102 
Practical  Hints  on  Vegetable  Farming. 
female  lays  its  eggs  on  the  underside  of  the  rough  leaves,  and 
the  larvfie,  when  hatched,  burrow  into  the  leaves.  The  fly  is 
capable  of  causing  much  mischief,  especially  in  drv  seasons. 
The  best  practical  way  of  dealing  with  the  pest  is  to  promote 
rapid  growth  of  the  plant  by  the  application  of  a stimulating 
manure.  Bush-harrowing  is  also  very  effective  ; and  a fine 
spray  of  an  emulsion  of  paraffin  is  at  once  destructive  and 
deterrent.  When  the  turnips  are  grown  u])on  a small  scale, 
mischief  may  he  prevented  by  the  application  of  soot,  lime,  fine 
soil,  or  spraying  with  various  insecticides. 
Cabbage  Root  Fly. — The  fly  deposits  eggs  in  the  stem  of 
the  young  cabbage  or  cauliflower  near  the  ground.  This  is 
often  done  while  the  plants  are  in  the  seed  bed.  The  eggs  are 
hatched  in  a few  days,  and  the  maggots  eat  their  way  into 
the  root,  often  killing  many  of  the  plants.  Soot  or  lime  should 
he  dusted  over  the  plants  when  they  make  their  first  rough  leaf 
as  a preventive  measure  ; a siibsequent  dusting  will  help  to 
keep  the  fly  at  hay  and  make  the  plants  safe.  High  earthing- 
up  will  partly  save  a crop,  by  inducing  the  formation  of  roots 
from  joints  above  ground. 
Leather-jacket. — This  is  the  larva  of  Daddy-long-legs  or 
Crane  Fly.  The  Hies  should  he  destroyed  if  practicable.  Starlings 
diligently  search  for  the 
maggots  and  feed  on  them. 
Frequent  hoeings  bring  the 
maggots  to  the  surface  of 
the  soil  and  exj)ose  them  to 
their  natural  foes. 
Pea  and  Bean  Weevil. — 
Seed  peas  and  beans  often 
contain  the  perfect  weevil 
alive  at  the  time  of  sowing 
the  seed,  so  that  even  if  the 
soil  l)e  free  from  the  pest  it 
may  he  easily  introduced. 
Some  seedsmen  pass  their 
seed  through  a process 
which  destroys  the  weevils. 
In  1901  sparrows  cleared 
the  weevils  from  my  peas 
and  did  not  touch  tlie  growing  ])lants.  Many  renu'dies  have 
been  suggested,  hut  1 know  of  nothing  to  deal  effectually  with 
' Kc])ro(luccrl  from  flip  Society's  Text-Book,  “ Elements  of  Agriculttire.  ’ 
1 Fits.  14.— Daddy  Longlegs.  Tipiila  oleracca. 
(Dipteral,  with  eggs,  grub  (leather-jacket), 
and  chrysalis. 
