THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 317 



in districts where the fly has been present." 

 This case seems to prove more than it does 

 prove. The safety of the later field was ow- 

 ing perhaps as well to the fact that the flies 

 of that neighborhood had found all the accom- 

 modations that they desired in the field first 

 up, and had no occasion for the second,, as to 

 its being sown so short a time after their sea- 

 son. But it is universally admitted that this 

 is one of the secret methods for avoiding 

 them. 



True, this late sowing renders the crop lia- 

 ble to two other mishaps— the winter-kill and 

 the rust. But if our first advice is adopted — 

 to enrich the soil, these will be prevented as 

 well as the fly. If the ground is rich the roots 

 of the wheat will have acquired too much 

 strength to be- broken and thrust out by the 

 heaving of the ground from frosty and the 

 crop will attain its maturity too early to be in 

 danger of the rust. So this is the true plan 

 after all. 



Another method for avoiding the fly was 

 proposed many years ago by a writer who 

 signed himself "A Kir:g William Farmer/' 

 and which was the subject of some very in- 

 teresting controversy between General Cocke,. 

 Dr. Merry weather and James M. Garnett. 

 This method was to cover the seed deeply. 

 The following, facts were deemed to be estab- 

 lished by that controversy. That when a 

 kernel of wheat is buried to the depth of three 

 inches, it sends a single stem upwards, which 

 within an inch of the surface forms a crown, 

 sending from that point a tuft of fibrous roots 

 downwards,, and a tuft of blades upwards.. 

 These become main roots and stalk, if undis- 

 turbed. But if these be destroyed by the fly,, 

 a new set, of shoots start directly from the 

 deeply buried kernel, and these shoots are 

 never attacked by. the fly. A kernel, on the 

 other hand, but slightly buried, sends up its 

 blades at once directly from the seed ; if these 

 be attacked, therefore, the whole will be de- 

 stoyed. But unless the soil be- good the seed 

 is very apt to die when the fly meddles with it, 

 whether it be deeply or lightly, aovered. And 

 whether it lives or dies, this method does no- 

 thing towards either destroying the insect or 

 frustrating their operations. In fact, you sow 



for two crops, one to be harvested by the fly 

 and the other for your own use. 



Many steeps for the seed have been recom- 

 mended. Some of these have been used with 

 a view to destroy the eggs, as decoction of 

 elder, &c , but we regard this as proceeding 

 on an erroneous principle, viz: that the eggs 

 of the fly are- deposited ia the seed. Other 

 steeps have been recommended because they 

 accelerate the growth of the wheat, and thus 

 enable the farmer to sow later than he other- 

 wise would be able. Saltpetre, four ounces 

 to water sufficient to wet a bushel of grain', is 

 perhaps the best of these. After soaking 

 twenty-four hours, it is spread out and dried 

 twelve hours. 



In 1817, Gen. Cocke directed public atten- 

 tion to grazing, as a method by which a good 

 crop may be obtained from a field after the fly 

 had attacked it. When it is seen that the fly 

 is- at work upon it, and the wheat is full of 

 eggs if sheep and other stock are turned on it, 

 they will eat down ths crop in a few days. 

 The eggs will thereby be destroyed, and the 

 fly no longer* finding a place to deposite more,, 

 will go somewhere else. If the land is good ,, 

 the wheat will spring up again and no injury 

 will be experienced by the crop. Rolling the 

 wheat field is another measure which has beer,* 

 tried with advantage. Dusting the wheat 

 with lime. ashes, and soot and dragging elder- 

 bushes over it, (the smell of which has been 

 supposed to be obnoxious to the fly,) are me- 

 thods which have been tried with but doubtful! 

 success. Smoking the field is another plan 

 which has been resorted to for the annoyance 

 of the fly. This is done by making a ring, 

 heap of damp brash, chips and other trash to 

 the windward of the field in the evening, whew 

 the smoke will lie on the ground and creep 

 along among ths wheat. Its efficacy is- sup- 

 posed to be increased by the addition of to- 

 bacco, brimstone, &c. We have small faith 

 in any of these measures. 



Until farmers come to some definite under- 

 standing about the matter, there is very little 

 hope that we shall be j.ble to do much towards 

 the destruction of this troublesome insett 

 Yet countless millions of their eggs may be 

 destroyed by a vs y simple method. If some 



