The Pests of Garden Plants 



the spots on the seed as the eggs of the insect. This, however, may 

 be said with safety, that the seed sown should be all of one age, and 

 the newest possible, because of the need for a quick and strong 

 growth. When a powerful manure is sown with the seed, the quantity 

 of seed should be increased, as a considerable portion may be killed 

 by the manure. It is important always to drill turnip seed ; broad- 

 casting seems to invite the Fly at all events, a drilled crop is gene- 

 rally safer. 



The sprinkling of slaked lime over the seedlings is at once a 

 safe and an effectual process, and possesses the additional advantage 

 of being beneficial to the plant. We are aware that it does not 

 always succeed, but we are inclined to attribute the failure to a bad 

 quality of the lime, or a careless method of employing it. There 

 should be enough put on to make the plants white, and they will be 

 none the worse for the whitening. Dustings of ashes and soot are 

 scarcely less effectual, but salt must not be used, for it injures the 

 plants and does not hurt the beetle. All such dustings should be 

 done in the morning, while the plants are wet with dew. To apply 

 a dusting at midday, when the sun shines gaily, is to waste time in 

 merely amusing the beetles. Probably many of the recorded failures 

 might he explained if we knew at what hour and in what sort of 

 weather the work was done. Nets and sticking boards have been 

 tried and found effectual, and yet it is but rarely we see such things 

 used. A board newly painted with white paint, drawn over the plot 

 on a still, sunny day, soon becomes a black board by the myriads of 

 Halticas that jump at and remain attached to it, the victims of their 

 extravagant love of light. 



Finally, this, in common with all other insects in the winged state, 

 needs a dry air and some degree of warmth for its health and happi- 

 ness. Many kinds of larvae need moisture, but no winged insect can 

 abide moisture long, and herein, perhaps, we may find a clue to the 

 eradication of Turnip Fly. By the simple process of spraying the 

 plant three or four times a day, until it is out of the seed-leaf, and 

 the danger is over, it is possible in the garden to wash out the 

 Haltica ; and any kind of insecticide or flavouring may be mingled 

 with the water to render the plants distasteful to the insects. 



The illustration shows the Turnip Fly in its three stages, and in 

 each case of the natural size and magnified seven diameters. 



Bean Weevil. This insect not only attacks Beans, but 

 occasionally it ravages Peas, Turnips, Savoys, Kales, Broccoli, 



406 



