4 
~ INSECTS INJURIOUS TO SUGAR CANE. 
ard, who was sent to Louisiana by the department for the purpose of 
studying this and certain other important insects. 
HISTORY. 
The cane beetle was first scientifically described by LeConte, in 1856, 
from specimens received from Georgia, and has since been known to col- 
lectors as rather a rare Southern insect. It has occasionally been known 
to economic entomologists as slightly damaging corn, and we believe 
that it has also been found to injure grasses (American Entomologist, 
III, 130). There can be no doubt but that it was known to planters in 
Saint Mary’s Parish, Louisiana, as a sugar-cane enemy in years previous 
to the war, but we are unable to find that anything was published about 
it at the time. It seems to have been unnoticed for a long term of years; 
until in 1876itagain appeared about Franklin. The plantation owned by 
Mr. L. Swamsteadt was injured to some extent that year, and still more 
so the two following years. In 1879 the loss was slight, but the beetle 
was found over quite a large extent of country. In the spring of 1880, 
after a remarkably open winter, the beetle appeared in force. It dam- 
aged Mr. Swamsteadt’s crop to the extent probably of a loss of 200,000 
pounds of sugar. The crops upon the plantations of Messrs. Edouard 
Celon, D. Caffrey, Charles Walker, Daniel Thompson, and many others, 
within a range of fifteen miles or so of Franklin, were also damaged to a 
greater or less extent, but none of them so severely as that of Mr. Swam- 
steadt. This gentleman calculates that his loss in three years from the 
beetle has reached $25,000. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE BEETLE. 
The largest specimens of the beetle will measure five-eighths of an 
inch in length, the smaller ones somewhat less. . The color is jet 
black when fully matured, the individuals which have just metamor- 
phosed being somewhat lighter. The head and fore part of the body 
( thorax ) appear smooth, but with a hand-lens the head is seen to be 
roughly shagreened, while the thorax is covered with minute, round, 
impressed dots. The hind body (abdomen) is covered by the wing-cases 
(elytra), which have several longitudinal impressed lines and also many 
impressed dots, such as are seen on the thorax. The front legs are 
broadened and the middle joint (tibia) is spread out fan-like and has 
four large tooth-like projections. 
METHOD OF ATTACK. 
The beetles make their appearance in early spring, and, as the expe- 
rience of the present spring has proved, if the cane is not yet up and 
ready for them, they will bore into the stubble and may also work into 
the seed cane, where their injuries are greatly to be feared, as they will, 
preferably, without doubt, take the eyes to any other portion of the 
