TUENIP BEETLES. 103 



tbe cold rains and ■winds, and even severe night frosts of the Litter 

 half of May. 



Mr. Maiden observed : — " Though their number seemed greatly 

 decreased, there still remained sufficient to do great damage, to what 

 extent will not be known till the seed ripens. 



" They appear to a great extent to have concentrated themselves 

 on an eight-acre field of Swedes, a variety whose bulbs are said to 

 analyse out exceptionally rich in sugar, and doubtless the stems are 

 also sweeter than of most other varieties. The Tankard Turnip-seed, 

 and some stronger Swede-seed, are almost entirely free from these 

 ravages. 



" As the Swede is not yet in full bloom, owing to it having been 

 retarded by topping, we hope the insects will before then have 

 assumed a less destructive stage of their life-history, and that the 

 later blooms may escape ; very few of the earlier blooms have set at 

 all, and probably the few that have set will burst later on. 



" Probably a dresssiug such as you describe would be highly bene- 

 ficial ; but of course until such a remedy is tried and proved, there is a 

 danger in expermienting on a large scale ; and there is an awkwardness 

 in trying on a small scale, as, as soon as the bitter flavour was washed 

 off the plot dressed, all the insects in the immediate neighbourhood, 

 or on other parts of the field, would be ready to return, and the value 

 of the experiment could not be accurately gauged." 



On the 21st of July, Mr. Maiden added the following further 

 observations regarding a form of sprayer which he considered adapted 

 for service, and also some amount of estimate of loss : — " 'L'Eclair ' 

 sprayer,* used by Mr. Eiley for the potatoes, appears admirably 

 adapted for use in the Swede-seed crops against fly attacks, and we 

 should certainly use it next year if they attack us in such force as this 

 season, if you then recommend any liquid for spraying ; if you do not 

 recommend any liquid dressing, we should broadcast the ' Fisher 

 Hobb's' mixture you advised. The Swede-seed is now ripening, and 

 will be fit for cutting next week. The piece originally the best, but 

 by far the worst attacked, will not yield above eight bushels per acre ; 

 another piece very slightly attacked should yield twenty-five bushels. 



" The last blooms on the stems went ofl' about a fortnight ago, and 

 to the last the fly of both the Seed Weevil and Beetle were present, 

 though in considerably reduced numbers, and by that time the pro- 

 portionately few pods that had set, though attacked, were blistered by 

 the maggot that had hatched inside." 



* This form of sprayer, often known with us as the "knapsack " sprayer with- 

 out any other special name, has been very generally approved of during the past, as 

 being easily portable on a man's back ; it can be used where no wheeled machine 

 Cduld be intriiduced. For price, address of importers, &c., see p. 76. 



