﻿44 NINTH ANNUAL KEPOKT 



must think, with the facts before me, that the possibility of its accli- 

 matization is equally great, especially in South Europe. That it 

 would also hold its own in England and Ireland I have not much 

 doubt. It will rather enjoy the more temperate climate ; for while it 

 thrives best during comparatively dry seasons, both excessive heat 

 and drouth, as well as excessive wet, are prejudicial to it. Let us hope 

 that it never will become established in Europe, but that a sufficient 

 knowledge of it will be disseminated there to cause the speedy detec- 

 tion and extermination of the few that may, from time to time, be 

 carried over. Let the Europeans not neglect precautionary watch- 

 fulness, however, by virtue of the arguments of those who believe 

 that the insect could not stand their climate — lest they some day learn 

 to their sorrow that they have needlessly underrated our Doryphora's 

 toughness of constitution. 



It is gratifying to note that some of the government? are not 

 neglecting those precautions. The Commissioners of Customs in 

 Great Britain have issued an order, accompanied by a description 

 and figure of the insect, directing the officers of the Out-Door Depart- 

 ment of the Service to especially look for and destroy any beetle 

 answering the description given, which they may find "on board ves- 

 sels, or on wharves, quays, sheds, or packages landed from vessels," 

 and to encourage other persons to do the same. 



The German Government has also issued a fine colored placard, to 

 be posted on ships communicating between the two countries. Sur- 

 rounding well executed figures of the insect in diff"erent stages, occur 

 the following appeal and directions, the whole gotten up very much 

 as recommended in my Gth Report. 



LOOK OUT FOR THE' POTATO-BEETLE ! 



A warnino: and request, addressed to all who can assist in preventino: the importa- 

 tion of this beetle, and thereby make themselves Benefactors of their Fatherland. 



Published by Order of the Royal Prussian Agricultural Department. 



The drawing herewith presented shows the insect, with eggs and larvne, which is 

 known in North America as the Potato-beetle, Colorado Potato-beetle, Colorado bug 

 and Potato-bug ; and which, of late years, has damaged the potato to such an extent 

 as to render its cultivation, in some parts of America, almost impossible. Therefore 

 the importation of this beetle into Germany should be prevented by all possible means. 

 The Potato-beetle and its larva; live principally on the leaves of the potato plant ; but 

 it has also been known to feed on the different species of night-shade, on the tomato, 

 and even on cabbages. 



[Here follows a succinct and very good account of its natural historj", and of its 

 spread over the continent ] 



The only danger of importation of these insects into Cermany lies in the maritime 

 intercourse between the two countries. Swarms of the beetles are carried out to sea 

 bj' the wind, and it is not improbable that numbers of them might fall onto sliips, and 

 so reach, alive, the Cerman sea-ports, it being proved by experiment that they can 

 exist for six weeks without food whatever. It is also possible that they might be 

 brought on ship-board singly through being packed in with vegetables purchased in 

 American sea-ports, such as cabbages or tomatoes, or other merchandise. Larv^ and 

 eggs might be shipped in like manner. [This, as I have already shown, is unlikely.] In 



