106 TURNIP-APHIS. 



which is above the ground, and the grub which comes 

 from it eats into the rind of the turnip, making it hump up 

 in warts and all manner of rugosities, and causing the 

 whole bulb to become woolly, and distasteful to sheep and 

 cows. This little and most insidious enemy has escaped 

 the notice both of naturalists and farmers, first, because it 

 is so small, and secondly, because its ravages do not cause 

 any diminution in the quantity of either the leaf or bulb. 

 The caterpillar of a large moth, which may be called the 

 TURNIP-MOTH, does the crop an incredible injury in some 

 seasons, by eating the crown of the plant just where the 

 leaves grow out from the bulb : this it does only in the 

 night, living in a burrow of its own by day. This caterpil- 

 lar is the more injurious because its labours begin after the 

 turnips have been finally thinned out by hoeing, and each 

 left at the exact distance from the rest which it is designed 

 to occupy. I know of no remedy. Lastly, the TURNIP- 

 APHIS. There is no plant without its plant-louse or Aphis, 

 and the turnip is no exception to the general rule. This 

 is, however, the least troublesome of its enemies ; for the 

 plant-lice attack the turnip when in full vigour and make 

 but little impression on it. 



Plant-lice, I have said, are everywhere. I have to-day, 

 [August 15, 1835], cut open codling after codling, and 

 found the pips garrisoned with them; not one lone Aphis, 

 but a whole troop, of all sizes. When I let in the day- 

 light there was a considerable sprawling and waving of 

 legs, and no small alarm in the hive, but by degrees they 

 got used to light and fresh air, and were quite still. I 

 tried to tickle them with a straw, in order again to watch 

 their movements ; when lo and behold, they were all dead, 

 gathered to their fathers, gone to the tomb of all the 



