110 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF 



venport, who had previously made tomato and potato growing a spec- 

 ialty, was forced to go to raising small grains on its account, in 1^67, 

 having lost 30 acres of potatoes by its ravages in 1866; while in 18G7 

 Mr Suel Foster, of Muscatine, Iowa, offered a large premium to any- 

 one who would insure his crop of potatoes. Now I have received 

 numbers of letters which go to show that the damage done to pota- 

 toes in Iowa in 18G8 was comparatively very slight, and the following 

 article which Mr. Foster published in the Prairie Farmer of May 

 16th, 1S68, sufficiently demonstrates that Mr. F. would have been I he 

 loser, had any insurance company seen fit to insure his crop on his 

 own terms : 



'' For three years past I have given the most discouraging accounts 

 of the ruinous destruction of our almost indispensable potato crop # 

 I now have a word of encouragement. Last year I planted very spar- 

 ingly of potatoes ; the year before, by great perseverance, I succeed- 

 ed in raising a few Early Goodrich and Harrison, by continual pick- 

 ing and killing the bugs, and last year planted the product on a new 

 piece of land where no potatoes had been raised; but the bugs found 

 them as soon as they were up; I picked the bugs awhile, then gave 

 them up to their destruction, and the potatoes were nearly destroyed. 

 About the first to the tenth of June the bugs began to diminish. We 

 found the little red and black spotted lady bug quite numerous and 

 active, eating the eggs of the potato bug. I didn't believe those little 

 lady bugs could possibly destroy enough of the eggs of the potato 

 bugs to materially check their increase; but there were but very ie\7 

 of the second brood that hatched in this part of the country, and our 

 late and strong growing potatoes were a full crop. 



"•What became of the bugs that were so numerous in May and the 

 first of June ? The lady bug, with a little assistance from a lew other 

 insects, destroyed their eggs. Last May the weather was very wet 

 and cold, yet the bugs increased, and although more stiff and clumsy 

 than in dry, warm weather, they were hearty at their food. Had 

 June been cold and wet, I should have thought their disappearance 

 was caused by that; but June was a very favorable time for their in- 

 crease and spread on the wing by night. The Colorado potato bugs 

 nearly all disappeared here in June, and not a bug have we seen in 

 plowing and digging in the ground this spring, while in former sea- 

 sons we used to find them plentifully. I believe some will make their 

 appearance this year, bat I fully believe that the same cause which 

 destroyed them so early last year — the lady bug and others, some of 

 which preyed upon the young potato bugs — will prevent their increase 

 this year. If the above are not the facts in this case, can any one tell 

 us facts and theories that are more reliable? it is true, I am not as 

 positive about this as if I had met a regiment of rebels, and had 

 counted the dead and prisoners, to tell what had beco no of them. 

 But we, in this region, do not expect the bug this year, and are plant- 

 ing potatoes with very little hesitation. Your readers may rely upon 



