THE POTATO MOTH. 151 



for the insects to penetrate to the depth of 3 or 4 

 inches where the soil is open, uncompressed, or lumpy. 

 Not a single case of an infested stalk has yet been 

 detected, but constant and numberless have been the 

 instances in which, when uncovering the potatoes at the 

 depths just indicated, moths have been dislodged and 

 flown uninjured away." It has thus been, we may say, 

 fairly shown that there still exists some doubt, which 

 ought, in the interests of growers, to be cleared up as soon 

 as possible, as to whether the depositing of the eggs is 

 alone confined to the stalks of the potato, or whether the 

 tuber is also attacked while below or above ground, as 

 a correct knowledge of these facts, which have been 

 attested to by so many good observers, would be of the 

 greatest value in helping us to devise some speedy and 

 direct method of attacking the enemy in its earlier stages, 

 and thus prevent the egg-laying. 



In Queensland, as lately reported by Mr. Tryon, this 

 moth has also been found attacking the tobacco plant. 

 We must, therefore, be on the look-out, as tobacco plan- 

 tations in Victoria may also be in danger of a similar 

 visitation. 



Prevention and Remedies. 



In the first place we must try to get rid of the moths 

 themselves, and to accomplish this we should use the 

 knowledge already possessed. As we are certain of 

 this insect being a night-flyer, the first plan, then, that 

 suggests itself is undoubtedly that of some cheap and 

 effective lamp. In this connexion I may mention a letter 

 which I have received from Mr. E. Lucas, who suggests 

 the following : " My plan is simple, homely, and at hand 

 at all times, without the cost of a shilling. All that is 

 required is a common tin soup-plate, with a clay wick- 

 holder, to burn fat, with a short wick an inch in diameter, 

 made of any cotton stuff. The wickholder should not be 

 higher than the rim of the plate, and made to stand in the 

 plate in its four lower corners, to enable the fat to gain 

 access to the wick. The fat is best made hot at the first 



