114 TURNIP. 



you by this post some specimens of a caterpillar or grub which is 

 maldng terrible havoc with the Swede-turnip in this district, and 

 which has hitherto been unknown to us. It seemed to appear all at 

 once on Monday last, and has attacked all crops alike, whether they 

 had been affected by the ordinary Turnip Fly or not, and is likely to 

 be most disastrous to agriculturists." 



On July 20th, Mr. West further noted that the Swede-turnip crop 

 in the district was very generally affected ; and also observed : — " I 

 notice several caterpillars on my Turnip leaves (now in cocoons), and 

 am only afraid that with hot weather attack will come out again, and 

 take the late crops of common Turnip and Eape." 



On July 29th Mr. West reported : — "Our Turnips on best-farmed 

 lands are outgrowing the caterpillar, although, of course, they have 

 made sad havoc, and they will only be good half -crops : but on weak 

 lands, where there is want of steam underneath the plant, they cut a 

 sorry figure, and many have been ploughed up." 



Eeplies to inquiries in circular (see p. 110), August 12th : — 



(1). " I consider that 25 per cent, of the Swede crop in this district 

 in acreage is entirely lost or gone, and that 25 per cent, of the whole 

 crop is so injured as to be valueless ; consequently our crop is but 50 per 

 cent, of what it should be.* 



(2). " I am of opinion that no application of fluid dressings has 

 been of the slightest service. Nitrate of soda, or fertilisers, may have 

 been, and where the land is in the best heart or condition, the loss 

 will be least ; continual scuffling, or in any way brushing the land 

 about, has been beneficial by the assistance and encouragement it 

 rendered to birds. 



(3). " To the heavy rains and cooler temperature must be attri- 

 buted the salvation of the crop. 



(4). "The soil is loam of an easily workable nature; it is cultivated 

 on the most improved principles, with autumn ploughing, manured 

 in winter with well-made own yard dung deeply ploughed in, the land 

 then well-worked up and mixed in spring, and the best artificial 

 manure we can procure drilled with the seed about the first week 

 in June. 



(5). " The autumn and winter were dry ; have never known a 

 winter with less water in the ditches. No weed noticeable. 



(6). " Charlock is a weed almost unknown here, but I have heard 

 of a piece of land in a neglected state which has some on, and which 



* " In supplementing mj' reply to question 1, 1 may add that we cannot form any 

 opinion as to the actual money loss on the crop, as this district is almost entirely 

 devoted to feeding flocks, and that consequently so much depends upon the rise or 

 fall in the value of stock, which may nevertheless be somewhat affected by the 

 injury to the Swede crop, as to which way we cannot yet tell." 



