Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-12-10
NO. 291
AGRICULTURE.


The result of a very painstaking and
valuable series OF experiments on the DO
tatO beetle was communicated at the las I
meeting of the Toronto CHRONOLOGICAL So
ciety by Mr. Brodie Some of the results
are reassuring. others are the reverse.
Among the former may be mentioned the
tact verified by Mr.. Brodie. that the DO
tato Is the only edible plant on which the
beetle Will feed and thrive so as to in
crease its numbers. IL feeds on other So
Ianaceous plants which are not edible.
But these are all late plants and would al
lord no food in the spring season; and,
besides, they are SO rare that they would
not iced the myriads OF beetles for a day
y second cheering announcement is that
the Lydeu1 dorgphors% by lar the most
| useful OF all the enemies of the beetle.
has actually been seen in Toronto. With
| reference to the first point, it is clearly as
certained not only that forest trees and
grasses are safe from the depredations OF
the beetle; but also the ordinary kinds OF
vegetables-such as the carrot, parsnip.
beet, punkln, lettuce, sage, cabbage, etc.
Ihls was demonstrated by taking thirty
mature beetles and keeping them without
food Tor twenty-tour hours. when they
still abstained from touching any of the
above, but ate freely when supplied with
potato leaves. None OF the ordinary
weeds which grow in the field, with the
exception OF the solanaceons plants,
seem 10 yield them subsistence; Tor, al
ter thirty-two hours fast. the beetles alb
stained from touching burdOck, lamb.
quarters, red-root, etc. Even after eleven
days fast the beetles still refused to eat
any OF the above. and they manifested
the same repugnance to milk-weed, Can
ada thistle golden-rod, etc. So it is man
Hest that II deprived OF the potato. the
beetle Will soon disappear. With refer
ence to the tenacity oi life exhibited bv
these creatures. the experiments are not
very satisfactory. The beetle will con-
sumo "a marvellous quantity of food. if it
Is within reach, but the beetle is able fast
longer than Esquimaus dog.
Or Iitty larva taken by Mr.. Brodie on
August Slh, forty tive had changed to
beetles on August 10Th. These iorly-five
beetles were kept without food. Four
died on the fourth day, thirty-seven were
dead on the fifth day, thirty-nine on the
eighth. forty on the eleventh day. No
| pairing took place. no ova were deposited
| and no disposition to hibernate Was
| evinced. But Il similar experiment with
thirty mature beetles, which had partaken
| OF food, led to very different results. On
| ~ two mad died alter the expiration of
| fourteen days; eight succumbed in nine
teen days, thirteen were dead at the end
of twenty days; and six actually
survived at the end OF forty-seven DAYS of
unbroken fast. 1t is evident, therefore,
that the mature beetle, which has once
partaken OF food, is prepared to cross the
Atlantic, or even to travel round the
world, without the necessity of stopping
at hotels for refreshments. Their tenaci-
ty OF Lille was less marked when not only
deprived OF food, but OF moisture as well.
Twenty pairs, after being well fed, were
kept in a dry situation. Twenty-Five were
dead in twelve days and all in TWENTY-FIVE
days the males dying first. A few ova
were deposited during the first week. The
| rate ut which the beetle feeds is matter
ot some interest. An average of five
trials showed that one beetle will eat
| square inch OF potatoes in thirty hours,
| the maximum being ten hours and the
| minimum thirty-seven hours. The result
Of numerous experiments was that there
was no disposition to hybernate until at
ter the middle OF August, and then only
| oy beetles which had ted. 1t is inferred
| that beetles which have matured too late
| in the season to obtain feed will not sur
vive the winter. 1t may be remarked that
the use OF Paris green to destroy the po-
| tato-beetle is attended with the disadvan-
tage OF also destroying its great enemy,
and the farmers friend, the Lydelta dory-
phOrd, as we'll as natural Toes ot the bee
| tie. The question occurs whether these
natural enemies could not be projected in
some way and supplied with their prey.
until they had multiplied sufficiently To
make clearance of the pest. As the peo-
OF England are living in apprehension OF
IA visit from the beetle, they might devote
themselves te raising an army of beetle
| deStroyers, in anticipation OF the invasion.
-MOntTedi Gazette.