174 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 
63 VICTORIA, A. 1900 
days afterwards and on such parts of the rows as received two applications, the vines 
were quite cleared of the insects. 
THE ASPARAGUS BEETLES 
(Crioceris asparagi, L., and C. 12-punctata, L.). 
Attack.—The Common Asparagus Beetle—Slender black beetles about 4 of an inch 
in length, conspicuously marked with six 
white blotches on the back and a red border to 
the neck and elytra, or wing-cases, appearing 
in the early spring and eating into the 
asparagus shoots, upon which they lay their 
greenish black eggs. The grubs, which hatch 
[——<0—- from these eggs, are dark olive and slug-like. 
| These also attack the shoots. The Twelve- 
spotted Asparagus Beetle :—Occurring some- 
\\ 
LS 
Ora). times with the above, are beetles of about the 
ay ig LWA La same size, but slightly broader and of a uni- 
\\ eZ SM \ Nik ; form reddish orange colour, with twelve black 
az «| Spots upon the wing-cases. The grubs some- 
Wa what similar to those of the Common Aspara- 
\WiyZ— | gus Beetle, but of a dirty yellowish colour, 
feed inside the berries of asparagus. 
Both kinds of Asparagus Beetles have 
been common in some parts of the Eastern 
United States for many years. The former 
obtained a permanent foothold on this con- 
tinent in 1856, and the latter in 1881. 
THe Common Asparacus BrrtLte.—The 
first record of this insect, as a crop pest, in 
America was at Astoria, near New York 
city, in 1862. In a most complete article on 
' the subject, by Mr. F. H. Chittenden in the 
United States Year Book for 1896, it is stated 
as follows:—‘“From the seat of its intro- 
duction at Astoria, forty years ago, it soon 
spread to the asparagus farms of Queen’s 
5 
Fig. 10.—The Common Asparagus Beetle : differ- . 
se ott aes Ca taeda Gach County, N.Y., and by 1862 it was reported 
to have occasioned the loss of over a third of the crops of certain localities, such loss 
being estimated at $50,000.” 
The Common Asparagus Beetle is now found as an enemy of the asparagus plant 
in most of the North-eastern States, lying in the Upper Austral faunal zone. Its dis- 
tribution is by means of the adult beetles flying, and by their transportation to new 
localities with the roots of asparagus. 
Last year it was reported by Mr. A. H. Kilman (Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont., 1898) that it 
had reached the Niagara River in the State of New York, and during the past summer 
it occurred in injurious numbers in the Niagara peninsula of Ontario. The first 
Canadian specimens sent to me were from Mr. E. Arnold, of Queenston (Lincoln Co.), 
Ont., and upon enquiry I learn that many asparagus beds in the Niagara district were 
much injured last season. Mr. John Dearness, a member of the San José Scale Com- 
mission, informed me that during 1899 he had seen the beetles abundant and injurious 
near St. Catharines, Ont., where also he had found that the beds were badly affected 
with the Asparagus Rust (Puccinia asparagi, DC.) 
