152 



TURNIP. 



damage has been coufinecl to very small patches or holes in the 

 leaves ; entire stripping of the leaves being very exceptional. 



(2). "I am inclined to recommend Paris-green applied by the 

 knapsack.* 



(5). "Previous autumn was very wet. The land was cleaned in 

 spring without any difficulty ; and no particular weed was noticeable. 



(6). "I cannot say that the caterpillar is specially found to frequent 

 Charlock, as I have little of it. 



(7). " I cannot speak of any birds being useful, as the caterpillars 

 are too few for the birds to be making a special raid on them." 



Aegyllshire. — Inner Uchrides, Foreland House, Island of IsUuj, 

 Xi?., August 11th. From Mr. E. Scot Skirving. — "I have to-day 

 seen a local farmer, and he says it has rapidly spread over the whole 

 Island of Islay, its ravages being very severe in some places, and very 

 slight in others. All I have personally seen are near the sea-board of 

 the Atlantic, and it is certainly uorst there. 



" There /,s Charlock (yellow weed, wild Mustard) in Islay, but you 

 may drive a summer's day and not see a specimen, so tliat plant, I 

 may say, has nothing to do with appearance of the grub. 



" However, lam informed that recent heavy rains have done much 

 good, and as a ivholv tlie promise of the Turnip crop in the island is a 

 very good one. 



" Though in prcUy near neighbourhood to an infested district, no 

 trace of the grub has been seen about this house, either in a patch of 

 Swedes or in the garden." 



Two days later (that is, on the 13th of August), Mr. Scot Skirving 

 forwarded me specimens of Turnip leaves, together with cocoons and 



* The application of Paris-green and flour (one part of the former to fifty of the 

 latter) dusted on the Cabbages when the caterpillars appear early in the season 

 before the Cabbage head beijiiis to form, has been suggested in Canada. And the 

 application is also suggested (with directions) for Turnip leafage. But whatever 

 benefit might result where such applications, whether in the form of spray or dry 

 powder, were carried on under careful superintendence, the risk (at least until the 

 use of Paris-green, ;'. e., arsenite of copper, is better established and understood in 

 this country) appears to me to be so very great in the case of leafage to be used as 

 food, that I fairly dare not advise it. 



In orchard use, where the poison is given in excessively weak form, and as spray 

 long before the fruit is in more than embryo state, there is no risk at all of poisoning 

 the eaters. But where the poison is to be applied to leafage of food plants, and it 

 is wholly at the discretion of the owner whether it is given at a date ensuring safety 

 to human Cabbage eaters, or with regard to stock the frequent chance of an open 

 gate, or a gap in a hedije, might by possibility cause loss or injury to valuable sheep, 

 I cannot take on myself to adrise the application. 



If, however, any agriculturist wishes for information on the subject, and will 

 write to me there<;n, I will furnish him with details. — Ev. 



