162 APPENDIX. 



in 1859). " As there are many, however, who still adhere to it "... . 

 Prof. Wilson proceeds to discuss the suhject at length. Looking over 

 observations of experiments in various places the record is, as might 

 be expected, quite in favour generally of largest weight of root occurring 

 where leafage was left. Still this result is not invariable ; in the records 

 of the trial at the Model Farm, Glasnevin (see ' Agricultural Gazette,' 

 January 7th, 1860, for full details), it was shown that of two lots of 

 a similar kind of Mangold, each sown on the same day, treated in the 

 same manner, and each raised on the 27th of October, those from 

 which 5 tons of leaves per acre had been stripped gave a return of 45 

 tons 1 cwt. of roots per acre, whilst of those from which no leafage 

 had been taken, the return of roots per acre was 40 tons 8 cwt. 6 qrs. 

 Turning noiv to possible preventive benefit by some leaf -stripping. 



Without venturing to express an opinion myself on the agricultural 

 bearing of the case, I should conjecture that so far as growth of good 

 roots was concerned it was much the safest course to follow the usual 

 principles of growing, and let all useful leaves remain. But infighting 

 this increasingly troublesome prevalence of Mangold leaf-blister maggot, it 

 appears to me, from the above observations of treatment, that the plan 

 of removal of a part of the leafage might be much more adopted, both 

 as a remedy and preventive, than has hitherto been the case. It is a 

 curious coincidence that the first notices of the maggot mischief began 

 not long after the plan of removal of outer leafage was observed as 

 being much less than formerly. This last was about 1860. I have 

 notes from Mr. Watson Hornsby, of Holme Cultram, Cumberland, that 

 though the first really severe attack of the Mangold leaf-maggot, that 

 he noticed, was in 1876, yet for some years before, similar attack, on a 

 lesser scale, had been noticeable. 



It is unnecessary to go into details of application to any of my 

 agricultural readers. It has long been known to be one way 

 of checking further increase of attack, to pinch the maggots in 

 the leaf-blisters, or to nip these pieces out. But independently 

 of all evident drawbacks to this plan (even whilst the plant is 

 still young), after a while, when the leafage becomes of a fair 

 size, the pinching out plan becomes impossible. At this date, and 

 afterwards, it would probably save a great amount of continuance 

 of attack in infested fields to have the leafage much more removed 

 than (as far as I know), we generally have ventured to do. Of course 

 it should be done under exact instruction of a superintendent as to how 

 many of the outer leaves might be safely removed ; and the removal 

 should be carefully done, so as not to bruise or injure the crown of the 

 root. Where the leaves are maggot-infested we have obviously the 

 gain of this much nucleus of future infestation being removed, and 

 there are very many cases in which the removal of the partially 



