140 tURNI<>. 



assisted largely in mitigating the evil. Possibly the Rook may have 

 also eaten a numbei* of the caterpillars, but of that I am not certain." 

 —A. B. 



On the 28th of Dec, in reply to my inquiry requesting information 

 as to yield of Turnip roots, Mr. Balsillie favoured me with the 

 following observations : — " It is the general experience in this district 

 that where the Turnip crop escaped complete destruction by the Dia- 

 mond-back Moth, the yield is about 25 per cent, under an average. 

 Some weeks after the ravages of the caterpillar had ceased, the 

 luxuriant leafage gave promise of an excellent crop, and farmers were 

 congratulating themselves, after the gloomy prospects of August, that 

 they would have about an average yield. Had the weather been pro- 

 pitious in the autumn months, their hopes would in all probability 

 have been realised ; but the rainfall, both in October and November, 

 was excessive, the soil became water-logged and cold, and bulbing was 

 almost at a standstill. The result was seen when storing came on, in 

 the large proportion of small Turnips. The check which the plants 

 received in July was something like a month taken from their growth, 

 and the later conditions being unfavourable they did not have an 

 opportunity of making up leeway. This was also noticeable in re- 

 sowings, which never came to anything." — A. B. 



Cuates, Lanjo, Fij'e, July 7th. From Mr. John Lee. At this date 

 Mr. Lee forwarded to me specimens of small moths (of which some 

 samples had been sent me in the previous week) for further investigation, 

 but, having been rubbed in the postal transmission, I had not been 

 able to identify them as Diamond-backs. In this case also I could not 

 name them with certainty ; but from the nerving of the wings, where 

 the scales forming the pattern was rubbed off, they appeared to be 

 Tineas, and were of the size of the Diamond-backs ; therefore, as there 

 was a severe outbreak of caterpillars about three weeks later on the 

 fields where the moihs were seen flying about, it scarcely seems open 

 to doubt that these were part of the flock of Diamond- backs which 

 appeared on those parts of the coast. On the 7th of July, Mr. Lee 

 noted that no caterpillars were seen in the Turnips although carefully 

 searched, but the moths were very numerous, especially in those 

 Turnip plants which had not been singled. 



Bephes to inquiries in circular (see p. 110), August 14th: — 



(1). "I should say the damage done will not amount to one-fourth 

 of the whole crop grown. 



(2). " Several farmers have put in boughs of trees in the scufilers ; 

 but none that I am acquainted with have applied anything but nitrate 

 of soda, not with the idea of it killing the caterpillar, but to force 

 on the growth of the Turnips. Bo far as brushing them ofl;' is 

 concerned, I find they agahi ascend the Turnips from the ground ; 



