168 pfiAS. 



oil past ilie Stem Eelworm attack, and gave a very good 

 result as to plant growth, although they had no apparent 

 eifect on the Sitoncs maggot, which remained at the roots in 

 plenty, and this point is well worth consideration. These 

 weevil maggots, as in various instances recorded in 1882, 

 both to Peas and Clover-crops, are capable of causing injury, 

 and it is in only some cases that destruction of stubble can 

 be managed in order to clear the beetles (as a preventive 

 measure) ; but manuring to standing crops to push them into 

 growth, and to young crops cultivation and manuring of the 

 land, suited to push on a hearty and rapid growth from the 

 first sprouting of the seed, are important means of lessening 

 damage respectively from the maggots below ground or the 

 beetles on the leafage. 



Pea-crops suffer most from attacks of the weevil in their 

 early stages of growth, as at this time the plants are tender 

 and the leafage young, and therefore more liable to injury ; 

 also the number of beetles that would do but little harm to a 

 fairly grown plant soon destroy one with only a dozen or so 

 of leaves. It should be kept in view that a stunted growth, 

 whether caused by the nature or method of cultivation of the 

 soil, or the character of the season, increases the evil by 

 keeping the plants back for a longer time in this critical stage 

 of growth. 



To obviate these difficulties it is desirable to provide a good 

 seed-bed, friable, sufficiently moist, and rich in available 

 plant-food, which may be obtained to a certain extent by Peas 

 following Cabbage or root-crops in the rotation. 



In garden cultivation, besides the liberal supply of manure 

 needed to run on a healthy growth, it has been found to 

 answer well " to put a little broken turf and wood-ashes along 

 the drill, sow the Peas on this, and cover them with a little 

 more of the same." — (J. S.) 



The attacks of the weevils are noted as being worst in dry 

 weather, and good syringings with water, or any addition 

 thought fit, such as would make the plants distasteful to the 

 beetles and encourage healthy growth, would be serviceable. 



As far as I am aware, it was generally supposed, up to last 

 year, that the Sitoucs fed by day, and sheltered themselves by 

 night beneath clods or under any convenient protection. In 

 Curtis's * Farm Insects ' he notices that, in a specially bad 

 attack of these weevils, which took place near Hertford at the 

 end of March, 1844, "At this period of the year they issued 

 from the ground from 9 to 10 o'clock in the morning, to feed 

 all day upon the Peas, and they retired under the clods of 

 earth on the approach of evening." He also quotes an 

 observation of their method of feeding, when (after long 



