l8o^. Cnihe Turnip Fly, ^ST 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMCR's TvTAGAZINE. 



Sin, 



If you tliink the following ('icfultory obfervations, on fab- 

 jcOs connected with the (iefign of your Magazine, worthy of a 

 place in it, you will oblige me by infcrtin^j them. 



On the Turnip Fly. 



About the month of Augud laH:, tlie following paragraph ap- 

 peared in moit of the newfpapcrs. * At Mr Cuke's late annual 

 fheep-fliearing meeting, no lefs than 250 agriculturilts were prc- 

 fent. Before the company fcparated, a fubfcription of 200 gui- 

 neas being clofcd for the difcovery of a prefervative for turnips 

 againft the infeCl called the Fly (on condition that it proved fa- 

 tisfacliory to the fubfcribers), the fecret was declared ; which is, 

 to fow two pounds of radifh feed, on every acre of turnip land, 

 with the turnips ; V/hich, according to the declaration of the in- 

 ventor, will lo attradl: the fly, as to prevent its proving at all 

 injurious to the turnips.' 



The following extradl: from the Annual Regifter for 1768, 

 will completely Ihew that this is no new difcovery ; and that as 

 an account of this preventative againil the turnip fly has been 

 already publiJJjedy the perfon claiming the above 200 guineas, can 

 have no jufl title to any reward. 



In an account of ' An improved method of cultivating the 

 turnip cabbage, ' fent by Mr Reynolds of Adiflium, in Kent, to 

 the Society for the Encouragement oi Arts, &c. dated the i3tii 

 May 1768, the following pajTage occurs ; * As the flies will be 

 apt to fall upon, and deftroy the young feedling plants, the fol- 

 lowing remedy fhould be ufed. Mix the intended feed with long- 

 topped radifh feed, which the flies much admii-e : The radifli 

 leaves being quick growers, will entertain thefe infe£ts until the 

 other feed plants get out of their way ; but if they are very nu- 

 merous, run a light roller over them, night and morning, while 

 the dew remains. This will Hck up moft of them, if duly per- 

 formed ; for a little moillure caufes both them and the earth to 

 ftick to the roller ; by which means the enemy will be removed, 

 and the young plants no way injured by it. 



* N, B. — One pound of radifli feed is fufficicnt for ten or 

 twelve pounds of turnip cabbage 5 but cabbage and cauliflower 

 require more, efpecially the latter, * 



Orp 



