OF THE FAKM AKD GABDE^. 89 



Tobacco growers sometimes place some poisonous syrup 

 in the long tubular flowers of the Jamestown Weed 

 (Datura Stramonium), and thus kill the moths. 



THE STRIPED BLISTER-BEETLE. 

 (Lytta vittata, Fabr). 



The three insects just described infest the potato plant 

 in the larva state only, the first two of them burrowing 

 internally in the stalk or stem, the third feeding upon 

 its leaves externally. Of these three the first and third 

 are moths or scaly-winged insects (Order Lepidoptera). 

 The second of the three, as well as the next 

 four foes of the potato, which we shall 

 notice, are all of them beetles or shelly- 

 winged insects (Order Coleoptera). As these 

 four species all agree with one another in 

 living under ground and feeding upon vari- 

 ous roots, during the larva state, and in 

 emerging to attack the foliage of the potato, Fi g GO.-STRIF- 

 only when in the course of the summer they ED BLISTBB- 

 have passed into the perfect or beetle state, 

 it will be quite unnecessary to repeat this statement 

 under the head of each of the four. In fact, the four 

 are so closely allied, that they all belong to the same 

 family of beetles, the Blister-beetles (Lytta family) 

 to which the common imported Spanish-fly or Blister- 

 beetle of the druggists appertains and all of them 

 will raise just as good a blister as that does, and are 

 equally poisonous when taken internally in large doses. 

 The Striped Blister-beetle (fig. 60,) is almost exclusively 

 a southern species, occurring in particular years very 

 abundantly on the potato vine in Central and Southern 

 Illinois, and also in Missouri, but in North Illinois being 

 usually rare. A few years ago it was reported by Mr. 

 Graham Lee, of Mercer County, of K 111., and also 



