62 
MUSTARD. 
will attack the leaf when old and strong (flavoured), then the stalk, 
working up to the pods (these they bark, the seed dries up, and drops 
worthless).”— Samuel Egan. 
“ They appear to feed on all strong-tasted plants. For the last 
week they have been crawling out of my marsh of Mustard, have got 
into my garden (which joins it), and are now feeding off my Broccoli, 
and other species of the Cabbage ; also Horse-radish, Nasturtiums, 
&c.”—C. C. Harvey. 
Means of preventing Attack, or of lessening the amount 
by Agricultural Measures. 
3.—Dates of sowing; methods of cultivation and of preparation of 
the land found to answer in pushing the plant-growth on past 
harm from common amount of attack ? 
The followmg notes refe7' chiefly to the dates of sowing found to ansiver 
best in vaidous localities and circumstances; to soil suitable for Mustard 
growing, and to details of thorough cultivation; liberal manuring; and 
other points adapted to favour healthy and free growth :— 
“ In Cambridgeshire, February to March ; in Lincolnshire, March 
to April. I have this year sown some as an experiment in May, and 
it is going on well; but I prefer March sowings. The land should be 
in very good heart (newly broken-up land is undoubtedly best) ; it 
should be well-manured in the winter, well-worked and rolled down 
until solid before the seed is drilled, and again rolled after the drill. 
The seed should be drilled with superphosphate—if with a water-drill, 
so much the better.” —Wm. Abbott. 
“We generally sow Mustard from the 5th to the 15th of March, 
on land which was fallowed all the previous summer, and plentifully 
manured. By the end of March, in a fairly growing season, the young 
plants have stems as large as . that of a clay-pipe ; they are then 
singled out, allowing about a foot or fifteen inches between each. In 
the two years that I have known the beetle it has not begun to attack 
the plant before this time.” —Ernest Smith. 
* “ First week in March on summer fallow, well-mucked and scari¬ 
fied, and harrowed in.”—C. E. Harvey. 
“ But my opinion in growing Mustard-seed is to put it in the 
ground as early in the spring as one dare for it not to be hurt from 
frost (say the latter part of February or beginning of March), and then 
the seed gets too forward before the beetle lays the eggs and becomes 
the maggot.” —John Tibbetts. 
“We sow Mustard from March 20th to April 6th. If sown too 
early it is the more liable to injury from insects and frosts. Make the 
* Mr. Harvey’s note refers to White Mustard.—En. 
