84 
TURNIP. 
had to plough up about five acres of Swedes and resow. Notwith¬ 
standing that I got a splendid seed-bed the ground was too dry for the 
seed to germinate. A plant here and there came up, and for some 
time it appeared as if they would be allowed to stand ; but on July 7th 
and 8th the insects came in a swarm. In a few days the younger 
plants were reduced to a stump, while those with rough leaves were so dis¬ 
figured as to be almost unrecognisable . 
“ The Flea continued to devour the young plants as they came up 
till the heavy storm of July 24th, when 1T0 in. of rain fell in seven 
hours, after which we saw no more of them. This rain brought up 
the bulk of the seed after lying in the ground four or five weeks, and, 
although rather late, I am thankful to say I have a very nice piece of 
Swedes and Turnips without resowing.” 
Mr. P. Loney, writing from Marchmont, Berwickshire, on the 19th 
of June, observed :—“ We were wonderfully free from all insect-pests 
last year [1883, Ed.] . The Turnip Fly was absent; in no case did we 
hear of or see a field where it was in any numbers to cause anxiety. 
But this year (1884), where stubbles were late in being ploughed, they 
are present. 
“ A striking case of this came under my notice a few days ago. A 
field of twenty acres, half of which was ploughed in the autumn, the 
other half in the end of April,—the field was all wrought together, and 
sown with Turnips. The late ploughed half is very bad with the fly 
or flea, whilst on the other half scarce an insect is to be found , clearly 
pointing to the advantages of early ploughing.” 
Mr. E. Riley, writing from Kipling Cote, Market Weighton, on 
July 14th, mentioned that “the Turnip Fly is still singularly de¬ 
structive. I never remember seeing it so voracious in July. We 
generally consider all danger past when July conies in, or before. 
“ I never saw Turnips ‘ go in ’ in a worse condition as regards the 
soil. May and June were very dry; the land worked what we call 
very ‘ knotty,’—that is, no fine mould,—all the top soil for two inches 
deep being the size of nuts or walnuts—nothing kindly—and such 
shelter for the Fly. There is every prospect of a bad Turnip crop on 
the high wolds.” 
Mr. Riley’s note of the weather and consequent bad state of land 
at sowing-time deserves attention, for it confirms what is so strongly 
laid down of the importance of a good start and healthy growth in 
pressing ahead of insect-attack. 
