RAVAGERS OF CROPS 247 



length, may be gained from the following quota- 

 tion from Miss E. A. Ormerod's " Observations 

 of Attack of Turnip Fly in 1881." " The acreage 

 under turnips and swedes in the twenty-two 

 English counties reported on, was on the 4th of 

 June, 1881, as stated in the agricultural returns 

 of Great Britain, 1,149,768 acres; and from the 

 reports sent to myself of amount of Turnip Fly 

 infestation, it might fairly be presumed that it 

 was generally present in the counties reported 

 from. If, however, we take half the total of 

 1,149,768 acres mentioned above, that is to say, 

 574,884 acres, as the area to be re-sown once in 

 the counties under consideration (a calculation 

 which is probably much below the real amount), 

 we shall get a basis for an estimate. 



"ist. Taking loss on seed alone for one 

 re-sowing, if we take the price of seed at gd. 

 per pound, and three pounds per acre as the 

 quantity needed, this loss would amount to 

 64,674 95. 



" 2nd. Taking loss on one re-sowing of the 

 same amount of acreage, including outlay for 

 scuffling, harrowing, rolling, drilling, seed, and 

 possibly some additional superphosphate, we 

 cannot well put the cost per acre under 155. 

 (if ploughing instead of scuffling should be re- 

 quired, it would be some shillings more, say 55.) ; 

 but taking the outlay as 155. this would amount 

 to the sum of 431,163 on the 574,884 acres. If, 

 according to the estimate of some of our 

 agriculturists, much better able to estimate 

 outlay per acre than myself, this should be put 

 at i rather than 155., the loss of course agrees 



