>'^^ REPORT OF DR. FITCH 



NOXIOUS AND OTHER INSECTS 

 Detrimental to -Agriculture. 



AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE THE NEW" YORK STATE 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



INSECTS INFESTING GARDENS. 



9. Northern Tobacco-worm, Potato-worm, Tomato-worm, Sphinx quinquemac- 

 ulata, IXaworth. (Lepidoptera. Spliin<yiclo3.) Plate 4, tig. 1. 



Eating tho loavea of potatoes, tomiitoes, and tobacco, in July and August, a largo green 

 worm, the size of one's finger, with a black horn at the end of its back and along each sido a 

 row of seven white or pals yellow marks resembling tho letter < with its pointed end forward- 

 lying under ground in ils pupa state during the winter and spring, aud producing a large gray 

 moth, four and a half inches wide across its extended wings, having a row of five yellow spots 

 along each side of its body and two narrow black zigzag bands across the middle of its hind 

 wings. 



Hon. William Kelly, in a letter enclosing to me one of the millers 

 which had been obtained from the tobacco-worm by Cliarlcs L. Roberts, 

 Esq., of TarifTville, Ct., well remarks that the culture of tobacco has 

 become so important an interest now at the North, that any information in 

 regard to its insect enemies will be read with interest. Mr. Roberts 

 alludes to this tobacco-worm as being quite prevalent in his vicinity. 

 And the pains which some other correspondents and friends engaged in 

 the culture of tobacco have taken to transmit specimens of the worm or 

 the miller to me is an evidence of the importance they attach to this insect. 

 And it may well be regarded as an important enemy; for this tobacco-worm 

 makes the growing of tobacco twice as laborious a task as it would be if 

 wc had no such insect in our country. 



This is currently supposed to be a new insect here at the North, unlike 

 anything which we previously had, and that its presence here is due to 

 the extensive growing of tobacco which has recently been commenced. 

 It, however, is the same worm which, from time immemorial, we havo 

 been accustomed to meet with in midsummer upon our potato vines, and 

 1 



