September 23, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 295 
Now the method of manuring the land is important, and in the 
event of the soil being strong and heavy the land should ; be laid 
into ridges about 8 or 10 feet wide with deep land furrows, so that 
the water may drain off the surface quickly in order to insure an 
early growth; but when the soil is dry and friable the plants may 
be set upon land ploughed on the level, except in case it is very 
much exposed. We then prefer to plough the land into stetches 
18 inches or 20 inches apart, and set the plants in the furrows so 
that they may be protected against the cutting winds and frosts of 
winter, and at the same time if a fall of snow lies on the land for 
some time the plants will be covered and will thus be protected 
against larks, wood pigeons, and other depredators—even rabbits, for 
all these enemies to vegetation often destroy such crops as young 
Cabbage plants during a hard winter. If the land requires it some 
guano or superphosphate may be strewed in the furrows at planting 
time, otherwise some other hand manure, nitrate of soda, &c., may be 
sown in spring at the time of horse-hoeing, which will encourage the 
growth of the plants. 
Hand Labour .—The men will now be required to finish the trimming 
of hedges. It should, however, be done before this time to be com¬ 
pleted at the proper time, also finishing off the corn ricks by thatching 
and trimming the outsides. For this work the newly invented hedge¬ 
clipping implement will answer well and make the ricks look very 
neat if properly done, for the home farmer should remember that 
most landowners like to see the ricks and stackyards neat and clean. 
The underwood in the hedgerows and coppices will now be ripe for 
cutting, as it makes no further growth after the middle of this month ; 
besides which the rods always work kinder and freer when converted 
into hoops, &c., whilst the wood is soft and kind. All timber cut for 
repairs during the spring should now be entirely cleared off the fields 
or woodlands, and the heavy timber carts, &c., will do but little 
injury if employed before the autumn rains set in. The dairy cows 
and also the young stock will now require some supplementary food, 
such as Clover, as long as it lasts, or late-sown Rape and Vetches, 
otherwise early Turnips, Cabbages, &c. Where these auxiliaries 
cannot be obtained an allowance of 2 or 3 lbs. of linseed cake or 3 or 
4 lbs. of cotton cake per head should be given daily, as the pastures 
are now getting stale, except in those cases where grass has been 
specially reserved for autumn feeding. Now is the time to purchase 
cows having recently calved, in order to maintain a full supply of milk, 
&c., for the winter months. The young Clover plants, whether grown 
in Wheat or Lent corn, may now be fed off by sheep without injury, 
if not fed down too close, up to the 1st of October ; but from that time 
should be reserved to make a little foliage to protect the crown buds 
and stems during winter. If the seeds are not very strong it is best 
not to feed them at all, as they then stand the winter better. 
ADVANTAGES OF A HOME FARM.—No. 1. 
Country gentlemen who are landed proprietors are accustomed 
to retain a farm in their own hands at a convenient distance 
from their residence for the production of farm produce to supply 
the wants of their household. The plan is based upon the soundest 
principles of economy, and when well carried out combines the 
advantages of a regular supply, produced at the lowest possible 
cost, of food that is wholesome, fresh, and sweet. Having for 
some time had the management of an estate upon which this 
system of home farming is thoroughly and successfully carried 
out, I purpose giving an account of what is done and how it has 
been found to answer. 
A full supply is maintained throughout the year of milk, cream, 
butter, eggs, chickens, mutton, bacon, hams, lard, flour, hay, 
straw, and corn. Pork, Turkeys, Ducks, Geese, and Pigeons are 
supplied when in season. The main crop of Potatoes, with 
Carrots, Turnips, and other root crops, is also grown here. I may 
add in passing, that when to this is added the gamekeeper’s usual 
quantum of game, fish, and venison, a house is rendered almost 
independent of the butcher and provision merchant. 
Of the size of a home farm it is difficult to submit any general 
positive statement, local peculiarities of climate and soil must 
always be taken into consideration. A few acres more rather 
than less than is considered absolutely necessary may always be 
retained profitably, for the home farmer has the peculiar advan¬ 
tage of a market close at hand for the bulk of his produce, and 
has no difficulty in the profitable disposal of what is not required 
for home consumption ; for although he has in his annual state¬ 
ment to show clear proof that the farm is paying the popular 
“three incomes”—the landord’s, the tenant’s, and the interest 
upon capital invested in its culture as well as a surplus to be 
expended in future improvements, yet he is not obliged to sacri¬ 
fice his superfluous stock to raise funds for the rent day, but 
can await each favourable turn in the markets before effecting 
a sale. 
Statements are occasionally published of what wonderful things 
may be done upon a very limited area of land—how an acre will 
maintain a cow, and other acres can be made to do something 
equally wonderful. Tempting as such statements are, they must 
always be received with reserve and acted upon with extreme 
caution. To obtain large returns from farm land a system of high 
culture akin to that of market gardening must be pursued, and 
the outlay of capital will be proportionately high. The thing is 
as clear as the day ; it is an expensive high-pressure system 
always to be avoided when possible, for very high farming only 
answers under very favourable circumstances. 
Two hundred acres may be taken as the maximum size for a 
large establishment of the first-class, consisting of the family and 
about thirty servants. For ordinary and more numerous establish¬ 
ments fifty acres less will suffice. At first sight this area may 
appear in excess of ordinary requirements, but in making calcu¬ 
lations a broad margin must be allowed for visiting company, as 
well as for adverse seasons. Accidents and disease among live 
stock must also be expected. No produce of inferior quality must be 
sent to the house ; but then it can readily be sold with the surplus, 
which must always exist in order that the farm may fully sustain 
its legitimate purpose of keeping up a regular supply. To do this 
well requires some experience combined with sound judgment 
and the exercise of a considerable amount of care and forethought. 
I will next refer to the management of the soil.— Edward 
Luckhurst. 
THE INSECT FOES OF THE MANGOLD WURTZEL. 
Writing upon this important plant, Mr. Dickson stated in 
1844 that in the general way it appeared to be little affected by 
insects or by drought. More extended observations do not sustain 
this favourable view with regard to insects, for it has been noticed 
to be liable, not only to the attacks of those insects which infest 
Beet, but also to several that are only too abundant on the Turnip. 
One of these, which has done notable damage to the Mangold 
Wurtzel in several localities, is the grub or larva of the fly known 
in science as Anthomyia beta;, the first account of which was 
published in Curtis’s “Farm Insects” (1860), the species having 
been observed a few years previously. Mr. Curtis expressed the 
opinion that it was not a pest likely to do much harm, though he 
suggested that it might render the leaves of the Mangold Wurtzel 
unwholesome food for cattle. He thought also that it was a 
species, the increase of which was held in check by a minute 
parasite, and, indeed, he was unable to obtain examples of the 
female insect. In appearance this fly resembles somewhat the 
Onion fly (A. ceparum), which, with the even more abundant 
Cabbage fly (A. radicum), is unpleasantly known in our gardens. 
The habit of the larva of A. beta? is decidedly different from that 
of the preceding, since it mines the leaves, speedily reducing them 
to decay, and where thousands are at work in a field it presents a 
wretched aspect, the remedy suggested by Curtis—viz., the pinch¬ 
ing of each leaf the moment it is discovered to contain a larva, 
being inapplicable on a large scale. This larva is pale green, 
scarcely a quarter of an inch in length when adult, pointed at the 
head and rather broad at the tail; it turns to a pupa within the 
leaf. Curtis thus describes the male fly :—Ashy grey, clothed 
with black bristly hairs; head semi-orbicular ; eyes, large brown ; 
face satiny white, with a bright chestnut-coloured line down the 
middle ; protruding lip and palpi black ; wings transparent, tinted 
with tawny at the base ; legs longish and bristly. The female fly 
has been taken this year and presents some points of difference 
which will be noted shortly. 
Another species of this genus, Anthomyia grava, has done some 
damage on the Continent to Mangold Wurtzel and also to Beet, 
producing cavities in the bulbs ; but though a native of Britain, 
it has not been yet reported as injurious to our crops. The male 
fly has a black trunk and legs, an ash-coloured body, with darker 
bands and black spots. The female is ash-coloured, with a black 
line down the centre of the body. The size of each is under a 
quarter of an inch. 
The insect commonly but erroneously called the Turnip flea— 
properly a beetle named Haltica nemorum—visits the Mangold 
Wurtzel. As early as April or May the females deposit their eggs 
upon the young plants, and the larva? shortly after are found 
within winding burrows formed in the pulp of the leaves. They 
are full grown in less than three weeks, quitting their mines 
usually to become pupa?. Several broods of these may follow 
each other in the course of one season. 
The larva of another beetle, Silpha opaca, did much harm to the 
Mangold Wurtzel in Ireland during 1844 and some years subse¬ 
quent. It does not seem to have been particularly noticed in 
Britain. It is conspicuous, being an external feeder, devouring the 
leaves down to the root in the months of May and June. Within 
a mixed field, where grew also Potatoes, Turnips, Peas, and Beans, 
this larva rejected these to fasten upon the Mangold Wurtzel. 
Squat in form, with short legs and a black and shining skin, this 
Jarva has a near resemblance to a woodlouse ; the males, however, 
