A Cure for Turnip Fly.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 7

A Cure for Turnip Fly.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,— On glancing through a late number of tha Mark Lane Express I came acrocs the letter enclosed, giving a farmer's rxperlence of turpentine a« a cure for turnip fly. As the turnip crop is a very critical one, and the fly is blamed for most failures, the cure suggested may be worth the consideration of growers. Apologising for troubling you. — I am, &c, luvercargill, April 30. J. W. Siddall. A Care for Tarnip Fly.— The time is approaching when farmers will be thinking of sowißg their swedes and turnips, then comes the ridiculous outcry respecting the ravages of the turnip fly, whose ' attack may be so i easily prevented. With one exception, I have not had a missing plant of tarnips for 40 years, and on that occasion I was from home, and my ton, who was anxious* to get the turnips sown before I returned, end had done so, and I never law a better offer in my life. I -went away for 10 days, and when I returned there was not a plant left ; the fly bad devoured the whole oE them, the reason being he had forgotten to ■teep the seed in turpentine, which is a certain deterrent. By putting half a gill of turpsntina io 201b of Bwede iced and soaking it overnight baf ore sowing, no -one need be afraid of the tarnip fly ; it may and. will settle on it and perforate an occasion*} leaf, but does not injure the plant. Paraffin or other. strong smelling oils will nob answer, as the scent flies" off. If you squeeze the leaves of the plant the seed of which has been dresoed with turpentine you will nod they smell strong until the plant gets into rough leaf, when the fly will not touch it* —EXPBBIENTIJi DOCET. ( ' ■ j From Orejmouth lmb week, 1584 tons coal ' and 47,000 ft timber were exported*