388 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



was the species), about the middle of September, on a few 

 plants ; whence in the drought of the last fortnight of that 

 month, which was the most fruitful of all, they spread them- 

 selves in spots here and there, but did not occasion much 

 hurt in this quarter. The worst effects of them anywhere 

 that I witnessed was on Swedes, on the gravelly and sandy 

 soils about Wooler. The Aphides had begun to predominate 

 there, when the turnip casts its outer leaves, and while the 

 drought and the mildew kept back the young foliage ; and 

 the consequence was most disastrous. The sickly leaves, 

 oppressed with disgusting insects, hung flagging on the 

 ground ; and the plants drained of sap grew weaker every 

 day. The smell of decaying turnips r(>se from the fields, fit 

 to corrupt the air. The white and yellow turnips at the 

 same time were infested with the green and pinkish Aphis 

 vulgaris, called also A. Rapae; and the fields wore as many 

 tints of green, yellow and brown as the woods in autumn. 

 I was told that in one inclosure the turnips were so 

 disagreeable that sheep refused them. Other fields were 

 being stripped of their produce to give to the cattle ; thus 

 losing a month or two's growth. One farmer told me, that as 

 soon as the presence of the insects was manifest, he, in order 

 to starve them, had got the tops of the Swedes cut off*; and 

 that they were sprouting again, and growing healthy. Crops 

 that were kept growing were certainly best off", such as those 

 latest sown, or those among the hills, on which only a few 

 insects were present, while the earliest fared worst; but the 

 proposed remedy is a desperate one, " moi*e to be honoured 

 in the breach than in the observance." 



I have again recourse to Mr. Langland's report : — " In the 

 beginning of September the turnip louse (Aphis Brassica:) 

 made its appearance; and its ravages on the early-sown 

 Swedes, which had escaped the fly, were most pernicious. I 

 was in the fine turnip district near Thirsk, and also on the 

 Tees, at this time, and then first noticed the louse, which 

 had already affected some fine fields of Swedes to a great 

 extent. I found it appearing in this district, on my return, 

 and it soon assumed a very destructive character. The early- 

 sown Swedes, on. the gravels and on strong land, seem to 

 have gone off" entirely. My own Swedes were partially 

 affected only ; but this I ascribe to the fact of being all later 



