58 MANGOLDS, 



jectnrally at least, might give great similarity of date to these caterpillar 

 pests. 



On suggesting this to Mr. Collins, he considered that this was very 

 likely the explanation, and wrote me : — " No doubt your suggestion is 

 correct about the moths being hatched and laying their eggs before the 

 late sown Mangolds were up, and this would also account for the little 

 damage the caterpillars have done to the Swedes and White Turnips 

 compared with the Mangolds, which were sown earlier. The very first 

 sown Mangolds did not suffer quite so much as those sown about a 

 fortnight later, but perliaps they were larger plants, and better able to 

 withstand the attack of the grub. In some places they are producing 

 half a crop where the second sowing had to be ploughed up again." — 

 (T. C.) 



Other communications were sent me regarding damage from Surface 

 Caterpillars then going forward to various crops, especially Turnips ; 

 but also to roots of Cabbage and Strawberry plants, and to Maize. 

 From Wickham Market, Suffolk, the grub was reported, on July 24th, 

 as doing immense mischief to the Turnip crop in the neighbourhood 

 by biting the root of the young plant in two. From near Cheam, 

 Surrey, at nearly the same date, a correspondent mentioned he had 

 several fields of Brussel Sprouts, and Cabbage, which were being eaten 

 off by the pests, and that they had also attacked a field of Straw- 

 berries. 



On the 24th of July, Mr. G. S. Mitchell, writing from Adhurst 

 St. Mary, Petersfield, Hants, mentioned attack, which proved like the 

 others previously noticed to be of Surface Caterpillars, having "first 

 appeared in a field of White Turnips, and have quickly cleared off about 

 four acres quite clean." At date of writing, Mr. Mitchell noted, they 

 seem now to be firmly established in the next field, which is Maize 

 sown for ensilage purposes; and a few days later he added: — "The 

 number of caterpillars seems now to be very materially reduced, owing 

 to a heavy night's rain we have had, but I fear it looks very doubtful for 

 second drilling of Turnips, which are now just coming up." He also 

 mentioned in the same letter: "I have just heard from one of our 

 neighbours, who farms upon the chalk, that he has lost all his Man- 

 gold and Eape by apparently this same pest." 



A note of enquiry was also sent me from Peterborough, on the 30th 

 of August, by Mr. Sidney T. Smith (Proprietor of the ' Peterborough 

 Express '), requesting information and advice as to best method of 

 extirpation of the grub which was then destroying the White Turnips 

 in the surrounding district. The specimens sent were nearly full- 

 grown, and were more characteristically Turnip grub, that is, larvae of 

 the Agrotis segetum, than can be certainly said of many Surface Cater- 

 pillars sent me, in the condition to which, without careful packing, they 



