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Another Method (Let the farmer carefully watch)

Let the farmer carefully watch his turnips as they come up, and whenever the fly makes its appearance, take a certain quantity of brimstone, about two and a half or three pounds to an acre; put this into a kettle, and melt it in the turnip-field, in a situation the most eligible for the wind to carry the fume over the ground; then take any combustible matter calculated to make a considerable smoke, which, being dipped in the liquid brimstone, must be strewn all over the field in a state of ignition, and so close together that the fumes of the burning matter may completely cover every part of the ground. The decoction of the bitter almond is more fatal to the lives of insects and worms than almost any other vegetable or mineral poison. It is made by infusing the bitter almond powder (the ground cakes that remain after expressing the oil) in warm water for twenty-four hours; twenty-eight pounds will make forty gallons, a sufficient quantity for a large garden. Remedy against the Bite of the Turnip Fly.

It is upon the principle of creating an offensive smell that turnip seed is recommended to be steeped in train oil before it is sown. This has been found to be a perfect security against the bite of the turnip fly.

To prevent the Fly in Turnips.

Sow good and fresh seed in well-manured and well-prepared ground.

To prevent the increase of Pismires in Grass Lande newly laid down.

Make a strong decoction of walnut-tree leaves, and after opening several of the pismire's sandy habitations, pour upon them a quantity of the liquor, just sufficient to fill the hollow of each heap; after the middle has been scooped, throw in the contents from the sides, and press down the whole mass with the foot, till it becomes level with the rest of the field. This, if not found effectual at first, must be repeated a second or a third time, when they will infallibly be destroyed.

To preserve Growing Crops from the Devastation of Vermin.

The good effects of elder in preserving plants from insects and flies are experienced in the fol lowing cases:- 1. For preventing cabbages and cauliflower plants from being devoured and damaged by caterpillars. fruit trees. 2. For preventing blights, and their effects on other insects. 3. For preserving corn from yellow flies and 4. For securing turnips from the ravages of flies.

The dwarf elder appears to exhale a much more fetid smell than the common elder, and therefore should be preferred.

To Check the Ravages of the Turnip Fly.

Suppose that the farmer had no objection to bestow five pounds of seed per acre, in order to secure his crop of turnips. If he sows broad cast, let him medicate one half of the seed, in the manner to be afterwards explained, leaving the other half unprepared. The latter may be sown one day, and the medicated a day or two after, so as to give a start to the other. The medicated will, in that case, escape from the attacks of the fly or beetle. If the slug, however, does appear, rolling in the night is necessary. If the farmer drills his turnips after the land is prepared for the drill, two and a half pounds of the unmedicated seed should be sown broadcast, and a day or two afterwards the medicated seed sown in the drills. In this way a crop may be obtained, at least by the industrious farmer who does not grudge a little trouble to secure a good one. He will find that the plants sown broadcast will give full employment to the fly, till the less savory plants in the drill pass the moment of danger. As to preparing or medicating the seed, sulphur is so obnoxious to the whole insect tribe, and at the same time so favorable to vegetation, that it seems entitled to a preference. The turnip seed may be a little damped, and then mixed with the flour of sulphur, at the rate of two ounces of sulphur to one pound of seed; or let the seed be steeped in a liquor formed by boiling three parts of lime to one of sulphur, and 100 parts of water. This steep is much approved of for all such purposes. It is not improbable that the same liquid in which wheat is commonly pickled would prove a preservative against the fly. It may be proper to add, that when the season is very dry, it has been found a most useful practice to moisten the dung well before it is inserted into the drill, to spread the dung very rapidly in the rows, and instantly to sow, at the rate of four pounds of turnip seed per acre, upon the dung. The ground should then be gathered up into bouts twenty-seven inches wide, by the going and returning of the plough.