43 



some of the latter are, of course, reproductions of those that appeared in the earlier issues. 

 The insects treated of are those which are injurious to field and garden crops, to timber 

 trees and fruit. 



1. The first insect treated of in the reports for 1877-78 is one that is very familiar to 

 us here : — 



The Turnip Flea-Beetle 



A/j or 'fly' (Haltica nemorum). Figure 21 represents this insect magnified. During 

 ^rSf\ D0 ^ n y ears it seems to have caused much damage in many localities. "At Kneb- 

 yJBlk- worth an example is given of the value of surrounding weeds to the farm insects 

 ' ySP * as a means of support till the crops are ready for attack, in the appearance of the 

 Fig. 21. turnip-fly first on charlock (mustard) in fields where turnips had grown the pre- 

 vious year, and then causing great injury to the kohl-rabi and turnips " — an argument for 

 clean farming. The following is a curious "remedy" : — "The plan followed is to drive a 

 large flock of sheep on the attacked field early in the morning, whilst the dew is still on the 

 leaf, and, with the help of a dog, to keep them in constant motion, and well up in a body, 

 so as to tread over all the field in turn. Treated in this way no injury is done to the crop ; 

 but if much ground has to be gone over, it should be taken on different days, as it would 

 injure the sheep to keep them long without food, or to harass them by the continued 

 driving early in the morning. In this case the extent of ground was 37 acres, and from 

 four hundred to five hundred sheep were put on. The fly at the end of J une was so strong 

 as to threaten clearing the crop, and it had almost been decided to plough it up ; but this 

 treatment, which embodies disturbing and killing many of the insects by the treading, and 

 which also makes the leaves distasteful for oviposition, both by rubbing of the sheep and 

 the coat of dust scattered in dry weather, saved the plants and was followed by a good 

 crop." Another and simpler remedy for use on a small scale is "sprinkling the young 

 turnips with road dust, which preserved them entirely from injury." An observer states 

 that " where the weather was highly favourable during the sowing season of May and 

 June for a quick and healthy growth, the plants were thus run past the stage at which 

 ' the fly ' attacks them, and less injury was inflicted than had been observed for many 

 years. He draws attention to anything that promotes healthy, rapid growth, till the 

 young plant is well into the rough leaf, being the best preventive of the fly, and that, 

 could the remedy be applied, probably heavy waterings in the evening in dry weather 

 might be of service, and notes, in the shape of special applications, caustic lime, soot, and 

 guano, which have each their advocates, applied in the morning when the dew is still on 

 the plant, or gas-water applied in the evening, and also benefit from the use of a small 

 quantity of salt." 



Another observer notices that where the fly was particularly destructive the previous 

 year there charlock (mustard) was prevalent. " This weed is common throughout the 

 country, more or less plentiful according to agricultural care, some fields being compara- 

 tively free, showing where one farm ends and another begins." [These remarks might be 

 made of several parts of Ontario, especially of the counties of Northumberland and Dur- 

 ham.] He draws attention to the benefit of eradicating the food-plant of the fly during 

 the years when the land is unoccupied by turnips, and thus preventing, or in some degree 

 checking, its annual multiplication. 



From all the observations there is noticed " the advantage of a rapid, vigorous growth 

 in resisting the attack of the fly, whether brought about naturally by plentiful rain, or 

 artificially by manure containing the superphosphates or other chemical constituents re- 

 quired, and a word may be added as to the physical effects of rain and clew on the insect. 

 A single drop is enough to clog the legs temporarily, and put an end to its leaping powers 

 for the time being." 



2. The Onion Fly (Anthomyia ceparum) 



is an insect that has found its way across the Atlantic and shown itself very destructive 

 at times in the Eastern States and elsewhere on this continent ; the following extracts 



