J 4 



a small earlv planting to act as a trap crop, and as soon as these 

 plants are found to be infested they could be carefully taken up^ 

 so as to get all the maggots feeding on the roots, and the whole- 

 then destroyed. The later planting, made after danger of infesta- 

 tion was to a great extent past, would then remain practically free 

 from the pests, and could be forced along as already mentioned. 

 An additional result from this practice would be that there would 

 be fewer flies to go into winter quarters and less infestation next 

 spring. 



In like manner, it was learned that when onion seed was sown 

 in the latter part of April and radish seed sown in early May, the 

 plants were much freer from infestation than those from seed 

 sown earlier. The reason for this is evident, when Ave consider 

 that the fly comes from hibernation as soon as the weather is suffi- 

 ciently warm in the spring and deposits its eggs on such plants as 

 are then available, hence the plants from tlie seed sown on the 

 dates just mentioned make their appearance after the greater part 

 of the egg-laying or ovipositing has taken place. This would also- 

 be true of those insects which hibei'uated in the puparium stage^ 

 although the few emerging latest might deposit on these plants. 

 Therefore, have good gromid, well prepared, sow at tlio time indi- 

 cated and use quick-acting fertilizers so as to mature the crop 

 as rapidly as possible. If an early crop is de-ircil -^dw very early, 

 fertilize even more licavily to get a very ra])id growth, and ph)W 

 out the later plants if they arc infc-;tc(l. to be re])hK*ed by the early 

 crop of the later seeding. 



Fertllizatloa. 



The necessity of a quick-acting fertilizer in conjunction with 

 planting at the right time has just been touclied upon, but may 

 be considered further. A combination which was reconunended in 

 previous reports of the Entomologist consists of 



Nitrate of soda ~CH) pounds. 



Acid pliosphate l.<XK"t 



Muriate of potash .300 " 



This, in the case of radishes, can be applied as a top dressing 

 along the rows before they are jilanted, or just after they are up, 

 at the rate of Ave hniuh'fMl jtounds por acre. Simihir a]»plications 



