240 APPENDIX. [No. XV.B. 



the same plant to others, and hence I have observed that some kinds of 

 crocuses and tulips are niore injured than others. The vastators are 

 attacking, pretty constantly, the verbenas, and many have materially 

 suffered from their ravages. The same creature is also to be met with 

 upon numerous other plants. I have observed them to be feeding upon 

 the sweet potato of Shakspeare, a plant which they much admire. 



The grower of strawberries may have the worst apprehension for his 

 crops this season, for there is scarcely a leaf in any district which has not 

 from three to twenty little black eggs upon it. Plants which have been 

 placed in stoves for forcing, have had the eggs upon their leaves hatched, 

 and large broods of aphides have already appeared : I fear, next month, 

 that I shall have to record the injury or death of the forced plants 

 from this cause. To avert the probable injury to the outdoor crop, I 

 should advise aU the old leaves which have the eggs upon them to be 

 coUeoted by hand, and burnt. Not having, as yet, seen the final state 

 of the strawberry aphis, I must defer passing a positive opinion; I 

 do not think that it is the vastator, although, in all probability, equally 

 destructive. 



At my residence I have an extensive colony of vastators, feeding upon 

 tulips and crocuses ; but I have also two Ward's cases, into which I had 

 strictly forbidden their entrance. The creature has, however, found its 

 way into my little London garden, and threatens to destroy my plants, 

 unless I can first destroy it, and thus prevent the mischief. 



From accounts which I have received, I find that the vastator is now 

 attacking, in many situations, the potato plants ; and when this occurs, the 

 plant is huxried into premature decay. In other cases, the potato plant is 

 again showing the disease which has been imparted to its structure from 

 the injury inilicted on plants by aphides, during the last three or more 

 years, without a fresh attack of the insect. 



The potato malady is no novelty ; it may be traced over a great series 

 of years ; at one time showing itself here, at another there, but at the 

 presddfctime it unfortunately has manifested itseK everywhere. In all 

 former instances temporary inconvenience has resulted, but after a period 

 the disease lessened, or disappeared for a time, and abundance succeeded 

 the scarcity. As a pecuUar feature in the present scarcity, however, we 

 find that the farmer has not been taught to consider the malady transitory, 

 but the awful mistake has been made by some leading journals, to 

 recommend this crop to be abandoned, because the disease is permanent. 

 From this alarming advice, given by men who were in a position to have 

 made observations for themselves, which would have led to an opposite 

 conclusion, scarcity in the potato crop next year is inevitable. A sufficient 

 amount has not been, and probably cannot now be, planted to suffice for 

 use next season. The best kinds of potatoes for planting are those which 

 ripen early, because aphides most abound in July and August. The Early 

 Shaw is one of the best varieties, but so valuable are they at the present 

 moment, that to crop one acre of land, an expense of fifteen or eighteen 

 pounds woidd be entailed. Nevertheless, as scarcity next year is inevitable, 

 those who plant immediately, even at that price, will reap an abundant and 

 profitable harvest. It is important for the farmer to know that, although 

 it is now discovered that the vastator is the cause of the potato disease, we 

 are utterly ignorant of the caxise of its preternatural appearance at the 



