49 



It is to be noticed that all the western places which in 1871 were the most badly affected, 

 were in 1872 far more seriously attacked. In no one place do we find that the beetle after 

 making its appearance one year, has not reappeared in the following season. The following 

 list of Societies reportiug the advent of the beetle lor the first time, will shew what its on- 

 ward progress is: — 



Middlesex, N. 

 Durham, W. 

 Wellington, N. 

 Frontcnac, 

 Hastin";s, N. 



Hastings, E. 

 Northumberland, W. 

 Middlesex, W. 

 Peterborough, 



Perth, S. 

 Simcoe, S. 

 Niagara, 

 y ictoria, 



Norfolk, N. 

 Wellington, 

 Grey, S. 

 Oxiord, N. 



S. 



E. 



Wellington, N. 



While the following were those receiving most injury :- 

 Bothwell, Essex, Middlesex, 



Lambton, Perth, S. Klgin, E. 



We are quite aware of the inaccuracy of these statistics, as we know that in some of the 

 new places the beetle appeared in 1871. We base the statements, however, upon the returns 

 given to the (Jonimissiouer. It would be very desirable to obtain statistics of the various sorts 

 of potatoes grown, as we are quite satisfied from our own experience that some varieties are 

 much more subject to attack than others, and we would beg respectfully to suggest to the Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture the propriety of obtaining such information during the coming season. 

 From the monthly reports of the Agricultural Department published at Washington, we 

 obtain some information respecting the ravages of the Colorado Potato Beetle in the United 

 States. 



The returns of their correspondents shew that the crop of 1872 was less than that of 

 1871 by ab ut six millions of bushels. This, however, comprehends "sweet potatoes" as well. 

 The western States, in which the potato crop had .suffered for several 3'ears past from the ra- 

 vages of the Colorado beetle, reported dniuui-hing losses from that cause, and were the onl^ 

 States, N>>rth Carolina and Texas excepted, reporting increased production. 



In the following twelve Western States, viz., Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wiscon- 

 sin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, California, and Oregon, the average yield 

 ■was only 98 bushels to the acre, while the average price on December 1, 1872, was 50 cents 

 per bushel. 



Harding County, Iowa, is I'cported exempt, after several years' visitation of the beetle 

 " Tyck's Seedling" Potato is claimed to be " bug proof 



\Vc give these statistics as it is fr.im the Western States that the Colorado Beetle has 

 worked its way, and they shew to some extent what effect has been produced by its ravages 

 for some years past. 



In our immediate neighbourhood at London the beetles literally swarmed, and thousands 

 were daily trodden down on the sidewalks and streets, and we look for a still further increa.se 

 next year. We may mention as a curious fact, that although we had previously seen many 

 hundreds of thou.iands of the perfect beetle, it was only last season that we for the first time 

 saw even one in actual flight; but perh ips the numbers we saw this year on the win<» 

 fully compensated for the " masterly inactivity " of those f rmerly observed by us. 



Our natural allies the insect enemies of the Colorado Beetle appear to be slightly on the 

 increase, thus furnishing further evidence, if any is required, that Dame Nature still main- 

 tains the " bal.mce of p wer," and that for every natural evil that arises, some natural 

 remedy is sure to bo found; and although the remedy pcrliaps may not, in our estimation, 

 work quite so rapidly as we could desire, yet it is none the less sure and effectual in the end. 

 Eispecially have we noticed the more frequent presence of the Fifteen Sp tted Ladybird 



(Mysia 15 punctaia, Oliv. ) — see 

 Fig. 3? — and several friends 

 have brought us in specimens 

 of I'crilliui circumcinclus, Say — 

 sec Fig. 38— which they detec- 

 ted in the act of attjicking the 

 larvie of the Colorado beetle. 



We still continue to recom- 

 mend Paris Green as the chief 



Fig. 37. 



