154 MUSTARD. 



spread, to cease growing the crop for a while on infested 

 farms. 



This point (of discontinuance) is very strongly urged by the 

 reporters. To be a complete cure, it is also desirable to dis- 

 continue the growth of Cabbage and other allied plants on 

 which the beetles feed, though the following observation 

 shows that this is not essential for general practical benefit : — 



" The only thing to be done when a farm becomes infested 

 with the pest, is to discontinue the growth of Mustard for a 

 few years. This has been found to answer. Though the 

 insects can live on other plants, they certainly diminish in 

 numbers and almost entirely disappear in the course of two 

 or three years, if there is no Mustard in the immediate 

 neighbourhood. 



" Burning the straw and chaff is, I think, desirable, where 

 the insects are numerous." — (W. C. Little, Stag's Holt, 

 March). 



As with other crops which suffer under leafage being eaten 

 away, all measures are useful which by methods of cultivation 

 and preparation of the land and good manuring will help to push 

 on plant-growth past harm from common amount of attack. 



Superphosphate drilled with the seed is especially noted as 

 serviceable, and generally the application of superphosphate 

 and dissolved bones, and " any rich manure," and artificial 

 manure is noted as necessary to secure a crop on old broken- 

 up land. An instance of this was given in a crop to a part 

 of which none was used, owing to the application of a heavy 

 dressing of farm-yard manure. 



" This was not half the value of the rest of the field. . . . 

 Proctor and Eyland's special Mustard manure is very service- 

 able, the object being to promote a healthy and rapid growth 

 out of the way of the insects." 



Dressings thrown on the plants with a view to checking 

 attack appear to have been a total failure. Lime, soot, salt 

 and sulphur were sifted or sprinkled without effect. Jey's 

 fluid, and rock-oil, likewise did no good, and carbolic acid is 

 distinguished as having " only killed about 10 per cent, of the 

 beetles, although strong enough to kill the plants." 



The German method of clearing beetles by shaking them off 

 the plants into pails or any other convenient vessels, and des- 

 troying them was tried by two observers. One reported it to be 

 expensive and not of use, while the other stated that, by 

 keeping two men regularly at work at the operation, it so far 

 answered that he considered that he thus saved his crops from 

 being destroyed. Where this plan is tried, the shaking or 

 picking should be done early in the morning or on dull days 

 when the beetles are sluggish. 



