MUSTAKD BEETLE. l53 



land ; and likewise in the root-ends of Mustard-stubble, which 

 is left on the land when the crop is cleared, and they may be 

 found lying on the land all the following winter in the j^oung 

 Wheat. They shelter during winter in Mustard-stacks and 

 temporary walls formed of Mustard or other straw, and they 

 also winter in crevices of old wood ; between the bark and the 

 wood of old decayed trees ; in cracks of gates, of gate-posts, 

 and of posts, rails or farm buildings. They are to be found in 

 rough grass and rushes which grow by the side of marsh- 

 ditches, and in the earth at the bottom of the hedge-rows of 

 fields in which Mustard has been grown the previous year, like- 

 wise in the earth of drain-banks. They also shelter "in all 

 kinds of rubbish," in " heaps of rubbish " — " in anything that 

 will shelter them." 



From special observations, it also appeared that the insects 

 would live through the most severe winter in pipes of the Eeeds 

 and Eushes in ditches — in fact, as has been noticed in the case 

 of many other insects, they were not injured by cold so long 

 as they were not disturbed from the shelters ivhich they had 

 chosen, or made for themselves. 



Prevention and Eemedies. — Where Mustard is largely 

 grown the point mentioned above, of the beetle sheltering itself 

 in what may be called the rubbish of its own crop, would be 

 well worth consideration. 



Mr. W. Little, of Stag's Holt, March, mentioned, *' Some 

 years ago nearly all the Mustard-straw was burnt when the 

 crop was threshed, which was generally in the autumn ; but 

 now a good deal is saved to make rough sheltering walls for 

 cattle, and the cottagers beg a few loads and make use of it for 

 covering their sheds or hovels." 



If the plan is still ever followed, which was in use some 

 years ago, of separating the seed from the straw on the field, 

 burning this straw in small heaps on the land would get rid of 

 the shelter, and return much of the material otherwise carried 

 off the field to the ground ; or, if left at hand in one heap, it 

 might act as a trap, and a large amount of pests be destroyed 

 by firing it during the winter. In any case collecting the 

 Mustard-stubble and burning it, and, as far as possible, getting 

 rid of some at least of the many kinds of sheltering rubbish 

 of which only an abstract is given above from the detailed 

 notes of the contributors,* could not fail to be of service. 



Where a district has become infested by the Mustard 

 Beetle, the only sure method of getting rid of the insect is 

 considered to be the combined action of the farmers not to 

 grow Mustard for a time ; or, where the attack is loss widely 



* 'lieport on Injurioub Insects for 188G,' by En., pp. •"''.», 00. 



