The Republican journal., 1877-06-07
Farm, Garden and Household,
Colorado Potato Beetle.

In the year 1924, the Colorado Potato
Beetle was found in Upper Missouri; from
then to the year 1850, it had spread east
ward and reached a point one hundred
miles west of Omaha City in Nebraska
In 1861 it invaded Iowa, gradually in the
next three or four years spreading east
ward over that State. In 1864 and 1863
it crossed the Mississippi, invading Hi
nUls, and pushing eastward at the rate of
about fifty miles year. LII 1869. its
presence was reported in Ohio Early in
the summer of 1874, it had made its ap-
pearance on the Atlantic seaboard, and
was reported during the year from several
parts OF Connecticut, New jersey, New
0rk, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, Its injuries also increased in
its native home. During the year 1876,
they swarmcd in most Of the New Eng
land States, and especially on the sea-
shore 1t has extended north around
Montreal, and was especially abundant
as far aa Trois RiyiereS; while in its
eastern progress it has oyerrun Massachu-
~etts, Vermont and New Hampshire and
extended some distance into Maine. As
the Iarva is sluggish and never leaves the
plant from which it is hatched, except in
quest of more food, until it IS ready to
pupatc, all the journeys of this insect are
necessarily made in the perfect or beetle
state, 10y means ot the ample rose -cOored
wings which, when the insect is at rest
are completely folded up beneath the
striped Wlng-casts.
lis spread, However, over the more pop
ulous portions Of the country, is not to be
attributed to ils powers Of flight alone.
1t undoubtedly ayaiIs itself to no mcon-
siderable extent, of every means of trans
portation afforded to other travellers. and
often got 4 lit ON eastern bound trains,
and most probably crossed the more bar
rem plains bordering its native confines
through mans direct agency, i. e., by be
ing carried. There is Il possibility that in
-umc instances it may have been carried
in the egg state on living plants, OF in
the pulla stale in Jumps Of earth; but
these modes OF transit. il at all, have
necessarily been exceptional. Let ii not
hr umderstood that The insect in its on
ward spread. or march. ever entirely quits
anl district where ii has once attained a
tuothold This idea Of its ltinerate char
uricr seems very GENERALLY to prevail, and
al great many people labor under the I'M
PRECISION that soon after its advent this
dreaded foe To the potato will OF its own
accord take its leave as suddenly us it
came that like every dog it will have
IT'S day; it may, and very generally does,
prove more injurious during the first two
or three Years OF its advent than subse-
VucntlN From careful observation, | am
confident in saving, the Wetter the sea
SON the less damage done by them.
The question that the juices OF the in
sect on the human skin are poisonous, is
is Il rule, a mistake. Yet persons with
blood in bad condition. may be poisoned
hy getting said juices in wounds or cuts.
rs to the method of destroying, and get
ting potato fields rid of them, am of the
opinion that the process of picking and
burning on a pile of brush OF straw, mot
scalding them, is the cheapest and sur
est lis in this way, You have the chance
To pick of also the leaves with the eggs
on ut the same time. From careful Oh
servation. | have found that the female
begins to lay her eggs on the under side
OF the leaves, as soon as the potato plant
appears above ground. The eggs are
oval, of Il translucent dark orange color,
in clusters OF from ten to forty The
Larvae are hatched in less than d week,
and are at first of dark Venetian red,
becoming lighter and acquiring a double
row of black lateral spots as they ap-
proach maturity Mass, Ploughman.