178 TURNIPS. 



striped and spotted with black ; ochreous legs ; and wings 

 yellow at the base, with yellow main vein ; the insect is, 

 however, sometimes entirely black, ochreous, or green. The 

 variety Jioyis-rdjxe that is mentioned by Curtis as found on 

 flower-stalks of the Turnip is described by him as dull pale 

 green, dusted with white, and with dots and markings of 

 black. — (' ]\ron. of Brit. Aphides ' ; ' Farm Insects.') 



Prevention and Eemedies. — The great difficulty in field- 

 cultivation has arisen from the want of any implement 

 adapted to distribute fluid-dressings in the requisite manner 

 at a reasonable cost. 



This difficulty (so far as trials of experimental workings 

 show) has been removed by the invention of the pneumatic 

 drill known as the Strawsonizer. So far as we see the 

 workings, this implement would be precisely what is needed 

 for remedy of this attack. The spray could either be distributed 

 gently, so as to coat the leaves with the dressing above and 

 below ; or it could be driven with a power which would at once 

 wash off not only vast numbers of the Aphides (lice), but also 

 the filth accompanying, to the great benefit of the plants ; 

 further, the refreshment of the plant, from the general 

 moisture of the washings which would run down into the 

 earth, would of themselves be a great help against the Green 

 Fly, which is worst in the hot weather, and multiplies most 

 quickly on plants failing under drought. 



Wherever the state or arrangement of the crop allowed 

 the implement to be drawn along the drills, as good results 

 might be expected in washing for Turnip as for Hop Aphis. 



With regard to the nature of the applications, one great 

 difficulty in counteracting Aphis-attack arises from the skin 

 of the Aphis being often of such a nature, or covered with a 

 mealy secretion of such a nature, as repels water, and conse- 

 quently many of the applications simply run off them, without 

 doing us any good; but if a basis of soft-soap is given, so as to 

 make the wash adhere, whatever Aphis-poison is preferred, 

 such as quassia, paraffin, or any other deterrent, will do good. 



A proportion of twenty-eight pounds of soft-soap, and half 

 a pound of tobacco, in a hundred gallons of water, is a well- 

 known wash for clearing Hop Aphis, and would be likely to 

 answer as well for the Turnip pests. 



I have myself found soft-soap and paraffin wash answer 

 well, and as the recipe is one of the surest and simplest that 

 I have met with, I give it as placed in my hands. 



The proportions and plan of mixing were worked out by the 

 late Mr. Alex, Shearer, while at Yester, Haddingtonshire : — 

 " To eight parts of soft water add one part of black (soft) soap. 



