44 THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 



flea-beetle), as the nature of their ravages are toler- 

 ably well known. Thus much, however, may be said ; 

 namely : — 



a. These insects are called fleas because they have the 



power of hopping on being disturbed, much 

 after the manner of a flea. 



b. They have some five or six broods each year ; the 



earlier ones probably being bred on charlocks 

 and other weeds of the same natural order 

 as the turnip ; and hence, then, charlocks are 

 pests, not ouly as being weeds, but as breeding- 

 places for one of our most mischievous insects. 



c. They migrate from their weed-haunts to the first 



crop of turnips, where much of their mischief 

 may be prevented by simply dusting over the 

 young plants with any fine powder, road- dirt 

 answering the purpose as well as anything 

 else. 



Various devices have been employed for keeping 

 away and killing these little creatures. "We have 

 used a contrivance for catching them, which may be 

 described as follows : — 



Some thin board (or boards), making a surface of 

 about 4 feet long by 2 feet wide, is furnished at one 

 end with a pair of light wheels of just sufficient 

 diameter to lift the board about 2 or 3 inches above 

 the plants. To the other end may be attached two 

 crooked handles in such a manner that the machine 

 can be wheeled flatly over the plants, or if four wheels 

 be employed, one at each corner, a single handle can 

 be used either to push or pull the implement. When 



