1782. NORFOLK, 3 



Half or three-quarter-grown ducks are pro- 122, 

 ferable to old ones, which are lazy, and will TURNED 

 fooner eat the turnep-tops than run after the FILJLARS. 

 caterpillars. 



It is very amufing to fee the young ones dart 

 at their prey : thefe, however, when the cater- 

 pillars grow fcarce, take to the turnep-tops, 

 and after they have reduced the vermin to a 

 certain ebb, do the turneps more harm than 

 the caterpillars thcmfelvcs do. 



This has been ufed as an argument againft 

 employing ducks ; and, in rcfpect to old ducks, 

 it may have its weight : but if the caterpillars 

 are fo few as to tire the young ducks in look- 

 ing for them, the plants cannot fuflain any ma- 

 terial injury from them. 



The fa& feems clearly to be, that where one 

 acre of turneps has been faved by any other 

 means whatever (hand-picking cxcepted) an 

 hundred have been faved by DUCKS. 



Poultry may be equally good (and perhaps 

 without the evil attendant of eating the plants'* ; 

 but their ufe does not feem to have been dif- 

 covered, or attended to, until too late. 



Alfo, when a piece of turneps has been in 

 danger from the enemy in the neighbourhood ; 

 {nit not already infeftcd ; cutting a trench has 



per- 



