270 THE SUGAR BEET. 



been known to survive after remaining therein forty- 

 eight hours. 



From experiments that we have made from time to 

 time, we consider that the most deadly poisons to man 

 have but little effect upon these insects. 



Their analysis, according to Pagnoul, is for 100 in 

 weight destroyed by water : — 



Water 73.60 



Nitrogen 2.81 



Organic substances .... 22.0'2 



Phosphates 0.40 



Other mineral substances . . .1.17 



100.00 



It may be of interest to state that in certain French 

 schools the professors frequently call their scholars' at- 

 tention to the- importance of making money off of the 

 cock-chafer, from neighboring farms, and offer prizes 

 to those gathering the greatest number, and at the same 

 time impose as punishment the accomplishment of this 

 work gratis. 



"We will now speak of a small insect, not much 

 larger than the end of a needle,, which, on account of the 

 number, does nearly as much harm as the one just de- 

 scribed, and which easily escapes notice. How fre- 

 quently it has happened that farmers attribute the total 

 loss of their beet crop to disease, bad drainage, or frost, 

 which in reality was caused by the ravages of this insect 

 called Aiomaria, causing the young plant to perish as 

 soon as above the ground. The most to be dreaded in 



