70 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



P. B. Hove}^ said that Dr. Lodge sent his men out with lanterns 

 in the evening and found these beetles on the under sides of the 

 leaves on the ajaple trees ; he collected a bushel of them. 



Mr. Mann said that the beetle of the muck worm, which so much 

 resembles the grab of the dor-bug, was black with the wing covers 

 ridged. The goldsmith beetle clings to the under side of leaves 

 during the day. He did not understand what Mr. Atkinson meant 

 by the black beetle. He spoke of a blistering beetle, a flat beetle, 

 a flea beetle, two milUmetres in length, and others, but thought 

 those mentioned by Mr. Atkinson must have been some other 

 species. Many observations had been made on flea beetles, par- 

 ticularly those infesting turnips, and he could give infonnation how 

 to destroy them. 



Marshall P. "Wilder quoted the statement made by Professor 

 Chadbourne, of Williams College, that the potato beetle could be 

 destroyed at an expense of not more than five dollars per acre. 

 This might be done by planting very early kinds, before the beetles 

 became numerous. The beetles are to be picked off' by hand and 

 destroyed, and thus the later crop of potatoes will be less liable to 

 injury. If this is neglected, and the second crop of beetles is 

 allowed to appear, poison must be used, but this will cost more than 

 hand picking earty in the season, and poisonous drugs destroy 

 beneficial as well as injurious insects. Mr. Wilder knew of an 

 instance of successful hand-picking in New Hampshire. 



Mr. White said that he had seen the potato beetle in Minnesota, 

 and Professor Chadbourne's plan would not succeed when the in- 

 sects were as numerous as they were there. We have not yet had 

 the potato beetle here in full force, as it has come in the West. 



The Chairman remarked on the necessity of concerted action in 

 the matter, for our fences are not strong enough to keep out the 

 beetles coming from our neighbor's grounds. 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 



Satuupay, Februar}^ 17, 1877. 



The Chairman of the Committee on Publication and Discussion 

 presided, and before taking up tlic su1)ject assigned for the da}', 

 called for remarks on any of the objects exhibited, especially the 



