MUSTARD BEETLES. 
63 
land firm by rolling, deposit the seed just below the surface ; it comes 
up sooner.”—S amuel Egan. 
“ This year I have sown Mustard as early as the 2nd of April, on a 
nice fine loamy soil: it came up well, and grew very rapidly. When 
about 15 to 18 inches high it began knotting for flower (a farmer’s 
expression), I noticed the heads smothered with tiny beetles'" (the 
Mustard Beetle). I should have sown about twenty bushels of soot 
per acre if I had had it by me, but on the 1st of June we had a very 
heavy thunderstorm, with some hail, after which I did not notice many 
beetles. It is now a fine piece of Mustard, nearly fit to cut, although 
the tops of the stalks for about 3 to 5 in. have no seed-pods on. I 
sowed 2^ cwt. superphosphate of lime per acre, drilled with the seed.” 
—Eichard H. Sears. 
“ The soil upon which Mustard is sown is the black peat or fen, 
which produce very fine crops when not injured by beetles. The early 
crops (sown, say, late in March or early in April) are generally best, 
but no manure or preparation of the land appears to have any effect 
upon the ravages of beetles.” —Alfred Fuller. 
On appUcation to Mr. Jagues, of How den, to ivliom IJiadheen especially 
referred as a successful Mustard-grower, he mentioned that, cdthoiigh he 
had been a Mustard-grower for several years, he had hitherto escaped any 
attack f7'om the Mustard Beetle, and favoured me, on further request, with 
the following details :— 
“ The soil is known as ‘ warp,’ and is artificially made by con¬ 
veying the muddy waters of the Humber (and securing the alluvial 
deposit) on the original surface. I have latterly grown about forty 
acres per annum, about half of which was summer fallowed in the 
previous year, and dressed with farmyard manure in the ordinary way. 
The other half has usually been taken after Wheat on land in good 
manurial condition (this year, for instance, on land that was Clover 
and grass for^seven years, then Potatoes 1884, and Wheat 1885 ; both 
crops heavy). As soon as the Wheat last year was harvested the land 
was twice steam cultivated; then left until February, when it was 
ploughed over; then left until the middle of April, when it was well- 
harrowed and drilled 16 in. apart with about Gibs, of White Mustard 
seed per acre. It is now coming into flower, and looking very well 
for so ungenial a season. When I have thought it necessary I have 
drilled 4 to 5 cwt. superphosphate or dissolved bones to push on the 
plant in its early stages. This year the weather and the soil were so 
cold in these parts that the plant germinated slowly, and made little 
progress for some time afterwards. Considerable breadths, I hear, 
* The beetles sent accompanying were specimens of Meligethes aneus, the 
Turnip-flower Beetle, of which account is given separately. 
