142 TURNIP. 



in thousands. It is a field of yellow Turnips, and was the last field 

 sown." 



Eeplies to inquiries in circular (see p. 110), August 18th : — 



" I have been making inquiries into the ravages of the caterpillars 

 of the Diamond-back Moth in this district, and beg to give the 

 following answers to your questions : — 



(1). " Estimate of amount of loss about one-fifth.* 



(2). "Nitrate of soda, &c.,have been very beneficial ; do not know 

 of other remedies having been tried in this district. 



(3). " Heavy rains and cold nights did immense benefit. 



(4). " Land generally black loam on whinstone ; some fields on 

 sand, late sown, were worst. No difference observable to any extent 

 in time or manner of ploughing. Manures — Nitrate of soda, guano, 

 Liebig's meat meal, superphosphate, bone meal and flour ; some cases 

 kanit. No salt. 



(5). "No. 



(6). "No. 



(7). " Yellowhammer, Wagtail, and Linnets." — D. C. 



On the 7th October, Mr. Carswell favoured me with the following 

 note as to state of Turnips up to date : — " The Turnips here improved 

 very much after the rains, but they are not in many instances bulbing 

 well, and will be a small crop, unless we have an open winter ; and 

 this I attribute very much to the severe check they got from the cater- 

 pillars, although latterly we have had too much rain and too little 

 sunshine." 



Seed and Nursery Establishment, Stirling, N.B., July 23rd. From 

 Messrs. W. Drummond and Sons, regarding attack of caterpillars of 

 Diamond-back Moth. — " We have complaints of it from the east and 

 north of Fife, from Kinross, and from Forfarshire ; in nearly all cases 

 from the districts near the Firths of Forth and Tay, where the rainfall 

 during the early part of summer has been less than in most parts of 

 Scotland. Over a considerable part of the area heavy rain has fallen 

 since the beginning of the week, and we hope to hear that it has inter- 

 fered with the ravages of the caterpillar." 



June 24th. " Additional specimens have reached us this morning, 

 and we hear that there are slight attacks in our own neighbourhood." 



* " My report applies to the north of Fife. Turnips have improved very much 

 of late, and it is difficult to estimate the loss, as so much depends on the future , 

 and whether or not we have early frosts. Land in the highest condition and 

 properly cultivated has suffered least. 



" In my own case, having given the Turnips a large quantity of manure when 

 sown, I did not give anything afterwards, and the loss will not be one-tenth ; others 

 one-third. The late-sown Turnips as a rule have suffered most. The east coast of 

 Fife seems to have suffered more than inland." 



