76 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ April, 
ricli deep bronzy tints of their foliage, lit up, as it is, here and there, by flashes 
of red or rose-colour of a more or less brilliant hue, is so unlike that of most 
other plants, that they never seem to come amiss in the composition of pictures 
of decorative effect, the variation in form and habit being also remarkable, and 
adding greatly to their utility. The advent of the forms "with white variegation 
furnished additional materials of much value from the ornamental point of view ; 
and now subsequently, the blending of the rosy and white tints on the same 
plants, leaves little to be desired. 
It is to this last group that D. amdbilis^ the subject of the accompanying 
woodcut—which has been kindly lent to us by Messrs. Veitch and Sons—belongs ; 
and it is one of the most distinct and handsome 'which has yet been obtained. It 
is of robust habit, the leaves, which are of a narrow linear lance-shaped figure, 
averaging from 2 ft. to 2|- ft. in length, and from 4 in. to 5 in. in breadth. It 
is, however, as the Messrs. Veitch observe, from the character of its variegations 
that it will form so fine an addition to this splendid group of decorative plants. 
The ground-colour of the leaf is of a bright glossy green, which, as the plant 
grows, becomes marked and suffused with pink and creamy-white, the young 
leaves in large specimens being quite rosy—a charming combination of colouring, 
attractive not less for its intrinsic beauty, than for its distinctness and novelty. « 
As a test of the merit of the plant, it may be mentioned that it has been freely 
certificated in England, and it has also been awarded the first prize, as the best 
new foliage-plant in the show, at the recent International Exhibition in Ghent.— 
T. Moore. 
THE COLOKADO POTATO BEETLE. 
® HE natural home of the Colorado Potato Beetle, Doryphora decemlineata^ 
[for figure of which see p. 42] is the Rocky Mountains, where it feeds upon 
f various species of Solanujn, principally the wild S. cornutum. In other 
parts of the States, it feeds on S. rostratwn^ and is especially partial to S. 
carolinense. When, however, the settlers planted the Potato {S. tuberosum)^ 
the Doryphora attacked it greedily, and, rapidly increasing, in a comparatively 
few years spread over nearly the whole width of the continent. It has been seen 
in New York and Pennsylvania, and although it has perhaps scarcely yet gained 
a footing in the Atlantic States, that is probably only a matter of time; and 
when it happens, there is only too much reason to fear that the beetle may find 
its way across the Atlantic to the rich feeding-grounds of Ireland and England. 
This enemy is all the more to be dreaded because it propagates itself with 
amazing rapidity, three broods following each other in quick succession during 
the growing season of the potato. 
The Doryphora hibernates in the perfect state, and in the early days of spring, 
if the weather is moist and warm, it is seen sailing through the air in search of 
its food-plant. As soon as the potato is through the ground the female com¬ 
mences to deposit her eggs on the under-side of the leaves, each female producing 
in round numbers about 1,000 eggs. In a few days the larvae appear and begin 
