70 
MUSTARD. 
one bold man who is growing it this year, in close proximity to fields 
where the crop last year was almost spoiled by the beetle, has not had 
his entirely eaten up, and they do not seem to have harmed it at 
present. On Foulness Island, where last year there were 350 acres of 
seed there are now only 26 acres, and yet, strange to say, this small 
area is not much affected by the beetle ; there are but a few specimens 
to be found in it, and they seem to have done no harm at present. In 
my opinion, at certain times they fly in large quantities with the wind ; 
a field of seed may be free from beetles one day and covered with them 
the next.”— Ernest Smith. 
The following notes show sudden appearance of the beetle :— 
“ I was on Foulness yesterday, and Mr. 0. C. Harvey showed me a 
roadway running alongside of the only (in consequence of the beetle) 
field of Mustard on the island. It was covered with beetles, which 
were leaving the Mustard in search of pastures new. They only 
shoived themselves ten days ago, and in that time have done much 
damage. I enclose a few stalks to show their work. As soon as the 
stalks become hard, I imagine they leave it and go elsewhere. I am 
told they are spreading in other parts of Essex.” —Arthur Harrington. 
“ I left the neighbourhood where Mustard-seed is grown in 1872, 
when the beetle was not known ; and hearing the damage it did last 
season, and knowing that a great many growers did not intend growing 
any more, I thought seed might be scarce and perhaps dear, so was 
tempted to sow 25 acres here, which is at least 10 miles from the 
nearest point of the mustard neighbourhood, and so thought I should 
be safe from the insect. I have been on the look-out for the beetle 
for weeks past, and on Wednesday last two or three made their 
appearance. I have now two men doing nothing else but collecting 
the beetles, which we put into bottles and scald every night. They 
collect on an average between 300 and 500 each per day, and I 
believe we shall be able to save the crop. My Mustard is now from 
3 to 4 feet high.”—W. M. Meesom, Battles Bridge, Essex. 
Wire worm. 
7.—Whether wireworm is found in Mustard fields, or attacks Wheat, 
or other crops succeeding Mustard ? 
From the replies 7ioted below it appears that Mustard is frequently of 
use in getting rid of wireworms in the land, or m lessening the amount of 
their ravages, hut that it is iwt exempt from wireworm attack; and where 
wireworms are qmesent in very great Jiumhers that it may suffer as severely 
as other crops. 
“I have not seen or heard of wireworms attacking succeeding 
crops of Wheat or other cereals,”— Alfred Fuller, 
