SILVER-Y MOTH. 
77 
are dry enough a light rolling is given. The next proceeding is 
to mix equal parts of Swedish Turnip and common Mustard seed 
together; a single row of this is then drilled on each ridge at the rate 
of three pints an acre, a light roll following to put out the drill-marks. 
This is important, as I long ago discovered that, while the insect took 
off the plants that stood in the hollows, those on the hills escaped with 
a mauling; this of course was when the seed was sown broadcast. 
Mustard seed is not only 50 per cent, cheaper than Swedish Turnip 
seed, but the plants are more easily singled where it is made use of. 
“ For White Turnips I make 24-inch ridges, sow a liberal quantity 
of superphosphate and plough it in, as I drill these late to stand the 
winter. I seldom have much trouble with the insect; if so, I use the 
light roller. 
“ This spring I drilled some Enfield Market Cabbage the beginning 
of April, and, thinking it too early for the enemy, mixed some dead 
Turnip seed instead of Mustard with the Cabbage; this proved an 
unfortunate mistake, for just as the plants appeared we had a hot day 
or two, and the consequence was I found from three to five ‘ flies ’ on 
every plant; but some slacked lime sown early the next morning saved 
the crop, whilst a neighbour lost his entirely.” 
Mr. James Wliitton, Coltness Gardens, Wisliaw, N.B., notes:— 
“ I have found the use of water of great use in checking ‘ fly.’ On 
its first appearance I dust the bed or seed-lines with lime early in the 
morning , and, if the weather is at all dry, we water the Turnips 
regularly at night until the plants are all safe. This I have practised 
for many years.” 
Turnip Fly is mentioned by Mr. Eobert Coupar, of Colenden, 
Scone, as having been very injurious to the crops in that neighbour¬ 
hood in 1883, many farmers having been obliged to sow two and 
three times. 
Silver-Y Moth. Plusia Gamma, Linn. 
On October 3rd Mr. George Brown forwarded me from Watten 
Mains, Caithness, N.B., a specimen of a Moth developed from a green 
caterpillar, of which the attack had been doing much harm to the 
Turnips by eating away any green part of the leaves which had 
escaped the attacks of the other kinds mentioned at p. 75. 
With these were forwarded moth-chrysalids in web cocoons, with 
the note:—“Corn crops are perfectly covered with these cocoons; 
between the sheath-leaf and stalk in the Corn, in the seed-stalks of 
Sorrel, and on every and all parts of the Field Thistle, the cocoons 
appear.” 
