45 
‘ hairs. It has an interrupted dorsal stripe on the abdomen. The wings are 
clear. It measures half an inch in expanse of wings, and a quarter of an 
inch in length of body. The mother tly 
lays her white oval eggs on the edge of 
the sheath of the onion, near the ground, 
seldom depositing more than six on one 
plant. The eggs hatch in a few days, and 
the maggots, which in general appearance 
resemble those of the radish fly, work their 
way downward, inside the sheath, to the 
bulb. Having devoured one bulb they will 
pass on to another. They may often be 
found clustered on the outside of the bulb. 
It takes them a fortnight to attain their 
growth, and in another fortnight the perfect 
flies appear. While the onions are yet very 
young soot and wood-ashes should be seat- 
tered over the bed as a preventive, and 
where the maggots are really working hot water should be applied to the bulbs 
with a watering can. This will destroy the maggots without injuring the plants. 
For a more full account of this pest see Dr. Bethune’s excellent article on 
“ Remedies for Noxious Insects,” in the Society’s 19th annual report. 
THE CABBAGE FLy (Anthomyia brassicew, Bouché).—The cabbage fly is ash- 
grey. The male has three black longitudinal lines on the thorax, a black dorsal 
line on the abdomen, and black bands at the edges of the segments. In the female 
the lines on the thorax and the bands on the abdomen are wanting. 
The female fly lays her eggs at the junction of the lowest leaves with the 
stem. The larvz eat the rootlets and penetrate the main root and the stock. 
The plant speedily withers away. In wet seasons especially the insects are often 
very destructive. 
It has been recommended as a preventive that, at the time of planting, the 
roots and stems of the cabbage plants should be dipped in weak lye of ashes. As 
a remedy Dr. Lintner tells us (1st Annual Report of Injurious and other Insects 
of the State of New York. p. 190), “ Watering the plants with lime-water has 
been found to be of service in killing the larve.” 
THE Root FLY (Anthomyia radicwm, Linn).—The male of the root fly has 
the thorax on the upper side, marked with three black longitudinal stripes and 
‘three grey ones. The abdomen has a black dorsal line and is crossed with black 
lines at the sutures. The female is lighter in colour and much resembles A. 
brassice, but it has three fuscous longitudinal lines on the thorax. She lays her 
eggs in the crown of the turnip or other root. These hatching, the ochre-coloured 
maggots work down into the bulb. When full grown they leave the bulb and 
pupate in the earth. The flies appear in the spring. 
The use of superphosphate as a manure will preserve the turnips from the 
attacks of the fly. 
Tue Beet-Lear Miner (Chortophila betarum, Lintner).—This is a small 
fly, expanding four-tenths of an inch only. The body colouris grey. The thorax 
has three dusky stripes. The wings have a brownish tinge ; and the legs are 
black. It appears in June, and lays its beautifully reticulated eggs on the under 
