Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-05-10
THE TURNIP FLEA.

Our correspondents uldhS SioaN Cou''
,laint of the depredatons Of the turnip flea,
and ask US to prescribe preventive. This
insect is in length nearly the eighth of an
incH ; smooth, shining and Of a brassy black
colour, with slight tinge Of green, parti-
cu!arly on the wing cases. This little insect
preys upon several species Of plants, as cab.
bages radishes, but is particularly foad of
the turnip, which il attacks both in its per.
hct and larvae state. 1t lis principally des-
tuctive when the plants are in the seminal,
or first Leaf. and are tender. When the
seeono leaves are unlolded, and the plants
ha,o acquired strength, their depredations
are comparatively insignificant upon the
lea,cs, though they continue, in their larvae
state. to prey upon and iaure the roofs
They are extremely voracious, an .indIvid.
ual consuming, as has been ascertained, ten
young turnips in day. In Britain, where
there, are from 60 to 100 acres ofturnlPs on
farm, they cause immense losses. They
afbrd evidence, that there are few plea
sues or profits without alloy, and seem 10
be means Of incitiug man TO constant
halthful industry and vigilance.
There nave been many receipts published
asa preventive of the evils inflicted by this
pismy enemy of our crops but hitherto all
sean to have failed Of producing the de-
sird effect. Among other applications to
the seed, oil, brine and sulphur have been
as.d, sometimes with apparent success ;
AMI one farmer completely saved his crops
for fifteen years, by keeping the seed some.
tire previous to sowing, among quantity
of lour Of sulphur, and sowing the sulphur
aIne with the seed. In this way the juices
Of he plant might be tainted by absorption,
81 that the insect had no relish for it.
The best remedies for the evil seem to
be: :,
l. To have the ground well prepared
and rich, so as to insure vigorous growth
TO the young plants.
2, TO sow thick, that a part may at least
nave a chance 10 escape the Aea,-and the
croo being thinned a, the first hoeing. And
it has been found cfectual to SOW thick an
extra row between every two rows lnten-
ded for the crop-the thick sown beng
more tender, are preferred by the flea, and
may be extrpated by the culivator at the
first dressing, extra seed and LABOR
bearing no proportion 10 the value OF INC
crop.
8. And principally, reliance must be had'
when the young plants are threa'enea' on
dusting the plants with some kind OF powder,
SCOT, ashes, gypsum, &r. have been USED q
for this purpose, "bu, there can be no doubt
saws the Quarterly, "'hat by far the mos'
useful application of this kind IS quick
lime"
The Doncaster A grcultural Association,
which has rendered The most essc9t'al ser
vice TO the agricultural world by its labors
and publications, has given 10 this snoJec
the best attention; and has concentrated
by their queries, the experience and I'M
movements of more than one hundred prac
iical farmers, on the means Of avertinJ the
evils induced the turnip flea. From thu
information, they have prescribed certain
rules of prevention, from which we take tn
following, as particularly adap'ed 10 ou
| practice !,
"Most cfectuaNy to insure the speed.
growth of the plant, the land should be keP
in the best possible state of cultivation.
"'The system Of ridging the land, VIII
manure uader the rows, and drilling on ,n
ridges, should be adopted in every Poss'o'
case. o.,
1.-THE most favorable opportunity Tor reg