228 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



least in others. We confess our astonishment that such myriads 

 of living insects should become animated at the exact period of 

 time wlien food was abundant for them, and that they sliould 

 disappear until another opportunity for tlieir reproduction. 



We have observed that when nortli and northeasterly winds 

 are most prevalent, our vegetables are invariably most infested 

 with insects — the aphides (plant louse) in particular. In some 

 seasons certain kinds of plants become greatly affected, wliile 

 others entirely escaj)e. Hop, bean, and mangold wurtzel were 

 last year nearly destroyed by them. Now all these have escaped. 

 Our osier willow is now covered with them. We never noticed 

 this before. Last year our wormwood and fennel were covered 

 with aphides. Now our fennel escapes, while wormwood is at- 

 tacked by them. 



The Turnip-beetle, {altica-nemoj-um,) (it should be i/a/^ica — 

 the leaper of the woods — Meigs.) is a minute beetle, which 

 jumps, when disturbed, to a considerable distance. It has, like 

 all beetles, wing-cases, and wings contained in them — and al- 

 though rarely seen upon the wing, there is no doubt that it is 

 attracted by scent to its food, and approaches it upon wing up 

 wind, from various quarters. Many common w^eeds are infested, 

 at all times, with it; the common yellow and white charlock es- 

 pecially. The wild hedge mustard, and common horse radish 

 invariably abound with them. 



The fallacy of steeping the seeds as a prevention is very appa- 

 rent, for it never attacks the seed vessels or seed, but deposits its 

 eggs under the underside of the leaves of the young plants — • 

 from these small maggots are produced, which burrow in a tor- 

 tuous manner beneath the article, until it assumes the chrysalis 

 state, it then falls to the ground. All this is accomplished in 

 about sixteen days. One of the best methods of getting rid of it 

 is destroying all the hedge rows and weeds. Plants most exposed 

 to the sun are most attacked — those in the shade, least. Soot is 

 useful; lime, too, soon loses its caustic power. Swedes, and the 

 common white turnip drilled together, saves the sAvedes to some 

 extent; for Haltica loves the common white turnip best. Their 

 attack is sudden, and action against them should be prompt. 



Alternate rows of swedes and common turnip is good. A great 

 many unerring remedies have been tried in vain. 



JYote by H. Meigs. — The tons of vegetable matter consumed in 

 a few days by this little beetle, would load a navy. It reminds 

 one of the expense of feeding our wild piegons. Audubon said 



