282 
Mustard Beetles. 
spread in a line 150 yards long and fired, are mentioned by one 
observer as having stopped further progress. Also, 
"their progress has been stopped completely by burning damp straw in a 
gateway through which they were passing." 
It is observed 
*' that at this period they make little use of their wings." 
A note was also sent of the advance of a migrating horde 
being checked " by making a shallow trench and filling it with 
cold tar." The beetles got into the tar and were unable to 
extricate themselves. 
Use of Elder Boughs. — 
" Brushing with elder boughs fixed on a hurdle and drawn by a horae over 
the young plants, is useful, as is hoeing or rolling. Tbese measures act as a 
•check to the work of the beetles." — W. A. 
Shaking Beetles Off and Destroying them. — The German 
method of clearing beetles by shaking them off the plants into 
pails or any other convenient vessels and destroying them has 
been tried by two observers. One reports it to be expensive 
and not of use, while the other states that by keeping two men 
regularly at work at the operation, it so far answered that he 
considered that he thus saved his crops from being destroyed. 
Where this plan is tried the shaking or picking should be done 
early in the morning or on dull days when the beetles are 
sluggish. 
General Information. 
7. As to effects of weather ; to the rotation of crops ; to the 
neighbourhood of previously infested land ; in fact, as to any of 
the points which are known to mustard-growers as bearing on 
the subject, would all be of service. Any observations as to 
"whether wireworms were found in mustard fields, or attacked 
wheat or other crops succeeding mustard, would also be of much 
interest. 
The small amount of information forwarded in reply to the 
first enquiries is for the most part given under the preceding 
headings. With regard to wireworms, almost all the contributors 
who have sent replies agree in the serviceableness of mustard in 
clearing land of this pest sufficiently to secure the safety of the 
following crops. 
Wireworms. — It is noted as being a good system to grow 
white mustard on land infested with wireworms, and an instance 
is given of a piece of land on which, when successive crops had 
failed through wireworms, white mustard was sown one year 
and a good crop of wheat obtained the next. 
