CHAP. VI.] SWEDISH TURNIPS. 261 



that he thinks, that to soak the seed \\\ fish-oil 

 is of use as a protection. It is very easy to 

 try it ; but, the best security is, pretty early 

 sowing thick, and transplanting. However, 

 this has been a singular year ; and, even this 

 year, the ravages of the fly have been, generally 

 speaking, but trifling. 



238. Another enemy has, too, made his ap 

 pearance : the caterpillar; which came about 

 the tenth of October. These eat the lea vest; 

 and, sometimes, they will, as in England, eat 

 all up, if left alone. In Mr. BYRD'S field, they 

 were proceeding on pretty rapidly, and, therefore 

 he took up his turnips earlier than he would have 

 done. Wide rows are a great protection against 

 these sinecure gentry of the fields. They at 

 tacked me on the outside of a piece joining 

 some buck-wheat, where they had been bred. 

 When the buckwheat was cut, they sallied out 

 upon the turnips, and, like the spawn of real 

 Borough mongers, they, after eating all the 

 leaves of the first row, went on to the second, 

 and were thus proceeding to devour the whole. 

 I went with my plough, ploughed a deep fur 

 row from the rows of turnips, as far as the cater 

 pillars had gone. Just shook the plants and 

 gave the top of the ridge a bit of a sweep with 

 a little broom. Then burried them alive, by 

 turning the furrows back. Oh ! that the people of 



