DIAMOND-BACK MOTH. 163 



Effects of the attack. — The amount of loss can hardly be reliably 

 estimated, as this depends on many circumstances, besides what is cal- 

 culable regarding direct deficiency of amount or of condition of the 

 crop. But by collating the replies (" 1 ") in answers to inquiries 

 together, and also the preceding notes of observation of first attack, 

 some idea will be gained of the power of the caterpillars for making 

 rapid and complete work. 



Taking just a few of the returns on farms or in districts along the 

 line of ravage which show bad injury at various dates after about the 

 middle of August, we find at a locality in Aberdeenshire (p. 151), 24 

 acres more or less destroyed ; about 10 acres destroyed to the value of 

 £100. Eyemouth, Berwickshire (p. 135), " In all my experience I 

 never saw such a failure." Holbeach Marsh, Lines, (p. 114), " I 

 consider that 25 per cent, of the Swede crop in this district in acreage 

 is entirely lost or gone, and that 25 per cent, of the whole crop is so 

 injured as to be valueless." Gorton, near Lowestoft, Suffolk (p. 121) : 

 — " The greater part of the crop was entirely destroyed." These few 

 reports, taken from many, show the power for harm of the caterpillar, 

 and every shade of difference in amount of harm, from slight attack, 

 or sound bulb-forming recovery, down to complete clearance, will be 

 found in the notes. 



The same differences will be found in such few reports as were 

 contributed of ultimate condition, or of state at the end of the year. 

 They are (as the case may be) of plentiful crop of good bulbs, — this 

 from personal examination by reporter, — or of bulbs lessened in size by 

 attack, or even (see top lines of p. 136, and third and fourth lines from 

 foot p. 148) of very severe loss, or complete failure; this last, however, 

 appears to have been quite exceptional, so far as I can judge from 

 reports sent to myself. 



One great feature of the recovering crop was the enormous luxuri- 

 ance of leafage, often leading to a hope that the bulbing beneath would 

 be satisfactory ; another the extra amount of tops ; and in one case 

 (p. 126) the altered form of the bulb is mentioned, " the Swedes seem 

 to have been more to neck as well as leaf than usual." 



Probably the remarks given under reply to inquiry (4), p. 138, and 

 the remarks on the following page (139j, as to efi'ect of unfavourable 

 weather on recovery of bulb-forming powers of the crop, give as good 

 a general sketch of the matter as can be put in a few words. 



The attack has not been so utterly disastrous as it was feared might 

 be the case fi-om the severe injuries following on the first observation 

 of its presence ; but it has been very mischievous, and so pecuhar in 

 many points, that taking it as a whole I am not aware of more than 

 one somewhat similar instance having been trmtworthiUj recorded as 

 occurring in this country. There is nothing unexampled in the 



