322 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



full value ; for in studying that branch of science and ap- 

 plying the information derived therefrom to practice, we 

 are enabled to produce such results as will prove beneficial, 

 not only to ourselves, but to the country at large ; for it is 

 science combined with practice that has placed England so 

 prominent amongst the nations of the earth." 



120. Mr. Morris then proceeds to describe his method of 

 dealing with the beetle, which, we believe, has been suc- 

 cessful in all cases where tried. " The suggestion which I 

 propose to introduce to your notice is one which I have 

 the greatest confidence in believing will prevent the beetle 

 from destroying the young turnip plant, and will undertake 

 to say that it shall never fail in having the desired effect 

 if used at a proper time. The operation consists in pro- 

 pelling a machine a model of which I have before me 

 over the turnips as soon as the beetles are discovered, and 

 persevering for a few days, when immense numbers of them 

 would be caught, and th6 remainder so disturbed that it 

 would be impossible for them to injure the plants. I have 

 used it with great success upon my turnip crops, when 

 many farmers in the neighbourhood were compelled to sow 

 a second time. It is simple in construction ; light, yet 

 durable, and effective in operation. It consists of a frame 

 for the most part made of tubular iron, which may be 

 elevated or depressed by the action of the lever on the 

 centre bar, so as to adapt it to work in turnip fields, either 

 ridged, drilled upon the flat, or sown broadcast. The 

 front part of it is covered with canvas, the under side of 

 which is smeared over with a very adhesive chemical pre- 

 paration, and by passing the machine over the plants at a 

 proper elevation, upon a bright sunny day myriads of them 

 would be caught, the beetles springing from the turnips 

 and adhering to the preparation, from which it would be 

 impossible for them to extricate themselves. In leaping 

 they jump horizontally, but the height they spring from 

 the plants varies according to the weather. When first I 

 used this machine I had the canvas placed over the whole 

 frame, but where one insect was caught on the hinder part, 



