Report of the State Geologist. 675 



just cause, as it can be picked from the potatoes day after 

 day, by whole families, with no bad result. Large quanti- 

 ties of them in the state of putrefaction, like all otlier ani- 

 mal matter, is disagreeable, and, doubtless, unhealthy, and 

 they sliould never be left to putrefy, but be burned or 

 destroyed with boiling water, and then buried. As they are 

 voracious feeders, they may be killed with poison, like 

 arsenic or Paris green, mixed with flour, and dusted on the 

 potato leaves. As these substances are very poisonous if 

 swallowed or inhaled, great care sliould be taken in their 

 use. 



As regards their depredations in the New England States, 

 of course we have much to fear, and yet we have some 

 things in our favor. First, its natural enemies. The " lady 

 bird," which, perhaps, is more generally known as the lady 

 bug, has been very abundant this season, causing the destruc- 

 tion of myriads of plant lice, and they need but encourage- 

 ment to assist the farmer in the destruction of the potato 

 beetle, as they are a deadly enemy. The eggs of the " lady 

 birds " are very much like those of the potato beetle in 

 color, but are smaller and not so many in a cluster, but 

 always laid in close proximity to those of some other insect. 

 As soon as they hatch, they commence their war of exter- 

 mination, and, as they are voracious feeders, they follow it 

 up almost unceasingly. This lady bug is about two-thirds 

 the size of the potato beetle when fully grown, of a yellow- 

 ish red color, with two or more black markings on each 

 wing cover, being shorter and more thick-set than the 

 potato beetle. In fine, they are about the size and shape of 

 a half pea. There are several varieties, but all are the 



