﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 45 



the earth adhering to the potatoes there is also danger, as with it the pupai and even 

 the beetles can be imported. 



Now, as all remedies hitherto tried against this pest, such as hand-picking or 

 poisoning in the fields, have proved unsatisfactory [it is scarcely necessary to state to 

 the American reader that this is incorrect], the importation of the beetle into this 

 country would be simply the destruction ot German potato culture, on which, in a 

 great measure, depends the subsistence of our population. 



All captains, crews and passengers on vessels running between America and 

 Germany will, we hope, willingly lend their assistance to the prevention of such a 

 calamitj' by lieeping a sharp look-out for beetles, eggs, larvae and pupae ; by destroying 

 every specimen found on shipbourd ; by avoiding all unnecessary trade in vegetables ; 

 by using all possible precaution in the matter ot clearing ships, etc. — thus materially 

 helping the officers of our sea-ports. 



AH officers of German sea-ports are requested to inspect keenly all articles of 

 American export whereby the beetle might be unintentionally introduced into Ger- 

 many. The importation of potatoes from America, and the transferring ot potato 

 peelings and kitchen waste from the ships to land, is herewith forbidden. 



"POTATO PEST POI.sOX." 



Several persons wrote last Summer to get my opinion of a pur- 

 ported new remedy for the Colorado Potato-beetle, then being exten- 

 sively advertised under the above name by the Kearney Chemical 

 Works, 66 Cortland street, New York City. I should, on general prin- 

 ciples, dissuade any one from purchasing a secret remedy, when a 

 cheap, simple and effective one is well known. Yet, as there is always 

 room for improvement, and the inventor and discoverer of something 

 valuable has aright to profit by his discovery if he can, I am just as 

 ready to commend as to condemn any insect remedy offered to the 

 public, according as it merits condemnation or approval — desiring to 

 do justice to the rights of the individual as well as of the public. 

 What, then, is this ne?/; "Pest Poison," and does it represent some 

 valuable discovery which deserves to be kept a trade secret? Or is 

 it simply one of the many secret nostrums constantly offered to the 

 farmer by schemers who desire to fill their own pockets ? Let a can- 

 did consideration of the matter decide. 



The circular of the firm claims that this " pest poison " is manu- 

 factured on "strictly scientific principles," and that it is "the only 

 safe, sure and cheap destroyer of potato and tomato bugs, chinch 

 bugs, cut worms, wire worms and army worms, caterpillars, and all 

 insects which prey upon vegetation !" Whenever men are found mak- 

 ing the ridiculous claim, for any substance whatever, that it is a uni- 

 versal cure for all noxious insects, it is safe to set them down as ignor- 

 amuses or charlatans. The habits and modes of life of insects are so 

 varied that what may prove a perfectly satisfactory remedy against 

 one species is often utterly worthless against another ; while for 

 successful warfare special tactics are required in almost every case. 

 The circular further unqualifiedly claims on one page that the poison 

 " is not injurious to vegetation," while admitting in a special notice 

 on another page "that, if used too strong or too frequently»it injures 



