14 
unless rain conies beyond what we can reckon on, will 
be anything but a serviceable Turnip tilth. 
It should be borne in mind that, although the measures 
before named suit our common circumstances, what¬ 
ever will bring about our object of affording the seed a 
good genial seed-bed will answer just as well. For 
instance, in the neighbourhood of Ardkinglas, by Inve¬ 
rary, one field alone was noted to have escaped Fly 
ravage, and this was a stubble which had not been 
ploughed until just before sowing. But the field lay in 
a damp locality along the banks of the River Fyne, and 
a fine and moderately damp mould was turned up, the 
seed was immediately sown, and a good braird and crop 
followed. 
In this case natural circumstances gave what we often 
can only gain by very careful cultivation, and it shows 
that, whilst on one hand no prudent farmer would fail to 
prepare regularly for the state of things commonly to be 
expected, yet at the same time we should be on the watch 
to alter or modify our operations as circumstances may 
direct; and if it happens that the condition of the 
ground or passing weather gives us a chance of a good 
seed time, we should on no account let even half a day 
slip whilst we are trying to gain the same object by rule. 
Rainfall at sowing time is often beneficial in the 
highest degree; in fact, the saving of the plant and the 
following observations taken in 1881, at Boro-bridge, 
Yorkshire, are of much value in shewing the absence 
(or the very small amount) of Fly attack that took place 
on plants germinated in thoroughly moistened ground, 
compared to the bad attacks on sowings made when the 
land was dry or only moistened by showers. 
It was noted that sowings made on the 19th, 21st, 
25th and 26th of May, were all attacked by Fly, and in 
two of the four instances eaten off. The weather at the 
time was warm and dry, and though there were showers 
on the night of the 24th, the amount of rainfall observed 
at the neighbouring station at Aldborough, was only 
0*18—that is, rather less than the fifth of an inch. The 
