MISCELLANY. 



761 



uniform system of weights and measures, 

 must precede the introduction of an inter- 

 national or universal pharmacopoeia, but 

 that we are now on a footing for establish- 

 ing " a unity of standard for the composi- 

 tion of the principal preparations of the 

 pharmacopoeias of the English-speaking 

 people, and this notwithstanding the radi- 

 cal differences between the systems of 

 weights and measures in Great Britain and 

 in this country respectively — the expedient 

 needed to be adopted being no other than 

 for the United States and British Pharma- 

 copoeial authorities to unite in putting into 

 force the rule established by the Scandi- 

 navian nations, at their international con- 

 vention, held in 1865, when the pharma- 

 copoeias of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, 

 were unified, and which rule is, to express 

 the relative quantities used in pharmacy in 

 proportional parts by weight, as, e. g., two 

 parts by any system of weight of the first 

 ingredient, four of the second, and one of 

 the third, etc., thus securing like relative 

 proportions in aU standard compounds." 



The Colorado Potato-Beetle.— Some time 

 since Prof. Charles V. Riley predicted that 

 the dreaded Doryphora decem-lineaia, or Col- 

 orado potato-beetle, would reach the Atlan- 

 tic States in 1878, the prediction being 

 based on the average progress eastward of 

 fifty miles per year. But latterly the move- 

 ments of this pest appear to have been ac- 

 celerated, for our esteemed contributor, Dr. 

 Samuel Lockwood, has, during the past sum- 

 mer, found potato-vines infested with the 

 larvae of the genuine Colorado beetle in 

 West Freehold, X. J. From a communica- 

 tion by Dr. Lockwood to the Monmouth 

 Democrat^ a copy of which, with several ad- 

 ditional notes inserted, has been kindly fur- 

 nished us by the author, we take the follow- 

 ing account of the researches which led to 

 the identification of the Xew Jersey brood 

 with the formidable "Western insect -pest. 

 Having secured some specimens of the lar- 

 vae from West Freehold, Prof. Lockwood 

 placed them in a glass jar with a quantity 

 of potato-leaves. They fed ravenously on 

 these for some time ; symptoms of the pupa 

 change were then observed, and, some fria- 

 ble earth having been furnished, the larvae 

 burrowed into it, and soon assumed the 



pupa form. In due time the perfect beetle 

 appeared. But, as there are two species of 

 Doryphora (2>. decem-lineata and D. juncta), 

 one of which, the D. juncia or bogus Colo- 

 rado beetle, is common in the Atlantic 

 States, and, as both are very much alike in 

 the beetle-form. Dr. Lockwood took every 

 precaution to avoid error in his diagnosis. 



In the larva stage the difference between 

 the two species is decisive. Larvae of the 

 "bogus bug" have on each side the body a 

 row of distinct, round, black spots, while 

 larvae of the true Colorado species have two 

 rows of these spots on each side of the body. 

 To make assurance doubly sure. Dr. Lock- 

 wood procured eggs from the beetles he had 

 himself raised, and had larvae hatched from 

 them. There was now no room for doubt, 

 for every one of them had the double row 

 of spots. This conclusion is concurred in 

 by Prof. C. V. Riley. 



The capacity of the Colorado beetle for 

 reproduction is amazing. They bear three 

 broods in one season : one female has been 

 known to lay 1,200 eggs. Says the Cana- 

 dian Entomologist : " If the progeny of a 

 single pair were allowed to increase without 

 molestation for one season, the result would 

 amount to over 60,000,000." 



In anticipation of this insect reaching 

 Europe from our Atlantic States, the Ger- 

 man Government has made thorough prep- 

 aration to meet it. Prussia has adopted a 

 system of traveling lecturers on agriculture, 

 Wa7iderleh7-€r. Each Wanderlehrer has a 

 district of twenty or thirty miles, and his 

 duties are to visit the farmers personally 

 and instruct them. Specimens of the Colo- 

 rado beetle have been supphed to these 

 teachers, so that, through their instructions, 

 the German farmers are already well in- 

 formed as to this insect, in fact, know all 

 about it, and can recognize it when it comes. 

 If such a thing is possible, it will be de- 

 stroyed on its first appearance. 



The original home of this insect was 

 Colorado. It is known that it lived upon 

 the mountains there over fifty years ago, 

 and that it fed upon the Solanum rostratum^ 

 a species of wild-potato. When the white 

 man began planting potato-patches on the 

 Rocky Mountains, better food, and in larger 

 quantities, caused the great increase of the 

 insect, which immediately began spreading 



