236 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETABLES 



This sweet-potato borer is of Oriental origin, and its native 

 habitat is credited to Cochin China. It was probably in- 

 troduced from the West Indies into Louisiana and Florida, and 

 from the former States into Texas. The female deposits her 

 eggs in the vines near the ground, and the larvae after hatch- 

 ing tunnel through the tubers, and the vines die. Frequently 

 tubers are so badly riddled and have such a bitter taste that 

 neither fowls nor swine will eat them. The species is capable 

 6 



Fig. 150.— Sweet-potato root-borer, a. Male beetle; ^ , antenna of male, enlarged; ?, 

 antenna of female, enlarged; b, pupa; c, larva, dorsal view; d, larva, side view. All 

 enlarged. (After Howard except d, original.) 



of undergoing transformation from egg to adult in about 31 

 days and hence as many as four generations might be produced 

 in a year. Considerable injury has been inflicted for a num- 

 ber of years in Louisiana and in Texas. 



Remedies. — Care should be exercised not to transport tubers 

 from infested localities to uninfested ones. If not too badly 

 damaged the tubers may be disinfected with carbon bisulphid.^ 

 small tubers should be fed to hogs, and badly infested ones 

 should be burned with the vines. 



The Sweet-potato Tortoise Beetles (Cassidiiii). — In many 

 sections, particularly where sweet potato is grown largely 

 for market, this crop is attacked by tortoise beetles of which 



1 See Farmers' Bui. No. 145, U. S. Department Agriculture. 



