The appearance of the Diamond-back Moth in 1892, was 

 first reported on the sixth of June, by that close observer 

 Mr. Norman Berwick, of St. Andrews, Scotland. Two 

 or three other later reports came from England and Scotland, 

 but these spoke only of a few moths having been seen, and here 

 and there a few caterpillars were noticed. But, as anticipated, 

 the deluges of rain in August 1891 pretty well stamped out this 

 insect, and the showery and inclement character of the spring of 

 1892 prevented the few survivors from doing mischief this year. 

 The Hessian fly has, happily, also been nearly ousted from this 

 country by the inclement summer weather of late years. Only 

 three accounts of slight attacks came to hand, whose results 

 were of the most trifling consequence. It seems to be established 

 that this much-dreaded insect will not be able to affect British 

 corn crops in any material degree, except, perhaps, in cycles of 

 hot and dry summers. 



There has been a remarkable and fortunate cessation of the 

 plague of Winter moths, Cheimatobia, trumata, whose cater- 

 pillars have in some previous seasons cleared the apple trees 

 and other fruit trees of leaves and blossoms in orchards, planta- 

 tions, and gardens throughout the country. This cessation is 

 without doubt due to the measures that have been taken against 

 them, in the shape of banding the trees to prevent the ascent of 

 the female moth, and syringing infested trees with unpleasant 

 and poisonous washes ; also, to some extent, to the heavy, cold 

 rains which have proved fatal to other species of Lepidoptera. 

 Fruit growers should not relax any precautions against the 

 Winter moth, and be careful to syringe their trees if only a few 

 caterpillars are found upon them in the springtime. 



Pea Weevils, Sitones lineatus, were unusually destructive to 

 pea crops in a few localities. 



Byturus tomentosus, the Raspberry beetle, literally swarmed 

 in many fruit plantations and gardens. 



Probably, the most general visitation was that of the Mangel 

 fly, Anthomyia betce. In very many parts of England and 

 Scotland 'it was exceptional to find a field of mangel wurzel 

 plants free from it. In many fields a plant could hardly be 

 found without the unmistakable evidence of the maggots of 

 the fly within the tissues of its leaves. Early in June com- 

 plaints began to be made from Sussex, Kent, and other counties. 

 Where the plants had been manured properly and were kept 

 well horse-hoed they grew away from the attack ; they were 

 aided in this by the heavy showers that fell in the latter part 

 of June which were not congenial to the maggots ; but even in 

 these cases the yield of roots was clearly lessened. Upon land 

 indifferently manured and cultivated, the crop was decreased 

 somewhat considerably. 



A leaflet was issued in June by the Board of Agriculture, 

 describing ^this insect, and reccommending remedies and modes 

 of prevention against it. 



