[ 5% ° ] 
Clofes of Turnips often undergo the fame Fate 
from thefe devouring Infers, which one would 
think designing to do as much Mifchief as poffible 
(could we fuppofe them capable of any Defign) j for 
when one of them fixes upon a Turnip, he eats 
only the middle fmall Root, which foon caufes it 
to wither and die, and then moves on to the next. 
In like manner they deftroy the Roots of Wheat, 
Rye, &c. and aimoft every other ufeful Vegetable that 
happens in their Way. And what makes this Peft 
the more deplorable, is the long Time of their Con- 
tinuance in their Eruca , or molt mifehievous State, 
which, according to Goedartius , is four Years at 
leaft : But Mouffet writes, that in Normandy they 
are obferved to be mod numerous every third Year, 
which is therefore called U An des Hannetons . 
And it is not improbable, that in the open Fields 
where they are well fed, they may come to their 
perfeft State a Year fooner than thofe did which 
Goedartius aimoft ftarved in glafs Jars. 
Mr. Arderon fays, he has frequently been told by 
People of Credit and Obfervation, that neither the 
fevereft Frofts of our Climate, nor the being im- 
merged in Water, will deftroy thefe Eruca \ fome 
having been expofed for many Days to the keeneft 
Frofts, and others cover’d with Water for as long a 
Time, which notwithstanding were found to revive, 
and become as vigorous as ever. 
Crows and Hogs devour thefe Eruca greedily; but 
their Numbers are too great to be much diminished 
thereby. The moft effectual Way, tho’ very labo- 
rious, is to beat them off the Trees in the Day- 
time with long Poles, and then fweep them toge- 
ther 
