affecting the Pea-crops, Mangold-imirzcl, and Beet. 4G9 



and furnished with 2 strong curved claws. Th^female lias slender feet 

 (fig. 24, represented flying and magnified). 



It would be advisable to try experiments for the expulsion 

 of these larvae when they trespass upon our crops ; for at pre- 

 sent no natural check to their multiplication has been noticed, 

 and it is possible there may not be any parasites to prey upon 

 them. Mr. Maxwell says, " neither salt nor lime seems to have 

 the smallest effect. I have tried both with no successful result." 

 To hand-pick them appears to be hopeless, owing to their small 

 size and great numbers ; but probably some trap might be in- 

 vented to decoy them to certain spots, where they could be more 

 readily destroyed in masses. It would not be amiss to distribute 

 sea-weed when they appear on crops near the coast : dead birds 

 and quadrupeds, as v/ell as tiles and boards, should be placed 

 between the ridges, to ascertain if they preferred any of the de- 

 composing animals to the mangold-wurzel, or would congregate 

 under sheltered spots, like woodlice, earwigs, &c. As the parent 

 beetles can fly, something may attract them to particular spots 

 where they pair and lay their eggs ; and these are important points 

 to be ascertained in their economy. From the larvcB being so 

 young when discovered, it is evident they must have been bred in 

 the field, if not actually upon the quarter where the mangold wur- 

 zel was sown. I am not inclined to think the eggs were intro- 

 duced with the seed ; yet it is not impossible, for we have testimony 

 that the beetles have been found inhabiting the flowers of the 

 mountain-ash, but for what purpose they resorted there is not 

 discovered. Some of the seed previously to sowing should be 

 subjected to sufficient heat to kill the eggs without destroying the 

 vitality of the seed ; or, by steeping it in brine, sowing it away 

 from the rest, and examining it as soon as the larvae made 

 their appearance upon the crop raised from the unprepared seed, 

 this important point would be settled, should there be no larvae 

 upon the plot experimented upon. A careful examination of the 

 seed from an infected field should be made, to see if the eggs 

 could be detected, for they must be very abundant to produce 

 such large families ; and repeated search ought to be made for 

 the beetles upon the mangold-wurzel plants, especially those 

 running to seed after the middle of July, when the Silphop or 

 beetles hatch, which are now made known by the figures in the 

 plate (23 and 24), as well as by the descriptions. By such modes 

 of experiment and search as are here recommended, and of course 

 by others which will suggest themselves to the intelligent agricul- 

 turist, valuable facts will be collected, and good results may be 

 expected. 



Since the foregoing statements were made, I have received a 

 communication from Mr. Maxwell, dated 4th of October, 1847, 



