226 A COUNTRY READER. 



to encourage them. Whenever you see the 

 . peewits at work rejoice, for you know for certain 

 that this bird at work is saving you many 

 pounds of money. If the peewits were plentiful, 

 and had a fair chance, you would probably not 

 have much bother with the wire worms. 



It is said that a plot of waste potatoes will 

 draw the wire worm from the straw crop. 



Surface Caterpillars are stout caterpillars 1^ 

 to 2 inches in length, with a shining transparent 

 external skin. The best known is the turnip 

 moth. The worst of these caterpillars is that 

 they attack the plant both underground and 

 above ground. On clear days they bore into the 

 juicy underground parts of turnips and carrots, 

 and, during the night and cloudy days, they 

 will come above ground and attack the leaves 

 and stems of young plants. 



The turnip moth can be seen flying about from 

 the middle of May right into the autumn. They 

 lay their eggs singly in the soil close to the plant 

 root, so that, when the caterpillar hatches out, it 

 has a store of food ready to hand. 



The caterpillars in autumn do most damage to 

 the winter crop, wandering about from plant to 

 plant. They gnaw through the main roots, which 

 quickly kills the plant attacked, and then they 

 pass on to the next. 



Warm soils are most troubled with these sur- 



