Reports to the Board of Agriculture. 9 



of its small size. It seriously injured the mangold crop at Ciren- 

 cester in 1891 ; it is also recorded as damaging mangolds at Lyming- 

 ton, Ashburton (Devon), Weston-super-Mare, Sliifnal (Shropshire), 

 Denham (Bucks) ; and it has been abundant this year in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Wye, Kent. The beetles may be noticed on the wing, 

 pairing on warm evenings. They probably hibernate in the adult 

 stage. 



Fig. 1. — THE PIGMY BEETLE {Atomaria linearis). 



A, damaged plant ; h, damaged tap root ; C, holes eaten in leaves ; 

 D, adult. 



The best way of destroying this pest would be to run a 

 Strawsoniser over the lield with ordinary Paris green wash in July, 

 when the beetles seem to feed mainly on the young seed leaves. 



If the crop is destroyed as is the case with this outbreak at 

 Barnstaple, deep ploughing would be advisable. 



In districts on the Continent where this beetle is a serious pest 

 to sugar-beet, thick sowing of seed is practised and would be worth 



