tractor. This worked quite well and brought most of the rhizomes on or close to the
greater surface area, to be killed by the frost. This became standard practice when we
had sufficient frost on land due for potatoes, as it also gave a deeper friable seedbed.
I was told by a market gardener that the earliest power harrows with reciprocating
action, as opposed to the later rotary models, would leave all the rhizomes loose on the
surface. This was far better than the old fallow method where many rhizomes had one
end still in the soil. A power harrow would be useless in a severe infestation as well as
the tines being brittle in the frost and easily broken. This operation was done wherever
possible in hot dry weather when the hot sun would soon kill the rhizomes. This could
not deal with a heavy infestation but was highly valued in lesser ones.
We now have the environmentally friendly herbicide Glyphosphate, which can be
applied by the normal wide boom sprayer mounted on a tractor in a cereal crop just
before harvest, when the Twitch seed heads are clearly seen above the crop. Most
infestations start from the outside of the field, so just one pass on the headland tramline
is enough with often only that side boom working and then meanly turned on only
when needed, very satisfying and very cheap.
Curry Farm Nature Reserve in 2009
Stephen Dewick Curry Farm, Bradwell-on-Sea, Southminster, Essex CM0 7HL
A very successful 2010 to everyone and I hope you all had a restful Christmas. As
beautiful as the snow scenes on the reserve were (see Fig. 1 overleaf), I am pleased
that the snow has gone, although we have been left with plenty of mud and serious
potholes along the lane. My father and I started this reserve more than 25years ago in
the hope that it would provide a permanent habitat for all forms of wildlife in our
rapidly diminishing countryside Little did we realize the mammoth task we were
taking on. Since my father died in April 2005 it has become imperative to find a
permanent solution for the site. A group of dedicated naturalists led by Joe Firmin
have given their whole-hearted support. Many of you said that you would be willing
to back us in our endeavours. We are hoping to hold an Open Day on the Reserve
where you will be able to see for yourselves our aims and ambitions to keep the reserve
for the benefit of the wildlife found here. We are sure that the day will provide for
many different interests and look forward to seeing you all.
Lepidoptera
2009 was a year of extreme contrasts for most of our native butterflies. Many species
were certainly boosted by the remarkably dry and sunny weather in September and
early October, so, it was especially disappointing that it should suddenly turn so
unusually wet.
8
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 62, May 2010