APPENDIX. 
TURNIP FLEA-BEETLE AND STRAWSON’S AIR-POWER 
DISTRIBUTOR. 
During the past year much attention was drawn by the Agricultural 
Journals to the implement known as “ Strawson’s Air-power Dis¬ 
tributor,” or “ Pneumatic Drill,” which, so far as experimental trials 
showed, and especially those made at the College of Agriculture at 
Downton, appeared likely to be serviceable for various farm purposes, 
and, amongst others, likely to meet a great need as a means of 
distributing dressings obnoxious to insect life, over a larger area, more 
rapidly and far more completely than could be done at a paying rate 
by hand. 
The experiments showed the methods of application to be very 
excellent; but with regard to the practical effect in checking attack of 
Turnip Fly or Flea Beetle (which is one constantly recurring summer 
want), as this could only be judged of by field-work, I made enquiry 
as to where Turnip-crops infested by “Fly” had been subjected to the 
action of the dressings thrown by the Distributor, and was favoured, 
on my request for information, with the two following notes of 
successful work on badly infested fields,—one by Mr. W. Geo. Mount, 
M.P., of Wasing Place, near Reading; the other from Mr. Geo. Budd, 
of Mousefield Farm, near Newbury. 
In the case of Mr. Mount’s Turnips I am informed that the 
dressing was given early, about 8 a.m., or earlier; and regarding 
results Mr. Mount was good enough to reply to my enquiry, on 
January 28th, from Wasing Place, as follows :— 
“ I understand that you wish to know the result of a trial of the 
air-power machine invented by Mr. Strawson, of Newbury, in checking 
the ravages of the Turnip Fly. I sowed some Swedes on nine acres 
of land in May last year. Early in June the Fly was strongly upon 
them. I obtained the use of Mr. Strawson’s machine, and dressed 
part of four acres in the field with lime, part with paraffin ; both 
remedies seemed to be equally efficacious, and I shall certainly use it 
again this year if necessary.” 
At Mr. Budd’s farm the dressing was applied in the evening, and 
was, as above, of paraffin, also of paraffin mixed with lime, the Fly 
attack being very bad at the time. Regarding success of this appli¬ 
cation Mr. Budd replied to my enquiry as follows, on January 25th, 
from Mousefield Farm, Newbury :— 
“ I beg to inform you that I found great benefit from Strawson and 
