OF THE FARM AND GARDEI^. 



83 



The engraving (fig. 53), whicli illustrates their general 

 appearance, is of our largest species {lulus muUistriatus, 

 Walsh.), which has been found in some localities destruc- 

 tiye to strawberry plants, carnations, and especially to 

 lily-bulbs. Potatoes have also been much injured by 

 smaller species. Traps in the form of potatoes, as men- 

 tioned under Wire-worms, would be of service, or slices 

 of apples, carrots, potatoes, or parsnips, placed upon the 

 beds and covered with pieces of board, will catch many 

 of tliese millipedes. 



THE POTATO. 



The late B. D. Walsh, the lamented senior editor of the 

 '^American Entomologist," contributed a valuable paper 

 to that journal, of which the following is the substance. 

 After commenting upon the absurdity of the various 

 articles in the i^apers on '^The Potato Bug," he shows 

 that there are a number of insects that are injurious to 

 the potato, and describes the most important, beginning 

 with 



THE STALK BORER. 

 (Gortynia nitida, Guenee.) 



This larva (fig. 54, 2), commonly burrows in the large 

 stalks of the potato; but is not peculiar to that plant, as 

 it occurs also in the stalks of the tomato, and in those of 

 the dahlia and aster and other garden flowers. We have 

 likewise found it boring through the cob of growing 

 Indian corn, and strangely confining itself to that portion 

 of the ear; and we formerly received a single specimen 

 embedded in the stem of Indian corn, from which we 

 subsequently ])red the winged insect. By way of com- 



