DIAMOND-BACK MOTH, 145 



(5), •' The weather has been exceedingly dry here for two years, 

 except on two occasions ; no water has run off the surface. 



(7). "I consider the Starling the most useful bird we have in 

 clearing the caterpillar ; they have been very active of late, and 

 very numerous. Sparrows are too nu-uerous, and are against the 

 Swallows." 



Kirhnmj, Crail, Fife, N.B., August 19th. From Mr. John Duncan. 

 — " In this district (East Neuk of Fife) the weather has been very dry, 

 there only being 6J in. of rain for the first six months of the year. In 

 July, when the moth and caterpillar appeared, the Turnips were at a 

 standstill for want of moisture, and I am of opinion that to that cause 

 alone can be attributed the attack, as vermin of some sort is sure to 

 attack a plant if it is unhealthy or not growing. As an example, I 

 have a field of Swedes, on cold-bottomed land, which had never 

 stopped growing, and have therefore scarcely been touched, except on 

 the two end-ridges, where the crop was not so vigorous ; whereas 

 another field, on very dry light laud, has been considerably damaged. 

 Again, six miles to the westward, where there has been more rain all 

 the season, the damage is not so great as in this corner. The moth 

 is still very plentiful, but as we have now had rain, I do not fear a 

 second attack. I have often observed the same moth in previous 

 years in walking through old pastures, and at sides of roads, hedges, 

 &c." 



Eeplies to inquiries in circular (see p. 110), August 19tli : — 

 (1). " I cannot give an estimate of my loss further than to say that 

 it has made my crop, ivhere affected, four weeks later ; but on a farm in 

 this neighbourhood one-third of the crop is almost destroyed and part 

 ploughed up, and the other two-thirds were much affected. 



(2). " I have tried no fertilizers, but have no doubt but that nitrate 

 of soda would help to push on the crop, and thereby lessen the amount 

 of damage. On a light land farm of mine in the next parish my grieve 

 tied boughs to the front of a horse-hoe, and brushed off numbers of the 

 caterpillar ; the tines coming after buried them in the earth. The 

 fields so done have not suffered much. 



(3). "Heavy showers, with an extremely low temperature on 28th 

 July, destroyed great numbers. 



(4). "As said before, crops on dry light land suffered most; the 

 land was ploughed in autumn and early winter, and worked and cleaned 

 before seed-time. The same manure was used for all Turnip crops, 

 viz., farmyard manure, Ichaboe guano, and superphosphate of lime. 



(5). " Previous autumn wet, but did not interfere with cleaning of 

 Turnip break. No particular weed noticeable. 

 (6). " Having no Charlock, I cannot say. 



