PROTECTING THE UNITED STATES FROM PLANT PESTS 



207 



NATIVE POTATO WEEVILS FROM THE ANDEAN REGION OF SOUTH AMERICA 



The Irish potato and the Indian corn are the two great food crops of the world of 

 American origin. The potato is supposed to have come originally from South America. It is 

 now discovered that in the Andean region this tuber is infested by a number of native weevils, 

 which mine through the potatoes and render them worthless. It is a piece of tremendous good 

 fortune to the world that the distribution of the potatoes has been from North America, 

 where these weevils do not occur. Recent shipments of potatoes from the Andean region 

 have resulted in the discovery of no less than four such weevils, one of which, with its work, 

 is illustrated in the accompanying photograph. 



COLLECTING JAPANESE BEETLES FOR WAGES 



Boys earn modest wages by collecting Japanese beetles with nets in the heart of infested 

 territory. The object is to reduce their numbers along roadways, so as to lessen the risk 

 of their being carried by passing automobiles. The collected beetles are destroyed with oil. 



