TURNIP FLEA BEETLE. 117 



•especial favourite, until the young Turnip plants are 

 come up. Presently they lay their eggs (if on Turnips) 

 on the under side of the rough leaf, and from these 

 the grub eats its way into the leaf, within which it 

 feeds for about six days. It then comes out, buries 

 itself in the ground, and turns to the chrysalis, from 

 which the Beetle appears in about a fortnight, ready 

 to begin a new attack. 



The first point in prevention is to take care there is 

 as little winter shelter as possible. Lumps of manure 

 and clods of earth on the field ; heaps of stones and 

 rubbish, such as are often allowed to lie in corners of 

 fields ; large amount of dead leaves on the borders of 

 woods ; and dry dykes, or open stone walls — are all 

 winter shelters. 



Another point is to let there be as few weeds as 

 possible to keep the " Fly " alive. If it does not find 

 suitable food it will die, or remove itself. It has a 

 power of perceiving where its food is; and such plants 

 as Charlock, or the white-flowering Jack-by-the-Hedge, 

 or Shepherd's Purse, will all help to keep it alive till 

 our Turnips are ready. Thus we may lessen the 

 amount of coming attack ; but the great point to de- 

 pend on for carrying the Turnip crop through " Fly " 

 attack is judicious preparation of the ground, — plen- 

 tiful supply of enrichment, including a good amount 

 of artificial manure, and liberal supply of seed. 



The " Fly " does most harm to the Turnips whilst 

 they are still in the seed-leaves ; therefore all means 

 should be used to give a good start, and run the plant 

 on in a hearty growth. For this purpose the land 

 should be well prepared beforehand. Where climate 

 allows, autumn cultivation is best. Thus the surface 

 soil is broken down by the winter frosts, and there is 

 a good tilth on the surface, with absence of the clods 

 which shelter Fly and cause a dry top, instead of 

 the evenly evaporating surface which suits the young 

 Turnips. When thus cultivated beforehand, the 

 land does not require ploughing again in spring ; 



