DIAMOND-BACK MOTH. 161 



(p. 12Q), as being as if a swarm of locusts had come. Near Carnoustie, 

 Co. Forfar (p. 146), three days or less sufficed to wreck the leafage of 

 all the plants in a ten-acre field. At Gunsgreen, Eyemouth, Berwick- 

 shire (p. 134), a promising crop was in ten days irrecoverably ruined, 

 and similar damage reported on neighbouring farms. 



Under these circumstances all that it appeared to me possible to do 

 in reply to the many applications which were sent to me, officially or 

 otherwise, was to place information immediately before all inquirers 

 regarding the well-known history and habits of the insects, and also 

 notes of such measures as had been found useful on previous, though 

 not such urgent, emergencies. How far these or other means would 

 have proved serviceable without the succeeding rainfalls, cannot be 

 told ; probably the use of the scufflers would have been beneficial, and 

 the dressings been almost useless. 



As it was, the following rains appear, by the various effects of the 

 heavy downpour, to have been the saving of the crops. The rainfall 

 was noted in many of the reports as not merely ordinary rain, but often 

 as heavy, also as " very heavy rain and thunder showers " ; and in one 

 instance it is noted, " Heavy rains (1*73 in. and 2 in.) have done 

 immense good, and caterpillar gone. Kain with wind is noted as 

 especially beneficial." 



Part of the benefit would be direct by lessening the amount of 

 caterpillars, as these would be thrown open to action of the rain when 

 accompanied by wind ; part, as noted by various correspondents, by 

 the sand and mud being dashed up and thus " soiling " the under side 

 of the leaves, and making it rather difficult for the caterpillars to work, 

 and a very large proportion of good would be done by the injured 

 plants being thrown into growth again, and the food stores in the 

 ground, or in the stimulating dressings, being made available by the 

 moisture. 



Amongst the dry dressings most especially mentioned as beneficial, 

 nitrate of soda stands first, not as killing the caterpillars, but as throwing 

 the plants into renewed growth. The following mixture was found 

 useful at Edenthorpe (p. 113), 10 cwt. soot, 8 cwt. nitrate of soda, 

 and 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, mixed well and sown broadcast 

 by hand whilst the dew was on the leaves, at the rate of 1 cwt. 

 per acre. 



Nitrate of soda and salt have also been found useful. Proportions 

 found serviceable by Mr. Garrett Taylor (p. 120), were about four 

 stones per acre of each, sown by hand along the drills. Also (same 

 page) Mr. Garrett Taylor noted, " I think the best remedy that has 

 yet been found is a mixture of three-quarters soot and one-quarter lime, 

 and sown on the plants." 



Soot was found useful in clearing the caterpillars when thrown so 



M 



