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fact that many of the worst weeds and insect pests of agriculture are im- 

 portations from other countries, and with the history of the Grape Phyl- 

 loxera — its American origin and recent devastations in Europe — fresh in 

 mind, they feel the necessity of endeavoring to prevent a possible national 

 calamity in the introduction of our dreaded potato pest. 



To show that this alarm is not entirely unfounded, Mr. Riley 

 read the following passage from his 6th Report : 



That there will be danger of the insect finding its way to Europe, when 

 once it reaches the Atlantic sea-board, no one can doubt ; for the impreg- 

 nated females will live for weeks, and even months, without food, espe- 

 cially in the spring and autumn, when they also take most readily towing. 

 Such females, alighting on outward-bound vessels, may easily be given free 

 passage to European ports, and, as they will be apt to land without pass- 

 ports, it would be well for the authorities to look out for and prevent such 

 unwelcome incursions. I do not think that there is danger of its being 

 carried across the ocean in any other way ; for potato plants, on which the 

 eggs or larva? might be carried, are not articles of commercial exchange, 

 and seed potatoes do not, as a rule, harbor the beetles. Let our European 

 friends profit by our sad experience with this insect, and, taking time by 

 the forelock, endeavor to prevent its introduction into their potato-fields. 

 This end will best be accomplished through the agricultural and horticul- 

 tural societies, which should make provision for the dissemination of 

 correct information concerning the pest. A small card, giving a colored 

 figure of the beetle, or of all stages of the insect, setting forth the disasters 

 which would follow its introduction, and appealing to the reader to assist 

 in preventing such a calamity, would do good service if posted in the cab- 

 ins of vessels plying between the two countries, in the warehouses and 

 seed-stores of sea-port towns, and in the meeting-rooms of agricultural 

 societies. Some such simple means of familiarizing the public with a 

 possible enemy should be adopted in a country like Ireland, which will, 

 perhaps, be the first to receive the pest, and would suffer most from it. 



Mr. Riley stated that the subject had already been considered 

 by the authorities of Prussia, Austria, Switzerland, and France ; 

 and it was in view of the introduction of a bill in the Belgian 

 Chambers, prohibiting the importation of American potatoes, 

 that our Mayor had been importuned for advice, and gave it in a 

 letter, which concludes as follows : 



Treating your letter, therefore, seriously, I have to state that there never 

 has been a potato-bug seen flying about St.. Louis, or any other city in the 

 United States or Territories ; that the potato-bug never has caused any 

 alarm in any city nor in the country — only in certain seasons that seemed 

 to be favorable to the production of them. I am not aware of the potato- 

 bug attacking any other vegetable. I consider the fears of the people of 



