738 



Turnips Attacked by Beetle. 



[march, 



3. More labour is required at planting, but the difference as 

 compared with the ordinary method is very little, and where the 

 boxes described above are used it is scarcely appreciable. 



Treatment of the Sets. — The potatoes for seed may be placed 

 in the boxes when lifted in the autumn, or they may be removed 

 from the pits any time in winter. They require no arrangement, 

 but are simply scattered in the boxes in one or two layers, with- 

 out earth. When the sprouts are about 2 in. long, growth 

 may be stopped and the sprouts toughened by exposure to light. 

 When hardened in this manner the sprouts do not break off 

 easily and the sets may be dropped in the drills in any position. 

 It is not advisable to cut sprouted sets, and the best size for 

 boxing is about i| in., or what would pass through a if-in. 

 riddle and be retained by a ij-in. riddle. 



An instance has recently come under the notice of the Board 

 of injury to turnips by a Ceutorhynchus beetle, C. contractus. 



This is a very tiny shining black beetle 

 Turnips Attacked which on occasion in past years has been 



' Ceutorhynchus known t0 cause ver >" S reat loss t0 swings 

 Beetle. of turnips and white mustard. The beetle 



works both below and above ground. It 

 measures up to one-sixteenth of an inch in size, and has a small 

 proboscis by which it wounds and punctures. 



The injury caused by its operations is accomplished in one of 

 the following ways : — (1) The newly sprouting seed may be 

 attacked ; (2) the hypocotyl may be bitten so that the parts 

 above wither ; (3) the seed leaves may be wounded before 

 reaching the surface ; (4) the seed leaves may be wounded 

 after coming above ground, either by holes being bitten in them 

 or by injury that does not immediately result in a hole. The 

 attacked plants, of course, die off. 



Details are lacking as to the complete life-history of this 

 beetle, but there is a record of its grubs being found in galls on 

 the roots of charlock. This will give an indication of one 

 means of guarding against it. Recently, however, it has been 

 found that an excellent preventive is to steep the seeds in 

 paraffin before sowing. Seeds steeped for two hours and then 



