THE WESTERN CABBAGE FLEA-BEETLE. 
In 1897 specimens were received, July 10, from Mr. D. A. Pierce, 
Kennedy, Nebr., with the statement that the species had destroyed 
between 10 and 20 acres of corn in 24 hours. They were said to 
destroy everything in gardens. They came in swarms of black clouds 
and covered the plants. Later in the month Mr. Benj. F. Henry, 
Hill City, S. Dak., complained of a "flea" — a name commonly applied 
by farmers to flea-beetles— that was troublesome on cabbage and 
other cruciferous crops in his vicinity. Only a single grower in his 
neighborhood had saved any cabbage, all others having given up the 
fight against this flea-beetle. In addition to cabbage this species was 
injurious to radish, horse-radish, and turnip, and was stated also to 
injure peas. On the last-mentioned plant it ate the lower leaves 
or lower part of the stalk. Out of 1,000 good cabbage plants our 
correspondent saved only a hundred. The beetles seemed to prefer 
the younger plants, but thrived also upon the- older ones. A neighbor 
of our correspondent reported that he had not raised a turnip for 
seven years on account of this insect. It was prevalent in injurious 
abundance throughout the region of the Black Hills. The beetles 
were first noticed the last week of June, and seemed to disappear 
toward the end of July. 
In 1904, during the first week of June, this species was observed 
by Prof. E. G. Titus, at Paonia, Fort Collins, and Longmont, Colo., 
and at Blackfoot, Idaho, June 22, attacking sugar beet. May 19, 
25 acres of sugar beets were reported destroyed to date by this beetle 
at Grand Junction, Colo. 
In 1906, Miss Hannah Carr, Mineral Hill, N. Mex., wrote January 
11 of this insect destroying crops in that locality, particularly turnips, 
beans, and cabbage. From an acre of turnips only a few pounds of 
the vegetable were obtained. The same year complaints of injury 
to cabbage, radish, and nasturtium were received from Mr. Nathan 
Hall, Socorro, N. Mex. 
The year 1908 witnessed severe outbreaks of this pest. April 24 
Miss Margaret Botchleott, Grady, N. Mex., sent specimens with com- 
plaint of injury to garden plants. At Chico, N. Mex., it was injurious 
to cabbage. January 22, Mr. D. K. McMillan observed many beetles 
on turnip at Corpus Christi, Tex. The same year the species was 
received April 27, and later, from Mr. C. A. Pugh, Verne, Okla., 
where the beetle was reported to be injuring garden truck generally. 
June 4 Mrs. Frank Perron, Hurley, Tex., sent specimens with report 
that the beetles were entirely destroying radish and cabbage crops 
in the Coldun Tract in the panhandle of Texas. Mr. A. Olson, 
Blacktower, Roosevelt Co., N. Mex., October 25, writing of this 
species as the " garden flea" stated that it was generally found on 
radish, beet, lettuce, and in fact on almost all kinds of plants when 
they first come up. The insect perforates the small plants with 
holes and eats the substance until they die. The beetles were very 
