ONION FLY DADDY LONG LEGS POTATO BEETLE 385 



attacks the wild Alexanders (Smyrnium Olusatruni). The scientific 

 name of the Onion Fly is Ant homy ia ceparum, and a close ally is 

 found in the Cabbage Fly (A. brassicce. and A. trimaculata), the 

 destroyer of Cabbage roots. 



Parsnips are often attacked by the larva of a Carrot Moth named 

 Depressaria cicutella. The larva spins webs about Carrot flowers and 

 leaves for security whilst feeding, and sometimes works fearful havoc 

 amongst Carrots and Parsnips. 



DADDY LONG LEGS, in its perfect form of a fly (Tipula\ does no 

 harm, but it lays its eggs in grass turf and in garden soil, and its dark 

 sausage-like grubs are terribly destructive. When this pest occurs 

 in grass turf, it is a good plan to roll the turf late at night and early 

 in the morning. This will crush them wholesale when feeding. 

 A bush harrow used at the same hours will sweep them up, and 

 whenever they can be got together in a bulk, a heavy sprinkling of 

 salt will kill them, although they are proof against mild poisons, 

 whether liquid or solid, when applied diffusively. Where song birds 

 are scarce, the Tipula is capable of utterly destroying grass turf, and 

 of seriously ravaging the kitchen garden ; but cultivation, aided by 

 the robins, thrushes, nightingales, and other insect-eating birds, will 

 keep the insect within bounds, even after a hot summer favourable 

 to its increase. When a few choice plants are found to be eaten 

 through at the ' collar,' that is, where root and stem meet, it is good 

 practice to scrape the earth away from them, so as to leave a shallow 

 saucer-like hollow round every plant. This should be done with 

 care, to avoid injuring the roots. In the process of scraping with a 

 bit of pointed stick, the black grub will probably be found and 

 can be killed ; but if not seen by human eye, it will be exposed to the 

 sharper eye of the robin, to 

 whom it will prove a welcome 

 meal, for which the scraper 

 will be doubly repaid, first by 

 the saving of the plants, and 

 next by the sweet song of this 

 best of feathered gardeners. 



THE POTATO BEETLE OR 



POTATO BUG (Lygus solani) -x-4-- 



is a destructive and common POTATO BEETLE OR BUG 



insect that lives upon Potato L yg u Sso iani 



foliage. At one time this insect was considered by many agriculturists 



CC 



