JSS Snignlar partial Faiho-e of Tuniipa. 



across the field al o and l>, whilst those on each side of tliem 

 have totally failed ? An inquiry into the mode of culture will,- 

 perhaps, explain what at first siglit appears rather mysterious. 

 It seems tliat the field was vcartcd or cross-ploughed for the 

 first time about the middle of April ; the wheat stubble having- 

 been first turned in, as we call it, /. e. ploughed, before winter. 

 It was again ivcnicd the beginning of May. The whole field 

 was stetched up for sowing about the beginning of June (being 

 the fourth earth it had received); but in consequence of the 

 long drought, it was not sown till the 12th of July. The seed 

 (Swedish) was put on broadcast in one day. The plants came 

 to the hoe in about a month after ; but for some time previous 

 to hoeing, a partial deficiencj^ of plant was noticed. Mr. S. 

 was for a while at a loss to account for so singular and regidar 

 a failure, mitit reminded by his men of a circumstance which 

 had escaped his recollection. The })art of the field No. 1 

 lies lower, and is consec[uently more liable to injury from wet, 

 than the upper part, No. 2. Having therefore finished cross- 

 ploughing No. 1, he, knowing from the dryness of the soil 

 that No. 2 could be ploughed at any time, took off his men 

 and horses to some other work of more immediate importance ; 

 so that the whole of No. 2, except a few furro-dcs 'which had 

 been ploughed (marked a and b\ lay for above a fortnight un- 

 tilled. Tlie deficiency of plant is therefore clearly attributable 

 to this circumstance, because the whole of the I'emainder of 

 the field, including the strips a and b, produced good healthy 

 plants : but then occurs the question, How could this suspen- 

 sion of operations for two or three weeks occasion such ex- 

 traordinary effects ? The answer appears to be this : The 

 ground not being stirred during this interval, a multitude of 

 grubs and wirevvorms were thereby suffered to hatch, which 

 the plough would otherwise have destroyed ; and these have 

 doubtless eaten the plants. This idea appeal's to derive con- 

 firmation fiom the number of rooks which have ever since 

 continued to alight on the bare spots: on removing the surface 

 earth of which, both grubs and wireworms are still found ju^t 

 buried beneath th^i mould. 



Perhaps some of your readers better versed in these mat- 

 ters than I am, can give a more satisfactory solution of the 

 above jjhaenomenon. I merely state the facts, and endeavour 

 to put the most reasonable interpretation on them in my power. 

 If I am right, it would follow tliat it is not good to allow too 

 long an interval between the spring ploughings ; but I should 

 be glad to know the opinion of entomologists on diis subject. 



In the mean time, I remain, gentlemen, 



Your most obedient humble servant, 

 Bungay, Suftblk, Aug. 20, \Wli. SamlEL TAYLOa. 



