presence of the insect in the vines 

 until they commence to wither and 

 die. The vines sent me were badly 

 tunnelled, and in some of them were found grub, pupa and adult.' 



Fig. 10. — The Potato-stalk Weevil 

 pupa and beetle — enlarged. 

 (Kindly lent by Dr. J. B. Smith.) 



larva, 



