TURNIP FLY. 
93 
rough leaf so fast that they were out of reach of injury before the Fly 
did any damage. 
If we take the above observations in connection with the state of 
affairs regarding Turnip Fly from 1879, we get a straightforward 
history thus— 
1879.—Unusual amount of wet weather, followed (in various 
places noted) by growth of charlock, and generally by not being able 
to get on the land to clean it thoroughly, and thus through 1880 there 
was both extra food and shelter for “Fly.” In 1881 the great burst 
of heat and drought that came about May was everything that “ Fly ” 
could want, or that Turnips could not bear, and we know the conse¬ 
quent losses. 1882 showed early in the season in some places a 
threatening of attack, but the weather was the reverse of that of the 
year before; but in almost all the instances reported the “ opportune 
showers,” “ seasonable rains,” or “ fine growth of vegetation that 
never gave the insects a chance ” were just what the Turnips needed 
to run them fast on to the rough leaf, whilst at the same time the 
rainfall helped to wash some of the Fly from the leaves, and to keep 
the rest much quieter—that is, much less able to move about when 
frequently clogged with moisture, and therefore eating and multiplying 
less than when in heat and drought the creatures are leaping in full 
activity or on the wing. 
The late months of 1882 have been very wet, and though we 
cannot forecast surely, yet if heat and drought come in May it appears 
likely Fly will be again very troublesome, and it may be submitted 
that special attention to the points in the common course of cultiva¬ 
tion, which were shown in the Reports of 1881 to be suited to give 
rapid germination and hearty growth, could not fail to be of use , and 
might save great loss. 
Mr. Silvester’s notes bear very practically on the different effect of 
sowing in weather suitable for running the crop on well, or in a dry 
time. 
Mr. F. Silvester, writing from The Hedges, St. Albans, observes— 
I am glad to be able to report an entire immunity from the attack of 
Turnip Fly this year in the Sivede crop. I attribute this to the genial 
weather at the time the bulk of the crop was sown, germination and 
after growth being of too rapid a character to render the young plants 
liable to injury. 
I was rather later in sowing White Turnips than usual, owing to a 
protracted hay time, and as dry weather set in after the seed was sown 
the Fly gained too strong a hold, and only half a plant was the result. 
The following remarks were the only notes that I have received as 
to attack, together with means of prevention :— 
Mr. Allen, of Tliurmaston, notes that having ten acres of Turnips 
