TURNIP FLY. 25 



sown with five pounds, and all sown at the same time, and with the 

 same treatment. (E. B.) 



On a farm in the neighbourhood of Sunderland, Durham, where 

 fifty to sixty acres are grown annually and a good plant is rarely 

 misled, six pounds of seed are used per acre (three pounds being the 

 quantity commonly thought sufficient). Of course the plants require 

 to be thinned when very small, or else they would soon get " spindly " 

 and spoil. (Communicated by J. S.) 



MIXTURE OF VARIOUS AGES OF SEED. It is a good plan to sow a 

 mixture of one, two, and three years' old seed, as the fly is not likely 

 to attack all the growths. (F. S.) 



I always recommend farmers to sow a mixture of old and new seeds 

 in this way, the old seed, being longer in springing, a successive crop 

 comes up if the first is eaten over. I have known many cases in which 

 this has proved successful, especially if rain followed, which would 

 make the ground unfit for working, and thus prevent second sowing 

 for (say) a week or ten days.* (W. D.) 



MIXTURE OF MUSTARD WITH TURNIP SEED. I believe fully in the 

 old custom of sowing Mustard seed with the Turnip seed (either 

 drilled in or broadcast) as a preventive. The Mustard appears a few 

 days before the Turnip, and is pounced on ravenously by the fly in 

 preference, and in most seasons sufficiently protects the Turnip plant. 

 This year, however, Mustard and Turnip were grazed off and totally 

 ruined by the fly in these parts. (J. H. A.) 



I always put plenty of seed, and put a little Mustard with it ; the 

 Mustard grows faster than the Swede, and, as the fly always goes on 

 the higher plant, we therefore find it on the top of the Mustard by 

 preference to the Swede crop. (C. C.) 



The use of Mustard is also alluded to in the following note from 

 the * Journal of Horticulture ' for Sept. 22nd, 1881, to which my 

 attention has been drawn by several contributors. ED.) : 



" I noticed, in a market- garden to-day, what was to me a novel 

 remedy. ... A central line of Mustard, with seedling Cabbages, 

 Cauliflowers, and Broccoli on one side and various Turnips on the 

 other, all without a leal touched. I understand this is a perfect 

 remedy." (N. J. M. C.) 



* With regard to the importance of sowing good and reliable seed, a correspondent 

 draws attention to a difficulty which is very likely to arise in outlying districts 

 where seed supplies run short, or where the necessity of using good seed .to secure 

 rapid germination is not enough considered ; this is, that in years when farmers 

 have again and again to resow then: Turnip seed, inferior or old seed is liable to be 

 offered at reduced rates, which many purchase and sow. This is a subject on 

 which good agriculturists would need no hints, but in some cases the deficient 

 quality of seed would explain non-appearance of the plant. ED. 



