tent manure may be disagreeable, if not destruc- 
tive, to the insect; and the rapid growth of the 
plant, from its stimulating effects, defies their 
attacks. The vegetation of the seed may be ac- 
celerated by steeping it in water for twenty-four 
hours; and the surest way to obtain a strong 
crop is to sow seed of the same age, otherwise 
the plants do not come up simultaneously, and 
the fly will attack and destroy the crop in de- 
tail. Mr. Linton also adds that he has found 
more benefit from the manure he describes in 
the succeeding crops of clover-seeds than from 
three or four chaldrons of lime to the acre. With 
regard to the use of lime, a great deal must de- 
» pend upon the soil on which it is used, which 
may account for the conflicting opinions respect- 
ing its effects in protecting ‘the turnips against 
the fly. From six to eight bushels of quicklime 
per acre may be sown over the young plants 
successfully in dry weather; but it must be re- 
peated after rain or dew; and this, as well as 
soot, requires to be regularly and evenly dusted 
over the plants. Mr. Birk says that he used 
slaked lime with perfect success; and although 
profusely, it did not at all injure the plants. It 
should be slaked at the time of use, and ought 
to be spread in the very hot state, when it burns 
the fly. Some danger to the plant seems to at- 
tend this process, arising from the heat gene- 
rated by the lime; at least so I presume; but 
; some little explanation is required in these 
statements to distinguish clearly between slaked 
and quick or unslaked lime. Very different were 
the results from Mr. Le Keux’s experiments. 
Forty bushels of lime per acre were spread, he 
says, immediately before the seeds were sown, 
and did no good; and when the plants came up, 
and the fly was observed attacking them, lime- 
dust was thrown over them, so that many of the 
plants were quite white with a coat of it; after 
-which as many flies were found upon those as 
upon any that were free, and they were eventu- 
ally devoured. This is again quite at variance 
with the opinion that repeated dustings of ashes 
and soot, when the plants are wet with dew, 
will keep off the fly, and prevent their feeding. 
In another place he states that the upper part 
of a field in a sheltered situation, with a south 
aspect, which had been sown with barley, was 
well dressed with lime, and sown early in May 
with white stone turnips, which were destroyed 
as soon as they appeared above ground ; the land 
was sown again, and harrowed, the surface being 
thickly strewed over with wood-ashes; the plants 
were, however, devoured as rapidly as before.— 
The growth of the turnips being stunted by too 
frequent repetitions, they become fingery on 
light sandy soils, and are then more likely to fall 
a sacrifice to the fly. A good coat of clay or 
chalk has the effect in Norfolk and Suffolk of 
invigorating the land, and giving it the power 
of again producing good crops once in four 
years. The culture of mangold-wurtzel is well 
oe 
~TURNIP-FLY. 
deserving the attention of the farmer, when the 
land gets tired of turnips; and it has the addi- 
tional recommendation of not encouraging the 
increase of the turnip-beetles. As it is quite 
certain, I should say, that the beetles are at- 
tracted by scent, it appears to me likely that, if 
a field of turnips were planted round with a belt 
of mangold-wurtzel, the turnips might escape 
their attacks, if not entirely, to a very consider- 
able extent ; especially when the insects are be- 
lieved to come from a distance; for at the early 
stage of the plants, a few hours of respite may 
be of vital importance. The Swedish turnip, or 
ruta-baga, whether it be a hybrid produced by 
the turnip and cabbage, or a distinct species, has 
not the strong scent at an advanced period 
which is so perceptible in the English turnip 
when in rough leaf; and if there be as marked a 
difference of smell in the seed-leaves, it would 
give the former a decided advantage in exposed 
situations, where the beetles are attracted from 
distant localities. Being sown in May or June, 
however, is, I conceive, not a recommendation, 
as I believe that to be a period of the year when 
the first principal brood is generally at its maxi- 
mum, as the second is in August or September; 
but the temperature of the seasons may in this 
respect make a variation of a fortnight or three 
weeks on either side of the average. However 
this may be, it is admitted on all sides that the 
beetle is weakest in July. I fear, on the other 
hand, that no early sowing can insure the tur- 
nip-crop; for as the beetles hybernate, the same 
warmth and sunshine that make the seed vege- 
tate will bring the swarms of beetles from their 
retreats; and it is worth considering whether by 
early sowing we do not entice a hungry horde 
from their winter quarters, or from the banks 
and meadows where they are first supported ; 
whereas by not sowing until, midsummer the 
beetles may in the mean while be starved and 
drawn off to more favourable localities, or have 
fallen a sacrifice to small birds and the casualties 
of the wet and cold of our spring. Such seasons 
we know do not agree with the beetles; and I 
have observed that, when the dew is upon the 
turnips in the autumn, they keep under the 
leaves, and appear to be asleep; and windy wea- 
ther has a similar effect in rendering them qui- 
escent. The crops being attacked and destroyed 
in the autumn does not altogether militate 
against good success at midsummer, especially 
in forward seasons. Similar objections to the 
above may be urged against sowing the white 
turnips with the swedes; for if the quantity of 
beetles be small, the swedes may be preserved in 
consequence of the turnip being their favourite 
food; but, on the other hand, multitudes may 
sometinies be thus attracted from a distance, 
which would not otherwise, it may be presumed, 
have detected the swedes, from their scent being 
less perceptible.—Some benefit might be derived 
from destroying those cruciferous plants Hrysi- 
