Rep07'ts to the Board of AgiHctdture. 7 



birds or small mammals, scattered over the ground every here and 

 there. The dead bodies attract the beetles and the larvte, which can 

 be shaken out into pails of hot lime and so destroyed. 



Caterpillars (Surface larvce) on Turnips, etc. 



The Turnip or Dart Moth {Agrotis segetis) and the 



Heart and Dart Moth {A. exdamationis). 



Some larvai attacking turnips and potatoes, sent by a correspon- 

 dent of the Board of Agriculture, were the caterpillars of the Heart 

 and Dart Moth {Agrotis exdamationis), popularly called Surface 

 Larvffi — Cutworms in Canada and the United States. Two species 

 occur in abundance, viz., A. exdamationis and A. segetis ; the latter 

 is called the Turnip Moth. 



Another correspondent, writing from Dadlington, Nuneaton, states 

 "that turnips are eaten off and potatoes burrowed into. In this 

 district acres are spoilt by eating the turnips under the ground." 



These caterpillars were also sent by a correspondent from 

 Loughborough, where they were attacking mangolds. 



There has been a serious outbreak of these pests during the 

 present year in all parts of England and Wales. 



A leaflet (No. 33) has been issued by the Board on these pests 

 under the title of " Surface Caterpillars." To this leaflet the follow- 

 ing information should be added : — 



(«) No dressings can be applied in sufficient strength to kill 

 these caterpillars as recommended, but the dressings do good in 

 helping on growth of the plant. 



(h) Land after mangolds had best be lightly broken up, not 

 deeply ploughed ; this would bury, not expose, the larvaj, and bii'ds 

 are the greatest help in keeping them in check. 



(c) In land invaded by Cutworms, a crop of must'ard ploughed in 

 has done good. 



{d) The long and exhaustive series of experiments, conducted at 

 the Agricultural Experimental Station of Cornell University, have 

 shown that by far the most successful way of combating these pests 

 is the employment of " poison -baits." These "poison-baits" have 

 been employed in the field by soaking clover, lucern, etc., in a 

 solution of Paris green and throwing little heaps of it about in the 

 field amongst the roots, etc., or, in the case of garden cultivation, bran 

 soaked in Paris green may be used. 



When clover, etc., is employed the solution of Paris green in 



