1875.] 45 



The contents include the "Colorado Potato-Beetle," the "C'liineh Bug," the 

 " Flat-headed Apple-tree Borer," " Canker Woniis," the "Grape Phylloxera," and 

 the " Kocliy Mouutain Locust," and almost each article is an exhaustive life-history. 

 The Colorado Beetle is, of course, the much-dreaded Dori/pliora 10-lineata; the 

 Chinch Bug is Micropits leucopterus ; the Apple-tree Borer one of the Bujn-esiida 

 (ChrysobothrisfemoratusJ ; Canker Worms are species of Anisopteryx, not unlike 

 our A. cEscularia ; the Locust is Caloptenus spretus. In connection w ith tliis latter 

 insect, there is a map with shaded parts indicating the counties in the Slate of 

 Missouri that suffered from it in 1874, with the direction whence the insect came, &c. 



At a time when so much alarm is evident in Europe at the possibility of an 

 iiwasion of the Colorado Potato-Beetle — an alai-m that has induced the majority of 

 the Eui'opean Governments to prohibit the importation of potatoes from America^ 

 it appears to us that Mr. Eilcy's latest published opinions may not be uninteresting 

 to our readers, and we therefore quote them in extenso. 



He says (p. 8) : — " I must repeat the opinion expressed a year ago — and which 

 " has been very generally coincided in by all who have any familiarity with the insect's 

 " economy — that if it ever gets to Europe, it will most likely be carried there in the 

 " perfect-beetle state on some vessel plying between the two continents. While the 

 " beetle, especially in the non-gi-owing season, will live for months without food, the 

 " larva would perish in a few days without fresh potato tops, and would, I believe, 

 " starve to death in the midst of a barrel of potatoes, even if it could Kct there vrithout 

 " being crushed ; for while it so voraciously devours the leaves, it will not touch the 

 " tubers. The eggs, wliich are quite soft and easily crushed, could, of course, be 

 " carried over on the haulm, or on the living plant ; and while there is a bare possi- 

 " bility of the insect's transmission in this way, there is little probability of it, since 

 " the plants are not objects of commercial exchange, and the haulm, on account of 

 " its liability to rot, is not, so far as I can learn, used to any extent in packing. 

 " Besides, potatoes are mostly exported during that part of the year when there are 

 " )ieither eggs, larvte, nor potato-vines in existence in the United States. There is only 

 " one other possible way of transmission, and that is in sufTiciently l:ir;j;e hniips of earth, 

 " either as larva, pupa, or beetle. Now, if the American dealers be required to care- 

 " fully avoid the use of the haulm or shaw, and to ship none but clean potatoes, as 

 " free as possible fi'ora earth, the insect's transmission among the tubers will bo 

 " rendered impossible ; and when such precautions are so easily taken, there can be 

 "no advantage in the absolute prohibition of the traffic in American potatoes. As 

 " well prohibit traffic in a dozen other commodities, in many of which the insect is 

 " as likely to bo taken over as in potatoes, and in some of which it is even more likely 

 " to be transported. The course recently adopted by the German Government, in 

 " accordance with the suggestion made in my last Report, is much more rational 

 " and will prove a much better safe-guard. It is to furnish vessels plying between 

 "the two countries with cards giving illustrated descriptions of the insect in all 

 "stages, with the request that passengers and crew will destroy any stray specimens 

 " that may be found. Let England aiul Ireland, together with the other European 

 " Governments, co-operate with Germany in this plan, and have such a card posted 

 " in the warehouses of seaport towns, and in the meeting rooms of Agricultural 

 " Societies, and a possible evil will be much more likely avoided. Some of the 

 " English journals are discussing the question as to whether, with the more moist 



