100 TURNIP. 



Going further north, and still at the coast, Mr. Andrew Balsillie, 

 who had given great attention in the previous outbreaks to this infes- 

 tation, reported on the 7th of June from St. Andrew's, Fifeshire, N.B., 

 the presence of both moth and caterpillar as follows : — 



<< I regret to inform you that the Diamond-back Moth and cater- 

 pillar have made their appearance in this quarter. During the present 

 week I was told that the moth had been observed in a field of Swedes 

 on the estate of Strath tyrum, and on making an examination to-day, 

 I found a number of the caterpillars, specimens of which are sent. In 

 another field, about a mile distant, the moth was very plentiful, but 

 certainly not so numerous as it was during the infestation of 1891. It 

 has been fine growing weather for some weeks, — considerable warmth 

 alternating with showers of rain, which is in marked contrast to the 

 climatic conditions of three years ago, when the caterpillar was so 

 destructive. It may therefore be hoped the more severe aspect of the 

 plague will not be experienced this year ; but farmers should not 

 neglect the precautions which you previously advised as the result of 

 your enquiry on this subject." 



Eather later on (per favour of the Editor of ' The Farming World,' 

 Edinburgh), specimens were sent me of the infestation from near 

 Anstruther, Co. Fife, N.B., by Mr. A. Gillchrist, with the observation : 

 — "I enclose a few specimens of an insect which is very plentiful in 

 my Turnip-fields at present. Can you tell ma if they are the 

 Diamond-back Moth ? " 



The localities of the above observations, it will be seen, are all on 

 the eastern sea-coast, with the exception of Huddersfield, which is 

 about sixteen miles south-west of Leeds in Yorkshire. 



Almost the only other observations referring to anything like a 

 district attack were from Ossemsley Farm, Lymington, Hants, a 

 locality very near the southern coast. The first of these was sent me 

 on the 11th of June by Mr. D. D. Gibb, as follows : — " Ten days ago I 

 found a few Diamond-back Moths in my garden; on inspecting a 

 Mangold- and Swede-field, I found the moths fairly numerous." On 

 June 22nd, Mr. Gibb reported : — "The continuous showers keep the 

 Swede-plants in vigorous growth, and so they have not suffered from 

 Diamond-back caterpillars ; the moths are not now so plentiful either. 

 " The ground has been horse-hoed, then hand-hoed close to the 

 plants, and I am only proceeding with singling where the plant is 

 very thick, and would not do to stand much longer. The plants 

 where thin have received a dressing of nitrate of soda, also, where 

 singled, by a man going along each row sprinkling a little over the 

 plants as he goes. In this way the action will be quicker than by 

 sowing broadcast ; in fact, where singling took place on Saturday, the 

 plants left have already gained their feet, and have been but little 



