Sko. 12.] ENTOMOLOGICAL. 241 



264. Protection of Turnips. — Tlic following, from an Eugliih newspapur, is 

 equally wortliy of attention in America: 



" In the list of patents for wliich ])rovisional protection lias been taken 

 out is a macliinc of a novel and somewhat curious character. The speeilica- 

 tion, as tala-n from the list, descriljes tlic machine as a 'blast drill,' the 

 object of which is to protect the turnip crop from the ravages of the fly and 

 the slug, and its other numerous enemies, and secure, as far as human inge- 

 nuity can accomplish it, this most valuable of all bulbous roots. The com- 

 mon j)ractice of protecting the turnip from the liy is by dusting the row with 

 lime during the night and while the dew is upon the plant. Tiiis operuiion 

 is difficult, and imperfectly performod. Besides the blow process of doing 

 this by hand, the difficulty of dusting the under side of the i)lant as well as 

 the top side ofiers an insuperable objection to this mode of ajiplyiug lime, 

 soot, or any other compost, to the young turnip-jilant. This difficulty is now 

 overcome, and the •lime (a mi.xture of one sixth uf soot with it is recom- 

 mended) is thrown, by means of a blast fan, upon every part of the plant, 

 both on the upper and under side. The fan is put in n<otion by the travel- 

 ing wheels of the drill, and receives its velocity in the usual manner by 

 gearing wheels. The blast thus created by the fan is brought to bear u[)on 

 the plant,»which, yielding to its action, bends from the current, and as it 

 lets ui)on a falling stream of lime or otiier composition, the ])lant becomes 

 ;om]i!etely covered with the powder. But this is not the only object the blast 

 drill will accomplish. The fly, disturbed by a simple contrivance, hops 

 away, but is at that moment caught by a current of air entering the blast 

 i'an and instantly destroyed, and thrown out again with violence from tho 

 vortex into which it had been drawn. This operation is simple, and the pro- 

 cess of annihilation is similar to that of a mouse or rat going down a thrash- 

 ing-machine. The fly and the lime are so completely mixed and incorpo- 

 rated that tho mischievous yet delicate insects are destroyed by the atmo- 

 spheric pressure tin-own upon them, and the plant is also secured, by tiio 

 dusting of compost, from all future attacks of the enemy. All farmers can 

 not fail to know something about the insect which does so much annual mis- 

 chief to tl)c turnip crops. Sometimes a fallow, wliich in tillage and labor 

 has cost £5 or £0 an acre in ju'oparing it fur a crop of Swedes, has had all 

 the labor and capital expended made \ain by the fly. Can this evil be rein- 

 cdiwl i It seems possible ; and if this invention of a blast drill should be tho 

 means of securing a turnip crop, or even improving it, by the ajiplication of 

 a top-dressing of soot or guano, or any otiier soluble manure, a gnat good 

 has been accomplished, not to farmci-s only, but to tho community at large."' 



2G5. Pca-Wcfvil — How Destroyed. — One of the greatest pests that growers 

 of peas have to contend with is the pea-weevil, Bnichtis j'ixi, which sonjc- 

 times attacks every pod, and leaves an egg to hatcii into a disgusting insect 

 in every pea, so that, if intended for food, when dry, wo shall And a modi- 

 cum of meat ready mixed in our j>ea-soup. If intendi'd for seed, wiien wo 

 are ready to plant in the spring, we tind tho life of our peiw eaten out. 



