MUSTABD BEETLES. 
69 
“We grew several acres, 30 to 40, of White Mustard annually 
(before we were troubled with the beetle) up to about ten years 
ago. It then spoilt the crop completely, so that we left off growing. 
I have this year tried a piece again.” —Eichard H. Sears. 
“ No doubt warm showery weather, from the time of drilling 
until the plants are in flower, is the best of all remedies against the 
attacks of the beetle. I have seen crops attacked growing miles 
from the nearest land whereon Mustard was grown the previous 
season. As to rotation of crops, I have found Mustard succeed well 
after Clover or even a straw crop, if a large dressing of manure has 
been applied on the stubbles ; but I have had poor crops after 
Turnips eaten on the land.” —Wm. Abbott. 
“ It appears to me that the rotation of crops does not make much 
difference, unless you sow such crops as will provide food for the 
beetles. Whenever they appear in any part they quickly spread 
to the neighbourhood, going a long distance for suitable food.”— 
Alfred Fuller. 
“ I first recollect hearing of the ravages of the Mustard beetle in 
Lincolnshire about twenty-five or thirty years ago. A farmer spoke 
of them as the Mustard ‘ Clock,’—I will not be answerable for the 
correct spelling of the word,—a kind of beetle that injured the 
Mustard plant if grown more than two years consecutively on the 
same land or adjoining fields. I heard little more of them until a few 
years ago, when they made sad havoc in the fen districts of Cambridge¬ 
shire, Whittlesea, March, and Ely; they came in swarms, a perfect 
pest. When the Mustard was done they took the Cabbage and 
Turnip plants among the Mangels, completely destroying them. 
I have counted over 500 shaken from one Cabbage. That season 
they destroyed every crop of the kind in their track,—Turnips, Eape, 
Cabbage, and Mustard. We have suffered very little from them 
since; we have not many this year, at present. From observation 
I find there are certainly more than one kind of beetle which injure 
the Mustard plant. I have forwarded you at least three distinct 
kinds,' I believe. Some seasons we scarcely hear of any injury being 
done by them. On pieces of land that have not been Mustard before 
or for some years we rarely find them; lands that have been Mustard 
two years or more invariably suffer most. The leaves enclosed are 
very much perforated; they came from near Long Sutton, in Lincoln¬ 
shire, while in this neighbourhood we have heard of but little injury 
being done at present.”— Samuel Egan, Wyde House, Thprney, Peter¬ 
borough, June 26, 1886. 
“ I have been in the habit of growing upwards of 100 acres 
of Mustard every year until this, when I have none at all; most 
of my neighbours have done the same. We are surprised that the 
