dornell Tflnivevstt'e 
 
 LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY 
 
 mew JPorfc State College of agriculture 
 
 SLINGERLAND COLLECTION 
 
 5937 
 

 ENTOMOLOGY LIBRARY 
 
 Cornell University 
 Ithaca, N. Y. 
 
 Cornell University Library 
 
 SB 931.F54 
 
 [Miscellaneous papers on injurious insec 
 
 3 1924 018 365 613 
 

 t • 
 
 [Senate 
 
 / IryV, 
 
 THE WHEAT-FLY.* * 
 
 Although several facts in the habits and economy of the wheat-fly 
 had occurred to my notice at sundry times since its appearance in 
 this vicinity, yet as my leisure for studies of this nature was wholly 
 engrossed in other departments of the science of entomology, these 
 facts had been observed in too cursory a manner to be of material 
 value in preparing an account for the public eye. It has not been 
 until the present year, that I have made this and its allied species 
 ray particular study. And as some few interesting points still remain 
 undetermined, ere a perfectly complete history of this insect can be 
 given, I should be inclined still to defer preparing a paper upon this 
 subject, but that I deem some of the observations already made of 
 too much importance to be longer withheld, and am moreover very 
 well aware that if no writer ventured to appear before the public 
 until his investigations were so complete in every particular that he 
 could exhaust the subject on which he wrote, very little would be 
 published, and the world would have but a small fraction of that 
 amount of information which it now possesses. 
 
 It is necessary for me further to premise, that although we have 
 two distinct species of wheat-flies, as will be fully shown in the 
 sequel of this paper, to wit, the clear-winged wheat-fly (Cecidomyia 
 Tritici of Kirby) and the spotted-winged wheat-fly , which has hitherto 
 remained a nondescript ; yet as nothing is yet known of the habits 
 and transformations of one of these as distinct from the other, through 
 the body of this article the common name “ wheat-fly” will be em¬ 
 ployed for convenience as referring to both these species. Future 
 researches, however, may detect dissimilarities in their habits, and 
 show that portions of the following account are true only with regard 
 to one of these. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 • The'following essay originally appeared in the American Quarterly Journal of 
 Agriculture and Science, vol. ii, number 2; to the editors of which our acknowledg¬ 
 ments arc also due for the illustration with which it is accompanied. The essay liaa 
 been revised, and new paragraphs added by the author. 
 
256 
 
 [Senate 
 
 Us Foreign History. 
 
 The first distinct and unequivocal account of the wheat-fiy, of 
 which I am aware, is that given by Mr. Christopher Gullet, in 1771 , 
 in a letter to Dr. Matty 11 On the effects of elder in preserving growing 
 plants from the insects and flies,” which letter was published in the 
 Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society the following year.* 
 
 ♦ So long ago as the year 1768. Col. Langdon Carter, of Virginia, transmitted to the 
 American Philosophical Society a paper entitled << Observations concerning the fly- 
 weevil that destroys the wheat;” which was published in the first volume of the So¬ 
 ciety’s Transactions, 2d edition, pages 274-287. The account here given, is in nearly all 
 its particulars so strikingly applicable to the wheat-fly, that so much of it as relates to 
 the insect itself merits an introduction in this place. He rather quaintly remarks, “ In a 
 pleasant evening, after the sun was down, and every thing serenely calm, I found the 
 rascals extremely busy amongst my ears, and really very numerous. I immediately in¬ 
 closed some of them in a lightloose handkerchief; and by the magnifiers of my tele¬ 
 scope, I took occasion minutely to examine them. They are a pale brownish moth, with 
 little trunks or bodies, some trifle shorter than their wings; and as some of their little 
 bodies appeared bulging as if loaded; I applied the pressure of a fine straw upon 
 them, and saw them squirt out, one after another, a number of little things which I 
 took to be eggs, some more, some less: some emitted fifteen or twenty of them; and 
 others appeared extremely lank in their little trunks, which I could not make dis¬ 
 charge anything like an egg. Whether they had done this in the field before, or were 
 of the male kind, I could not tell; but from this discovery I concluded that there need 
 not be above two or three flies to an ear of corn, to lay eggs enough to destroy the 
 greatest crop. * * * It is with much propriety called a weevil, as it de¬ 
 
 stroys the wheat even in our granaries; though it is not of the kind termed by natu¬ 
 ralists the curculioj of which they have given a very long list; for it is not like a bug; 
 it carries no cases for its wings; neither has it any feelers, with which the curculio 
 is always distinguished; and perhaps (as I fancy it will turn out in the course of this 
 letter that they never attack grain when hard) they really have no occasion for such 
 feelers. For from the make of it, to my judgment, it appears an impossibility that it 
 should ever perforate into a hard grain, being furnished with nothing in nature, from 
 the most minute examination by glasses, that could make such a perforation; and 
 seems indeed a fly itself, consisting of nothing sensible to the slightest touch with the 
 finger, nor to the eye assisted with glasses, leaving only a little dry pale brown glossy 
 dust on being squeezed.” 
 
 I doubt not but that on perusing this extract, almost every reader who is conversant 
 with our wheat-fly, which also is so frequently called “the weevil,” will feel confi¬ 
 dent that it is the same insect to which Col. Carter alludes. Yet if his account be 
 more particularly observed, we gather from it some characters which assure us that i^ 
 was not the wheat-fly which he examined. Although he uses the terms moth and jly 
 as synonymous, and no where tells us whether his specimens had four or only two 
 wings, yet he could scarcely have spoken of the lively orange color of our wheat-fly 
 as “ pale brownish ;” and what is yet more conclusive, his insect, on being pressed 
 between the fingers, left “a little dry pale brown glossy dust;” whereas the wheat- 
 fly leaves no mark upon the fingers, unless it be actually crushed, in which case its 
 
257 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 From this it would appear that the effects produced by the wheat-fly 
 had been known for some time to the farmers of England, though 
 imputed by them to a wrong cause. He says, u What the farmers 
 call the yellows in wheat, and which they consider as a kind of 
 mildew, is in fact occasioned by a small yellow fly with blue wings, 
 about the size of a gnat. This blows in the ear of the corn, and 
 produces a worm, almost invisible to the naked eye ; but being seen 
 through a pocket microscope, it appears a large yellow maggot, of 
 the color and gloss of amber, and is so prolific that I last week dis¬ 
 tinctly counted forty-one living yellow maggots in the husk of one 
 single grain of wheat — a number sufficient to eat up and destroy the 
 corn in a whole ear. * * * One of these yellow flies 
 
 laid at least eight or ten eggs of an oblong shape on my thumb, only 
 while carrying by the wing across three or four ridges.” 
 
 It was several years subsequent to this date, that the accounts of 
 the appalling ravages of the Hessian fly among the wheat crops of 
 America reached Europe ; and as this fly was universally believed to 
 have been derived from the old world, extensive and careful exami¬ 
 nations of the grain fields there were made to detect it, that its habits 
 might be learned, and means devised for preventing its becoming 
 such a scourge as it was to this country. These investigations, con¬ 
 ducted often at the public expense, and by men whose acquirements 
 peculiarly fitted them for such a work, resulted in a confident an¬ 
 nouncement, which received general credence for a long series of 
 years, that the Hessian fly did not exist in Europe ; yet in their 
 course, several other species of insects injurious to the cultivated 
 grains of that continent were discovered, and the wheat-fly received 
 a particular examination. Mr. Curtis, generally so accurate in his 
 statements, says that it was first discovered at this time ; but the ac¬ 
 count already given from Mr. Gullet, shows that it was known in 
 England at least twenty-five years earlier than Mr. C. supposes, and 
 
 fluid juices produce a yellow slain, without any glossiness. Every one accustomed to 
 the handling of insects, will at once recognize the character in question as applying 
 admirably to some small species of moth; and the <e Committee on Husbandry” of the 
 Society, in their remarks at the close of Col. Carter’s paper, are doubtless correct in 
 their statement, that these insects " appear to be of the same kind with those that do 
 the like mischief in Europe, which a gentleman of Angumois describes to Mr. Du- 
 liamel,” and which have since become so well known as the “Augnmois grain-moth,” 
 described by the naturalist Olivier under the technical name of Alucita ccrealella. 
 
 [Senate, No. 105. J 
 
 17 
 
258 [Senate 
 
 anterior even to the date when the Hessian fly was first observed in 
 America. 
 
 In 1795, as we are informed by Mr. Marsham, in a paper read be¬ 
 fore the Linnaean Society, London, and published in their Transac¬ 
 tions, vol. iii. p. 142, towards the end of July, Mr. Long had observed 
 an insect that threatened to do much mischief to the wheat crops, 
 attacking one or more of the grains in an ear, and causing the chaff 
 of these grains to become yellow or ripe, whilst the remainder of the 
 head was still green. Mr. Marsham, on opening the chaff of these 
 grains, found an orange-colored powder, and in many of them one or 
 two very minute yellowish-white or deep yellow larvae, the grain it¬ 
 self appearing to be a little shrunk. Mr. Markwick, of Sussex, also 
 observed the same larvae in his wheat, the forepart of August, but 
 was confident they had done no injury to it. The same larvaj were 
 also noticed by Mr. Kirby, this year, in Suffolk. 
 
 In a subsequent paper from Mr. Marsham (Trans. Lin. Soc. vol. 
 iv. p. 224), we are informed that Mr. Markwick, July 12,1797, saw 
 the flies themselves, at rest upon the heads of the wheat, and also a 
 few of the larvae within the flowers ; and that awhile later in the sea¬ 
 son the fly appeared reduced in numbers, whilst the larvae had be¬ 
 come much more abundant. From heads of the wheat enclosed in a 
 flowerpot, he reared the fly, and also its parasite ; the fly thus ob¬ 
 tained having “ spotted wings,” a fact which we shall revert to here¬ 
 after. 
 
 Following this account is an excellent article (p. 230) by the Rev. 
 William Kirby, who has since become so well known by his various 
 writings upon entomology. Mr. Kirby here gives a scientific de¬ 
 scription of the wheat-fly, bestowing upon it the specific name tritici , 
 by which it has been definitely distinguished by all subsequent wri¬ 
 ters, and correctly referring it to the genus Tipula of Linnmus, a genus 
 which, in consequence of the vast number of species afterwards 
 discovered to be comprised under it, naturalists have since found it 
 necessary to subdivide ; and the species in question at this day falls 
 within that group to which the name Cccidomyia was given by La- 
 treille—an arrangement concurred in by Mr. Kirby himself in his 
 communication in Loudon’s Magazine of Natural History, vol. i. p. 
 227 ; and which I note thus particularly, as by most writers in our 
 
259 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 agricultural papers it is still spoken of as solely the Tipula Tritici of 
 Mr. Kirby. 
 
 In this article, and another presented about a year afterwards, 
 (Trans. Lin. Soc. vol. v. p. 96), Mr. Kirby gives a large number of 
 most interesting and valuable observations upon this insect, the cor¬ 
 rectness of which, generally, more recent investigations have fully 
 attested. With regard to its abundance at that time, he says he 
 could scarcely pass through a wheat field, in which some florets of 
 every ear were not inhabited by the larvae ; and in a field of fifteen 
 acres, which he carefully examined, he calculated that the havoc 
 done by them would amount to five combs (twenty bushels). 
 
 From this time we have met with no notices of the wheat-fly, ex¬ 
 cept occasional references to the articles above mentioned, until the 
 year 1828, when, and for a few of the following years, it again ap¬ 
 peared in such numbers and with such havoc in several of the coun¬ 
 ties of England and Scotland, as to elicit communications in the 
 magazines from several writers. In some districts of Scotland, its 
 devastations would seem to have approached in severity what has 
 been experienced upon this side of the Atlantic ; for “ Mr. Gorrie 
 estimates the loss sustained by the farming interest in the Carse of 
 Cowrie (the rich alluvial district along the Isla and its tributaries in 
 Perth and Forfarshire) by the wheat-fly alone, at 20,000/. in 1827, 
 at 30,000/. in 1828, and at36,000/. in 1829” ( Encyc. ofAg. 3dLond. 
 ed. p. 820. § 5066). And Mr. Bell, writing from Perthshire, June 24, 
 1830, says, u We are anxious to have the present cold weather con¬ 
 tinue for another ten days, to prevent the eggs from hatching, until 
 the wheat be sufficiently hardened and beyond the state which affords 
 nourishment to the maggot Another year or two of the wheat-fly 
 will make two-thirds of the farmers here bankrupts,” (Gardener’s 
 Magazine , vol. vi. p. 495). Mr. Gorrie, in a letter dated at Annat 
 •Gardens, Errol, Perthshire, Sept. 1828, ( Loudon’s Mag. of JYat. 
 Hint. vol. ii. p. 292), solicits information “ on the nature and mode 
 of propagation of a fly which has this year destroyed about one-third 
 of the late sown wheat all over this country.” He describes a small 
 yellow caterpillar, one-eighth of an inch long, as numerous in the 
 young ears of wheat, completely devouring the young milky grain, 
 becoming torpid in about twelve days, and in six days more chang¬ 
 ing to a small black fly. In a subsequent communication, August 
 
260 
 
 [Senate 
 
 1829 (p. 323), he corrects the latter part of the above statement, and 
 says, 11 At that time I did not know that a yellow fly had deposited 
 the eggs within the glume, which became maggots. Observing 
 numbers of black flies on the ears of wheat, T believed they had been 
 the produce of the caterpillar. I have this season, however, observ¬ 
 ed the yellow fly (described by Rev. W. Kirby) deposit its eggs in 
 the wheat-ear,” etc. I notice this more particularly, because the 
 farmers in this vicinity, with scarcely an exception, have fallen into 
 the same error, and to this day suppose a small black fly, of the fam¬ 
 ily Muscidce, which occurs abundantly in wheat-fields, to be the real 
 wheat-fly. 
 
 Mr. Patrick Shirreff, of East-Lothian, gives, in the same volume 
 of Loudon’s Magazine, pages 448 - 451, an excellent and very accu¬ 
 rate summary of the habits and transformations of the same insect, 
 the result chiefly of his own observations. For a concise account, 
 this is not surpassed by any that has fallen under my notice. 
 
 Still more recently, this subject has been investigated by the Rev. 
 J. S. S. Henslow, Prof, of Botany in the University of Cambridge, 
 whose valuable “ Report on the diseases of wheat” forms the first 
 article in vol. ii. of the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of 
 England. And in the same Journal for the present year (vol. vi. p. 
 131. plate M.) an admirable production is inserted from the pen and 
 graver of that accomplished naturalist, John Curtis, F. L. S., giving 
 much more accurate and precise descriptions and delineations of the 
 wheat-fly, in the different stages of its existence, than any that had 
 previously appeared. To it I am particularly indebted for such 
 characters as enable me to say without a doubt, that the clear-winged 
 wheat-fly of America is identical with the English Cecidomyia Tri- 
 tici. 
 
 In closing this summary of the notices of the wheat-fly abroad, I 
 would allude to what has occurred to me as perhaps true in the his¬ 
 tory of this insect, to wit, that it has somewhat regular periods of re¬ 
 curring in such numbers as to become a pest to the agriculturist. 
 Thus, it is manifest from Mr. Gullet’s account that it was abundant 
 for a few years previous to 1771. So destructive was it then, that 
 he pronounces “ these small insects —the wheat crop’s greatest ene¬ 
 my.” After an interval of twenty-five years, it is again observed 
 plentifully for three or four years, and in different districts, by Messrs. 
 
261 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 Kirby, Markwick and Long. Again it ceases to elicit attention, un¬ 
 til a period but a little longer elapses, when, in 1828 and the follow¬ 
 ing years, it forces itself once more and still more prominently into 
 notice. All that I design, is to direct attention to this point : the 
 facts are as yet too few and too vague to justify anything more than 
 a suggestion. The observations of Mr. Kirby, reaching now over 
 half a century, could probably shed some light upon this most inte¬ 
 resting topic. 
 
 As respects the extent of its range abroad , it has been noticed in 
 most of the southern and eastern counties of England, from Cornwall 
 to Norfolk, and also in Shropshire ; in Perthshire and the Lothians, 
 and probably in other districts of Scotland ; and in the north of Ire¬ 
 land. Whether it occurs upon the continent of Europe, we are not 
 positively informed. It is not noticed by Macquart, either in his 
 Diptera of the North of France, or his Natural History of Dipterous 
 Insects (for a perusal of which I am indebted to the courtesy of Dr. 
 T. W. Harris of Harvard University ;) and we can scarcely believe 
 that if it existed in his district, it could have been overlooked by so 
 assiduous a naturalist. M. Herpin, however (as we are told by Mr. 
 Curtis,) is of opinion that it is an inhabitant of France, and the state¬ 
 ment which he makes strongly supports this opinion. He says, “ I 
 have also found in ears of corn, at the time of flowering, many little 
 yellow larva;, very lively, from two to three millimetres long, lodged 
 between the chaff of the grain : these larvae nibble and destroy the 
 generative organs of the plant, and the germen where they are found 
 are sterile. These larva: appear to me to have a very great analogy 
 with those which have been described in Linnsean Transactions, un¬ 
 der tbe name of Tipula Tritici : it is probably a Cecidomyia.” M. 
 Herpin placed several ears of diseased barley and wheat in bottles, 
 and in these bottles a number of Cecidomyia flies were afterwards 
 found. Meigen —a copy of whose noted work upon the Diptera of 
 Europe I regret that I have been unable to meet with — as I learn 
 from Mr. Curtis’s paper, gives descriptions and figures of the wheat- 
 fly. Were his specimens collected in Germany, or received from 
 England ? 
 
262 
 
 [Senate 
 
 ITS DOMESTIC HISTORY. 
 
 It will be unnecessary to particularly specify the various notices of 
 this insect, that have appeared in the different agricultural papers of 
 the Northern States during the last twelve years. The more impor¬ 
 tant and valuable of these may be found in the several volumes of 
 the Cultivator and of the New'-England Farmer. An excellent sum¬ 
 mary of the history and habits of the wheat-fly, both in this country 
 and abroad, is also given in Dr. Harris’s Report on the Insects of 
 Massachusetts, p. 437-444. Mr. Gaylord’s paper on injurious in¬ 
 sects briefly notices this species {Trans. N. F. State Jigrxc. Society, 
 1843, vol. iii. p. 145-147.) 
 
 With the prominent facts that have been laid before the public by 
 our agricultural periodicals, every intelligent farmer is already fa¬ 
 miliar. The great difficulty experienced by persons but little conver¬ 
 sant with zoological science, in determining what this wheat-worm 
 really w r as, forms a striking feature in the earlier notices that appeared 
 respecting it. Thus, by some it was for a time regarded as an animal- 
 cula of the vibrio genus, analogous to the “eels” generated in vinegar 
 and paste. By others, and quite extensively, it was pronounced to 
 be a weevil , and this very improper name is to this day often applied 
 to it. Others, still, deemed it to be “Monsieur Tonson come again,” 
 considering it as a return of the Ilessian fly to a section of the coun¬ 
 try from wdiich it had long been absent. It would be easy to point out 
 how erroneous each of these opinions are; but I deem it wholly un¬ 
 necessary, as the public mind is now no longer distracted upon this 
 subject; and the correct view, that this insect is a fly, peculiar in its 
 habits, and differing from any of those previously known in this 
 country, universally prevails. 
 
 It is not improbable but that one or both of the species of the wheat- 
 fly may have been present in this country, in limited numbers, many 
 years before it was distinctly noticed. In truth, common as this in¬ 
 sect still is in this district, if our farmers, guided by the knowledge 
 they have acquired of it, were not zealously searching for it in every 
 field, I much doubt whether it would be at all observed here at the 
 present day. And often too when a careful examination of the grow¬ 
 ing grain leads to a belief that the crop is scarcely infested, an in-* 
 spection of the threshing-floor, or of the screenings of the fanning- 
 
263 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 mill, will frequently demonstrate that it was present in much greater 
 abundance than was surmised. These facts plainly show, that this 
 insect might lurk a long time in our country wholly unobserved. 
 
 Mr. Jewett says the wheat-fly first appeared in western Vermont in 
 the year 1820, (New Eng. Farmer , vol. xix. p. 301.) It was not r 
 however, till the years 1828 and 1829 that it became so numerous as 
 to attract the attention of community ; the same years, be it observed, 
 when its ravages were so annoying in Scotland. It was in the north¬ 
 ern part of Vermont, bordering upon the line of Lower Canada, where 
 it became so excessively multiplied at this time; and from that, as a 
 central point, it seems to have extended in nearly all directions. In 
 this vicinity, one hundred and twenty-five or fifty miles south of the 
 locality above indicated, it was certainly observed in 1830 ; and in 
 1832 the wheat crops were so completely destroyed by it, as 
 to lead to a general abandonment of the cultivation of this grain. 
 This was the year in which the malignant cholera swept over our 
 land, and it was a common remark, that what the pestilence spared 
 famine bade fair to destroy. Having spread east over Vermont and 
 New-Hampshire, it in 1834 appeared in the State of Maine, and con¬ 
 tinued to advance in that direction, it is said, at the rate of twenty or 
 thirty miles a year. Westward its progress would seem to have been 
 less rapid, and along the Mohawk river by no means so generally 
 destructive. It is not till within a year or two past, that it has ap¬ 
 peared in the Black river country east of Lake Ontario, as I am in¬ 
 formed by an intelligent gentleman resident there; nor until the pre¬ 
 sent season that it has been so injurious as to induce in some instan¬ 
 ces a premature mowing of the crop, and preserving it for hay. Ru¬ 
 mor states that farther west, in the wheat-noted Genesee country, 
 it has been detected for the first time the present year. 
 
 The amount of injury inflicted by this insect will be more distinctly 
 and vividly realized, if we can arrive at some approximation to the 
 sums of money that have been lost to certain districts in consequence 
 of its presence. The Maine Farmer, vol. xiv. No. 2, states that “a 
 million of dollars, nay, more money, would not pay the damage it has 
 done to the state of Maine, alone.” Half of that sum, it is probable, 
 would not repay the loss which has been sustained merely in Washing¬ 
 ton county, N. Y.—a county embracing (the untilled mountain district 
 bordering upon Lake George being deducted,) a population of about 
 
264 [Senate 
 
 35,000 souls, and an area of 700 square miles, of which nearly 500 
 are cleared and improved. 
 
 Lest this statement should be deemed extravagant by the reader, I 
 will adduce the data on which it is founded. When it is considered 
 that the entire crop of 1832 was almost totally destroyed—that the crop 
 of the previous year was much injured, and that for several of the sub¬ 
 sequent years the man was deemed fortunate who received but half of 
 a fair yield per acre—many obtaining back but little more than the 
 amount of seed which they committed to the ground. I say, when 
 these facts are duly considered, I think it will be regarded as but a 
 moderate estimate if we set down the total amount of loss during the 
 fourteen past years, as equal to the entire crops of three years, under 
 ordinary circumstances. Had the usual quantity of land been all along 
 sowed with wheat, the loss would doubtless have been double that 
 which we here are supposing it to have been. What, then, was the 
 amount of the ordinary wheat crops in this country, formerly 1 No 
 statistics, that I am aware, were then taken, by which this point can be 
 definitely ascertained. But in 1844—the crop of which year is com¬ 
 monly supposed to have been about a third or a fourth less than what 
 was requited for the consumption of the country—according to the 
 census returns, 75,500 bushels were produced. 
 
 Now, since the county formerly not only supplied its own wants, but 
 transmitted a considerable surplus annually to market, it is probable 
 that the yearly crop previous to the appearance of the wheat-fly, was 
 twice or thrice what it amounted to in 1844, which would be from 150 
 to 200,000 bushels, the value of which for three years, gives us the 
 sum first stated, half a million of dollars. And this estimate, be it 
 observed, only contemplates the grain that has been destroyed, without 
 taking into consideration the detriment that has been indirectly 
 sustained by our farmers in being driven to a cultivation of those 
 coarser grains which have yielded them a much less profit. 
 
 The adjoining counties of Rensselaer and Saratoga, and the five 
 western counties of Vermont, constituting the district over which this 
 fly first swept and where perhaps its ravages have been most severe, 
 have probably suffered in about an equal degree with Washington 
 county. Together they embrace an area about six times greater than 
 that of Washington county. The whole of this district is therefore 
 about equal in extent to the State of Connecticut, and the amount of 
 
265 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 loss from the wheat-fly, upon the data above indicated, may be set down 
 at three and a half millions of dollars! 
 
 The history of the career of this insect, appears to be quite uniform 
 in most of the districts hitherto visited by it. About two or three years 
 after its first arrival at a particular locality, it becomes most excessively 
 multiplied, and the devastations which it now commits are almost 
 incredible. Though I believe that, through unduly excited fears, or 
 a hope of thereby destroying hosts of this marauder, a mowing of 
 the crop whilst yet green and a curing of it for hay has often been 
 resorted to, when, had it been harvested as usual, a less sacrifice would 
 have been made—yet many cases have occurred in which diligent 
 search by different persons has failed to discover a single developed 
 kernel of grain in any of the heads of an entire field! 
 
 This havoc, so extreme and general, though not universal (for some 
 fields even now escape with comparatively little injury,) lasts but a 
 few years. The numbers of the pest and its consequent ravages soon 
 become sensibly diminished ; and after the lapse of some seasons, the 
 cultivation of the wheat crop is again found to be comparatively safe, 
 and its yield only in isolated instances materially lessened by the con¬ 
 tinued presence of the fly, which has now become probably a perma¬ 
 nent inhabitant. 
 
 It is now commonly supposed that this rapid diminution in the num¬ 
 bers of the wheat fly has been produced by the general abandonment 
 of the cultivation of wheat in this section of the country ; that thus 
 the insect, having no place to deposit its eggs where its young could 
 be nourished, has become measurably “starved out.” But that this 
 opinion is erroneous, is I think evident from one or two facts. Turing 
 this entire period, since notice was first attracted to the wheat-fly, there 
 are some farmers who have every year continued the cultivation of 
 wheat with very fair success, their crops having been in no one of these 
 years so severely injured as to dishearten them ; and their respective 
 situations are so dissimilar, that this immunity can with no plausibility 
 be attributed to any peculiarity in the location of their farms. Now if 
 the swarms of these insects which for a time pervaded every neighbor¬ 
 hood through this entire section of country, and which possess a power 
 of wing capable of bearing them from twenty to fifty miles in a single 
 season, had been in the “starving” condition supposed, how have the 
 fields alluded to escaped destruction? Certainly these myriads of tiny 
 
266 [Senate 
 
 creatures could not have been reduced to such straits for want of the 
 appropriate repository for their eggs, until after these crops have been 
 utterly consumed. And, with the insect not exterminated, but still 
 everywhere common, now that the culture of wheat has been gradually 
 returned to with such success that it has again become general, why has 
 not the fly again increased? Why have the considerable crops of the 
 past and the abundant ones of the present year (1845) in this county, 
 been so little injured? I am firmly persuaded, therefore, that the speedy 
 diminution in the numbers of the wheat-fly, which soon follows a season 
 in which it has been extremely annoying, can not be truly assigned to 
 the cause above stated; but that it is rather to be attributed to that 
 beautiful provision of nature long since observed, and additional 
 instances of which are brought to light by the investigations of every 
 year, to wit, that an undue increase in any of the species of the animal 
 or vegetable world never takes place, without being speedily succeeded 
 by a corresponding increase of the natural enemies and destroyers of 
 that species, whereby it again becomes reduced to its appropriate 
 bounds. 
 
 Whenever once introduced, it is probable the wheat-fly will ever 
 after continue in limited numbers, laying the wheat crop annually 
 under a moderate contribution for its support. Isolated fields will 
 occur where its devastations will be quite serious, whilst the crop of 
 the district generally will suffer but little, and many fields none at 
 all. Such has appeared to be its history in this vicinity for several 
 years past. Seasons favorable for its multiplication will doubtless 
 occur, when its injuries will be much augmented; as well as seasons 
 of a reverse character, when its presence will scarcely be known. It 
 is therefore very important that the entire history and habits of this 
 insect should be accurately traced out. For only with a full knowledge 
 of these, can we be able to resort intelligently to such measures as will 
 keep its numbers constantly limited, or sweep it from those fields that 
 will probably at times be excessively infested by it. 
 
 Its habits. 
 
 Relying upon the correctness of the published statements, that it 
 was not till “towards the last of June ” that the fly infests the wheat- 
 fields, and that the “principal deposit of eggs is made in the first 
 half of July,” I had not commenced searching for it, when on the 
 
267 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 16th of June I was informed by a neighbor, that it had been present 
 for some days in large numbers, in a field of thrifty winter wheat of 
 his. Upon repairing to this field, a small black fly, about one-third of 
 the size and much resembling the common house-fly, was pointed out 
 as the dreaded enemy; and so universally has this doubtless harmless 
 species been for years regarded as the true wheat fly by the farmers 
 throughout this whole section of the “ infected district,” merely from 
 the circumstance of its occurring abundantly in wheat fields simultane¬ 
 ously with the wheat-worm, that my companion was much surprised, 
 and disposed to be incredulous of my assertion that that was not the 
 wheat-fiy. On opening the flowers of wheat, however, the eggs of 
 the real marauder were found in abundance; and a sweeping, with the 
 small gauze fly-net in common use by entomologists, between the stalks 
 of grain towards their roots, immediately caught within it a number 
 of the winged insects. My comrade was little less surprised on my 
 pointing the real fly out to him, being scarcely able to conceive that 
 such a tiny fragile atom, seemingly a mere moat floating before his eye, 
 could be that potent enemy that had spread such desolation over our 
 land. Several of the specimens thus caught, were of the spotted¬ 
 winged species. These I conjectured, until I afterwards came to 
 examine them attentively with the microscope, were only a variety of 
 the common or clear-winged species, else I should not have failed to 
 have regarded them more particularly. 
 
 All parts of this field of four acres were found to be infested more 
 or less with the wheat-fly, but they occurred most abundantly along 
 one of its sides, in the field adjoining which, wheat had been grown 
 the preceding year, which had been considerably injured by this 
 insect. Such a host of destroyers as were here found, and the profusion 
 of eggs that had been already deposited, strongly indicated that it 
 must have commenced appearing in its winged state many days previous 
 to this time. 
 
 The wheat-fly may be met with daily, from the fore part of June, 
 until so late at least as the middle of August. Although it congregates 
 in swarms about fields of wheat at the time they are in blossom, it also 
 occurs in a great variety of other sitnations. It often enters houses, 
 upon the windows of which it may be observed dancing along the 
 panes, sometimes in numbers. It may also be taken among the grass 
 of pastures, and of alluvial meadows that have never been turned up 
 
268 [Senate 
 
 by the plow. It is sometimes found in shady places, particularly along 
 the margin of streams, associated with other minute species of Tipu- 
 lida in those dances in which swarms of these insects so often engage. 
 One specimen was met with on weeds, in the margin of an entensive 
 and dense forest, through which it must have made its way, or over 
 an adjoining lake a half mile broad, on the opposite side of which was 
 the nearest cultivated ground. 
 
 The fly during the sunshine of day moves about but little, remaining 
 mostly at rest or lurking about in the shade furnished towards the 
 roots of the growing grain. In the twilight of evening it becomes 
 active and continues so perhaps during the entire night; for before the 
 morning sunrise it may be seen abundantly upon the wing, though less 
 agile than in the evening, as though it had now become somewhat 
 wearied or was rendered sluggish by the coolness and dampness of the 
 night air. Upon cloudy days, also, it resorts but little to its usual 
 retreats. In short, it appears to be only the direct rays of the sun which 
 it avoids, for if a tree be standing in an infected wheatfield, the fly may 
 be met with in its shade, on the wing and depositing its eggs at mid¬ 
 day. Hence those parts of a field shaded by trees or an adjoining 
 wood, have been repeatedly observed to be severely devastated or even 
 entirely destroyed, when the other parts of the same field have been but 
 moderately injured. 
 
 But it is during the evenings which succeed hot days of sunshine 
 that the fly appears to be most busy and full of life. If a field infested 
 with them be visited with a lantern at this time, such hosts as were 
 little imagined to exist, will be found busily hovering about the grain, 
 the most of them with wings and legs extended, dancing, as it were, 
 slowly up and down along the ears, intently engaged in selecting the 
 most suitable spot where to deposit their eggs. This being found, the 
 insect alights, and standing upon the outer glume or chaff of the ker¬ 
 nel, curves its abdomen so as to bring the tip in contact at right angles 
 with the surface of the glume. It now toils industriously to insinuate 
 its ovipositor through the scale, which is not accomplished till after a 
 considerable exertion. Sometimes even, the scales having probably 
 acquired too much maturity and hardness to be pierced by the tiny 
 stinger which the fly protrudes, it is foiled in its efforts, and, as if 
 vexed at its ill success, spitefully jerks its wings apart and darts away. 
 This occurrence, however, is rare. And having penetrated with its 
 
269 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 ovipositor into contact with the germ of the future grain, through this 
 tube one egg after another is passed in at short intervals until several 
 are deposited. The usual number of eggs thus deposited, appeared to 
 be from six to ten ; and as thrice or four times as many larva; can 
 sometimes be met with on a single germ, it is probable that three or 
 four insects sometimes successively puncture the same floret. Very 
 frequently two, four or six flies may be seen at the same time on diffe¬ 
 rent florets of the same ear, depositing their eggs; and Mr. Shirreff 
 says, “ Upon one occasion I numbered thirty-five flies on a single ear, 
 and, after carrying it a distance of a quarter of a mile, six of them 
 still continued to deposit eggs.” This work being done, another labo¬ 
 rious task for the tiny creature remains, that of withdrawing the oviposi¬ 
 tor ; and to accomplish this, the energies of the insect are sometimes 
 inadequate, and it remains, Prometheus-lilce, chained to an immoveable 
 mountain, until it expires. This curious fact, first observed by Mr. 
 Kirby, I have seen fully verified, meeting in several instances with the 
 dead insect still remaining thus suspended. 
 
 Although the flowers of the wheat are the favorite resort of this 
 insect for depositing its eggs, yet it is not limited solely to this plant. 
 It is currently reported to have been occasionally met with in rye 
 and oats in this country. Mr. Shirreff and Mr. Gorrie both found 
 the wheat-worm in ears of the quack or couch grass (Triticum re- 
 pens Linn. ; Agropyron repens , Pal. de Beauvois); and the latter 
 gentleman hereupon rather naively remarks, “ The fly has not known 
 that modern botanists no longer ranged the couch grass among the 
 wheat tribe ; but, like myself, it is most attached to the Linnman 
 names and systems.” Mr. Markwick also found the same worms in 
 the wild bearded oats ( Avenafestuca , Linn.) 
 
 The eggs are of an oblong, cylindrical form, with rounded ends, 
 They are pellucid and nearly colorless at first, but acquire a yellow¬ 
 ish tinge ere they are hatched, which is in rather over a week after 
 they are deposited. 
 
 The larva has two distinct stages in its existence : an active or 
 growing state, which is passed through in about a month ; and a 
 dormant state, which then supervenes, and continues through the 
 winter. This latter has been generally but incorrectly regarded as 
 its pupa state by writers. 
 
 When it comes from the egg, the larva is a minute oblong soft 
 
270 [Senate 
 
 worm, without feet or hairs, and transparent or of a whitish tinge 
 at first, but soon changing to a bright amber or orange yellow. It 
 moves but slowly, and with difficulty, by a wriggling motion of its 
 body. It remains within the particular floret in which it is hatched, 
 until it attains its full growth. Mr. Kirby says it feeds upon the pol¬ 
 len of the anthers; and perhaps it does so at first, but certainly 
 whilst they are quite small, all the worms within the floret clus¬ 
 ter upon the sides of the germ, and generally towards its base 
 (Plate 5, fig. a.) I apprehend they chiefly subsist and attain their 
 growth there, upon the fluids destined for the nourishment of the 
 germ, and which, for want of these fluids, becomes shrivelled to a 
 greater or less degree, and does not attain that plump form on which 
 the value of this grain so much depends. The amount of injury re¬ 
 ceived by the individual kernel of grain varies according to the num¬ 
 ber of worms that have been nourished in the chaff in contact with 
 it. If mature worms grow from all the eggs deposited by the fly at 
 a single puncture, the kernel is doubtless rendered worthless; but a 
 single worm, as is occasionly found, would scarcely produce a per¬ 
 ceptible effect. 
 
 Having attained its growth, and in its dormant state, it does not 
 differ sensibly, as I have been able to discover, from its previous ap¬ 
 pearance ; and the only reason for marking this as a distinct stage, 
 is, that the insect now remains for a long period (probably two-thirds 
 of its entire term of existence) without increasing in size or under¬ 
 going any other perceptible change. The texture of its body seems 
 to have acquired rather more firmness than it possessed while it was 
 growing, and its motions are more sluggish. It is less than the 
 tenth of an inch long : a measurement of several specimens gives 
 0.07 as their average length. It is of a rich orange color, and of an 
 oblong-oval form (Plate 5, fig. b ), being broadest in the middle and 
 rounded at each end : it is slightly depressed, the under side being 
 considerably flattened ; thus in form somewhat resembling the leech 
 when contracted. Its joints are indicated by slight transverse im¬ 
 pressed lines, by which it is divided into twelve segments of about 
 equal length. Sometimes a brownish cloud is perceptible near the 
 middle of the body on its underside, which is probably caused by 
 alimentary matter. If these worms are placed for some days on a 
 plate in a dry room, the outer skin of the body becomes so dry and 
 
271 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 indurated that the worm is incapable of making the slightest motion ; 
 but on covering them with a wetted cloth, the surface again in a 
 short time becomes pliant and yielding; and if pressed with a needle, 
 the animal writhes, and sometimes turns itself over to escape from 
 the annoyance. I doubt whether it ever moults, or casts off its skin, 
 between its egg and its pupa state ; but my observations have not 
 been sufficiently exact and prolonged to speak positively upon this 
 point. 
 
 This is the form in which the insect passes the autumn and winter. 
 The accounts of writers disagree as to where the worm remains 
 during this period; in fact few of them speak distinctly upon this 
 particular point. Mr. Kirby, however, describes the worm as still 
 continuing in the heads of the wheat; but as a considerable portion 
 of them are missing, he thinks these have been destroyed by para¬ 
 sitic enemies. He says, “ I have seen more than once, seven or 
 eight florets in an ear inhabited by the [active] larvae, and as many 
 as thirty in a single floret, seldom less than eight or nine, and yet I 
 have scarcely found more than one pupa [dormant larva] in an ear, 
 and had to examine several to meet with that.” Mr. Gorrie, on the 
 other hand, asserts that the maggots quit the ears of the wheat by 
 the first of August, and enter into the ground, where they remain 
 through the winter. Mr. Shirreff, also, from finding the fly much 
 more abundant in fields where wheat had been grown the preceding 
 year than it was in other fields, entertains the same opinion. Now 
 the truth is, Mr. Kirby and Mr. Gorrie are both right. A portion of 
 the larvae leave the grain before it is harvested, and descend to the 
 ground, where I have found them, under mouldy fragments of straw 
 on the surface, or buried a half inch or less within the soil. I thus 
 found them, common in the field already spoken of as examined on 
 the 16th of June, a few days after the grain was harvested ; and 
 also early in March, in a field in which wheat was grown the pre¬ 
 ceding year, that had been somewhat injured by the fly. Another 
 portion of these larvae remain in the heads of the wheat, and are 
 carried into the barn, where they may readily be observed upon the 
 threshing-floor, and found in quantities among the screenings of the 
 fanning-mill, a considerable portion of which sometimes consists of 
 these worms. Thence our farmers kindly empty them out at the 
 door of the barn, where most of them doubtless find among the litter 
 
272 [Senate 
 
 of the yard a bed equally as comfortable and secure as that in which 
 their brethren in the field are at this time reposing. 
 
 Whence does this singular diversity in the habits of these larvae 
 arise ? All the worms are undoubtedly fully matured before the 
 grain becomes ripe and dry and hard. Why then do one part of 
 them leave the wheat heads and enter the ground ere the harvest — 
 and another portion of them remain within the ears to be carried into 
 the barn with the grain when it is housed ? Two well attested ob¬ 
 servations, I think, shed important light upon this interesting point. 
 And if the inference which I deduce from them be correct, we have 
 arrived at another very curious trait in the economy of this insect. 
 
 Dr. Harris informs us, that “ after a shower of rain, they [the larvaj] 
 have been seen in such countless numbers on the beards of the wheat , as 
 to give a yellow color to the whole field ; ” and he refers to the New- 
 England Farmer, vol. xii. p. 60, in confirmation of this statement, a 
 volume which I have not at hand. For an analogous but still more 
 instructive fact, I am indebted to Gen. M’Naughton, a practical far¬ 
 mer of this town, the accuracy of whose statements no one acquainted 
 with him will doubt. In 1832, his wheat, in which the fly had made 
 sad havoc, was cradled and lying in the swath, when a moderate rain 
 came on, followed by a damp cloudy afternoon. At this time, with 
 his hired help, he repaired to the harvest-field to bind up the grain. 
 They here found not only the heads, but also the straw in its entire 
 length sprinkled over with these worms. On my observing to him, that 
 I could scarcely believe it possible for a footless worm to crawl along 
 the straw when it was lying horizontally, he stated that he was par¬ 
 ticularly positive with regard to that fact ; for he distinctly recollect¬ 
 ed that it was impossible for him to draw the band around a bundle 
 and tie it [in which process the heads of the grain are not touched,] 
 without having at least a half dozen of these worms adhering to his 
 hands. 
 
 From these facts, I infer that the worm does not crawl out of the 
 chaff ^tnd “ drop ” itself to the ground, as has been stated by some 
 writers ; but that having attained its growth, it lies dormant within 
 the chaff, awaiting a favorable state of the weather in which to make 
 its descent, to wit, a rain which is not immediately followed by a 
 clear sky and warm sun that would soon dry the straw. Hence it is 
 doubtless almost invariably by night that this journey of the worm 
 
273 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 is performed, and that it has therefore never been seen. The straw 
 itself being wet, and the body of the worm rendered supple by the 
 moisture surrounding it, it leaves its abode in the head of the wheat, 
 and adhering to the wet straw by the glutinousness of the surface 
 of its body, gradually works its way downwards by the wriggling 
 motion to which it so often resorts when disturbed, until it reaches 
 the ground. That there is such a glutinous secretion upon the sur¬ 
 face of the worm as would enable it to adhere to the wet straw in 
 the manner supposed, I might adduce a number of facts to prove. I 
 was desirous of taking a drawing of the larvae which I found among 
 wheat-stubble last March ; but particles of earth adhered to them 
 so firmly, that I could not separate them with the point of a needle 
 without also mutilating the w T orms. A few weeks since, on visiting 
 a neighbor’s threshing-floor, I gathered a number of larvae by mois¬ 
 tening the end of my finger and touching it to the worm, which, 
 thus adhering, was scraped off upon the edge of a tin box. The box 
 is now before me, with each of the worms alive, but firmly glued to 
 its sides, and many of them to each other ; and on forcibly removing 
 some of them, the outer dried and hardened case of the worm is 
 fractured in the operation. 
 
 It would thus appear that those worms which are matured, leave 
 the grain at the close of a shower, and crawl down the wet straw to 
 the earth. It may be also, that a heavy night-dew sometimes fur¬ 
 nishes a sufficient degree of moisture to enable them to do this. 
 But on the other hand, those worms which are later in arriving at 
 maturity, in ^waiting suitable weather for making the same descent are, 
 ere such weather arrives, carried with the grain into the barn. 
 
 As illustrating the strong tenacity of life possessed by these larva?, 
 I may in this connexion state, that the few specimens gathered in 
 March as already stated, were placed with a little earth in a vial, and 
 a piece of gauze tied over its mouth, for the purpose of ascertaining 
 the transformations of the insect, if any, from its then condition to 
 that of a winged fly. Other avocations diverted my attention, and 
 this vial was forgotten for a fortnight; by which time the earth within 
 had become so completely dried, that not doubting but the worms had 
 all perished, no farther attention w T as paid to it, and it remained in a 
 dry room over three months, until the middle of June, when, on ex¬ 
 amining it, half the specimens put into the vial were found to have 
 
 [Senate, No. 105.] 18 
 
274 [Senate 
 
 completed their transformations ; a corresponding number of dead 
 wheat-flies being found attached to a straw in the upper part of the 
 vial. Prof. Henslow thinks that it is only those larvae that are 
 punctured by ichneumons, that leave the wheat-ears and enter the 
 ground; but the facts now stated show that this opinion is erro¬ 
 neous. 
 
 On removing the earth from the vial above alluded to, the cases of 
 the pupa from which the flies had proceeded, were found very per¬ 
 fect. These conclusively showed that vhe real pupa is not formed 
 until in the spring, and that it is then altogether different in form 
 from what has been described by writers as its pupa. It corresponds 
 identically in its appearance (perhaps with the exception of color) 
 with that of the Cecidomyia Salicis , as exhibited in the first volume 
 of the American Quarterly Journal of Agriculture and Science. 
 Plate 2, fig. 1. It also closely resembles the figure of the pupa of 
 Cecidomyia Pini ?. as given from De Geer in Westwood’s Introduc¬ 
 tion to the Modern Classification of Insects, vol. ii. p. 518, fig. 125,. 
 No. 7.* Its length is slightly less than that of the dormant larva. 
 The antennse, legs and wings, are each enclosed in separate sheaths, 
 which lie externally to the integument in which the body is envelop¬ 
 ed. The three pairs of legs all lie parallel and in contact with each 
 other upon the breast, reaching far down past the tips of the wings ; 
 the inner pair being shortest, and the outer pair longest. Judging 
 from the analogy afforded by the Cecidomyia Salicis, I presume the 
 wheat-fly only remains in its pupa state three or four weeks in the 
 latter part of May and the fore part of June. 
 
 ITS NATURAL ENEMIES. 
 
 One of the most effective natural destroyers of the wheat-fly, is 
 undoubtedly our common yellow-bird (Fringilla tristis, Lin.) Fields 
 much infested by the insect, have been for many years recognized 
 even by passers on the highway contiguous to them, by the rough 
 and ragged aspect of the heads of the grain (Plate, fig. c). I am 
 not aware that the cause of this peculiar appearance has ever been sta¬ 
 ted in any of the communications that have appeared in our agricultu- 
 
 • I cannot but regard the figure here referred to as inaccurate, in representing tho 
 wings as enclosed in one common case, over which the legs are laid. The tips of the 
 wings should probably be rounded, instead of being brought to a point. 
 
275 
 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 ral papers. It results from the operations of this bird. Alighting, it 
 adroitly grasps the wheat stalk just below the ear, and clinging fear¬ 
 lessly to it, even when swayed to and fro by the wind, it with its bill 
 parts down the chaff from the grain, and one after another of the worms 
 to which it thus gains access are rapidly picked off and devoured. 
 Thus several heads are generally freed from the worms, ere its repast 
 is completed. That it is the worms and not the grain that it is in pur¬ 
 suit of, is readily ascertained by an inspection of the heads after the 
 bird has left them : many of the kernels, not being sufficiently loosened 
 to drop to the ground by the operation, will be found remaining, the 
 maggots that were upon them only having been removed; whilst those 
 kernels of the head which are not infested by the worm, are passed 
 over untouched. It is curious that this little creature, by a tap with 
 its horny bill, or some other process, is enabled to distinguish those 
 scales of chaff which conceal so minute a worm, from those which do 
 not; a knowledge which we only arrive at when we have parted 
 down the chaff. A flock, numbering about fifty, embracing both male 
 and female birds, appeared to make the field which I examined on the 
 16th of June their constant resort, for a period of three weeks or more, 
 where they could be seen busily occupied almost constantly every 
 day. The number of worms consumed by them during this time must 
 have been immense ; and I cannot but believe that this lovely bird 
 will henceforward be esteemed for its utility, as much as it has hereto¬ 
 fore been for its beauty. 
 
 I have as yet found but one insect parasite, which I am well assured 
 subsists upon and destroys the worm of the wheat-fly. It is a hyme- 
 nopter of the family Chalcididce ; but my acquaintance with the de¬ 
 tails of its history is as yet too limited to attempt an account of it. I 
 shall be much disappointed if I do not meet with still other species 
 which prey upon the wheat-fly ; and as all these parasites upon the 
 Cecidomyia? are more or less closely related to each other,, they can 
 probably be most advantageously presented in a separate article devo¬ 
 ted exclusively to that subject. 
 
 Four or more species are known abroad, which destroy the wheat- 
 worm. One of these, it is stated in the first volume of the Edinburgh 
 Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, deposits an egg beside an egg of the 
 wheat-fly, the worm from which devours the wheat-worm soon after it 
 hatches, and thus effectually saves the wheat. The observations of 
 
276 [Senate 
 
 Mr. Shirreff upon another of these cannot but interest the reader. He 
 says, “ Upon presenting four larva; (of the wheat-fly) to an ichneumon, 
 it soon stung, or, according to Mr. Kirby, deposited an egg in each of 
 their bodies, and stung one of them a second time. The maggot 
 writhed in seeming agony, and straggled upon my thumb-nail, where 
 it was again stung three times by the same fly ; and in a second strug¬ 
 gle, both fell to the ground.” 
 
 ARTIFICIAL MEANS FOR ARRESTING ITS RAVAGES. 
 
 These may be divided into two classes, as they refer to the protec¬ 
 tion of the grain from the fly when in its winged form and depositing 
 its eggs; or as they directed to the destruction of the fly itself, in the 
 previous stages of its existence. 
 
 Several measures have been proposed, and some of them with much 
 confidence and plausibility of reasoning, for protecting the wheat crop 
 from this insect during the period of its blossoming. The more pro¬ 
 minent of these I will advert to. 
 
 The smoke of a number of smouldering fires, or of brimstone 
 matches, in different parts, and particularly upon the windward side 
 of an infested field, has been recommended. The known efficacy of 
 smoke in repelling the musketoe renders it probable that this remedy 
 would be of signal utility, were it not for the discouraging amount of 
 labor that is required to make so thorough and protracted a use of it 
 as would be necessary. 
 
 It has been suggested that the anal follicles of the skunk (Mephitis 
 americana, Desm.) might be extracted, and that yarn impregnated 
 with the fluid contained in them, and suspended through wheat-fields, 
 would, by its intolerable odor, banish the wheat-fly. I imagine that in 
 carrying this suggestion into practice, the operator would be the great¬ 
 est sufferer —“ unless my nose deceives me.” 
 
 Sowing the field with lime at the time the wheat is in blossom, has 
 been repeatedly, and by some with much confidence, urged. This re¬ 
 medy has been much resorted to, and very conflicting statements with 
 regard to its efficacy have been laid before the public. A simple ex¬ 
 periment, directly to the point, is of more value than a thousand cases 
 that tend to support any particular opinion ; and such an experiment 
 I am prepared to narrate. Jarvis Martin, Esq., the owner of the infes¬ 
 ted field repeatedly alluded to, at my suggestion, repaired to it one 
 
No. 105.] 
 
 277 
 
 evening, and sprinkled several of the heads with tolerably fresh air- 
 slaked lime, until they were white with the powder adhering to them ; 
 thus applying it far more profusely and effectually than can be accom¬ 
 plished by any “ sowing” of this substance. With the light of a lan¬ 
 tern, these heads were now closely watched, and the flies were ob¬ 
 served to hover around and alight upon them as freely, and insert their 
 ovipositors with the same readiness that they did upon the contiguous 
 heads that were not thus treated. I deem this experiment sufficient to 
 put to rest the much mooted question with regard to the utility of lime 
 as a shield against the wheat-fly. 
 
 A yet more prominent, and much more plausible mode of enabling 
 the wheat to escape injury from the fly, is, sowing the seed at such 
 times as will prevent its being in blossom at the period when the in¬ 
 sect appears. With this view, it is recommended to sow winter wheat 
 much earlier than was ordinarily done, that it may be so far matured 
 the following season at the time of the appearance of the fly, as to be 
 invulnerable to it; and spring wheat, so late as not to be in blossom 
 until the fly has finished depositing its eggs. This plan has been much 
 relied upon, on both sides of the Atlantic, and I have been heretofore 
 disposed to regard it as probably the most feasible of any—though by 
 avoiding Scylla we are in danger of Charybdis—for early sown win¬ 
 ter wheat invites a return of the Hessian fly, and late sown spring 
 wheat is almost certain in this vicinity to be attacked by “ the rust” 
 (Puccinia graminis). Numerous instances, moreover, can be adduced 
 which tend much to support the utility cf this measure. One of these, 
 as strong as any that has come to my knowledge, I may here state. 
 In a field of spring wheat of my own, raised in 1843, every kernel in 
 the top of almost every head was entirely destroyed, whilst the lower 
 two-thirds or three-fourths of the ears were wholly uninjured. I could 
 account for this only by supposing that these heads were just begin¬ 
 ning to be protruded from their sheaths as the operations of the fly 
 were closing for that year ; and hence confidently inferred that if that 
 wheat had been sowed a few days later, it would have escaped entire¬ 
 ly, or a few days earlier, it would have been entirely destroyed. By 
 a reference to my Farm Book, I find this crop was sowed April 26th, 
 and cradled August 10th, but no note was taken of the time when it 
 was in blossom. I must confess, however, that my observations the 
 present season have greatly diminished my confidence in the time of 
 
278 [Senate 
 
 sowing as securing the crop from injury. Though I did not see the 
 fly abroad until the 16th of June, it was then present in such swarms, 
 and had already deposited its eggs so profusely, that I think it must 
 have commenced appearing quite early in that month. It, moreover, 
 continued to be abundant until about the middle of July, and speci¬ 
 mens were occasionally met with a month longer. Certainly if it is 
 usual for it to be spread out over such an extent of time, it will be 
 vain to rely upon the time of sowing to insure a crop against its rava¬ 
 ges. Some observations in the foreign accounts also throw light upon 
 this subject. Mr. Shirreff says, in 1829 the fly appeared June 21st j 
 “ and from the vast numbers of them then seen, it is probable a few of 
 them may have been in existence some days previous.” Their eggs were 
 seen June 23d, and must therefore have been deposited on the evening 
 of the 22d. “ The flies were observed depositing eggs on the 28th, 
 and finally disappeared on the 30th of July, thus having existed 
 through a period of thirty-nine days,” and depositing eggs during thir¬ 
 ty-seven of these days. I know not how Mr. S. could be certain that 
 the fly had disappeared for the season on the 30th of July, for his ac¬ 
 count is dated the first day of August. For a few days only after 
 their first appearance, he tells us, they frequented the couch-grass as 
 well as the wheat. Was not this because there was not at that time a 
 sufficient quantity of wheat in bloom to accommodate the number of 
 insects that were then out 1 And Mr. Markwick distinctly states that 
 it was after the grain had been harvested, that he found the larva; in 
 the wild oats. Were not the parent flies then obliged to resort to this 
 plant, because all the wheat had become mature ere they had comple¬ 
 ted depositing their eggs 1 These facts certainly make it appear as 
 though the fly is often abroad before the wheat commences blossoming, 
 and continues till after it becomes mature. 
 
 Is there then, no mode by which the flowering grain can be shield¬ 
 ed from the ravages of the fly 1 This is a subject on which I have 
 bestowed much thought; and I am not now prepared to tell the rea¬ 
 der what he must do , but I will briefly inform him what I shall do, 
 upon the first occasion that calls for it. A method is sometimes re¬ 
 sorted to abroad, for saving grain fields from the depredations of cer¬ 
 tain insects of peculiar habits. A rope is drawn along over the 
 grain by two men walking at a brisk pace ; which rope thus knock¬ 
 ing against the heads of the grain, causes the depredators to drop 
 

 No. 105.] 279 ■' 
 
 themselves instantly on the ground, and it is a slow and tedious task 
 for them to get up to the heads ftf the grain again. A similar pro¬ 
 cess, but with a different apparatus, I contemplate employing against 
 the wheat-fly. This ap paratus is alight net made of gauze, three 
 or four feet deep and one or two rods long; its mouth reaching the 
 entire length of the net, and opening to a width of about eighteen 
 inches. A small rope is to be stitched to the upper and another to 
 the lower side of the mouth, reaching slightly beyond the net at each 
 end, which is to be carried by two persons holding the ends of these 
 ropes. If on closely examining the wheat-fields of my vicinity, from 
 the time that the heads begin to protrude from their sheaths, the fly 
 is found to be gathering in swarms in any one of them, I intend re¬ 
 pairing to that field in the evening, when the insects will be hovering 
 in such myriads about the heads of the grain, and, with an assistant, 
 carrying the net so that the lower cord will strike a few inches below 
 the heads of grain, the upper one being held nearly afoot in advance 
 of it, and about the same distance above the tops of the heads, by 
 keeping the cords tense and walking at a uniformly rapid pace from 
 side to side of the field, until the whole is swept over, I shall be 
 much disappointed if countless millions are not gathered into the 
 net, which is to be instantly closed whenever a pause is made, by 
 bringing the cords together. It is now to be folded or rolled together 
 into a smaller compass, and then pressed by the hands or otherwise 
 so as to crush the vermin contained within it. This measure has 
 been suggested to me, by observing the perfect facility with which 
 the small entomological fly-net becomes filled with these flies, on 
 sweeping it to and fro a few times among the heads of infested 
 wheat in the evening. Of course this operation should be resorted 
 to on the first appearance of the fly in numbers, and before its eggs 
 have been deposited so profusely as will occur in the course^of a 
 few days. I feel strongly confident, that by sweeping over a field 
 a very few times in the manner above described, the fly may be so 
 completely thinned out and destroyed, as to be incapable of injuring 
 the crop perceptibly. 
 
 With regard to destroying the fly in the earlier stages of its exis¬ 
 tence, only a few words will require to be said. Whoever has read 
 the preceding account of the habits of this insect, must have been 
 struck with a consciousness of the perfect facility with which that 
 
280 [Senate 
 
 portion of the worms that are brought into our barns may be exter¬ 
 minated. It would seem as though Divine Providence had expressly 
 designed to place a part of every generation of these insects directly 
 in the hands of man, that he might destroy them or not, at his option. 
 And Uncle Toby is so extremely benevolent, that he has uniformly 
 carried them to the door, and said “ Go away, little flies, go away ; 
 the world is wide enough for you and me both.” Now it is scarcely 
 necessary for me to say, that the screenings of the fanning-mill 
 should invariably be closely examined, and if the minute yellow 
 wheat worms are numerous in them, the person should consider it 
 a sacred duty which he owes to himself and his neighbors, to con¬ 
 sign these screenings at once to the flames. If there are but occa¬ 
 sional worms among them, let them be emptied into a hog-trough ; 
 but never empty them upon the ground, or among the straw of the 
 barn-yard, unless they appear to be entirely free from these vermin. 
 And now, if that portion of the worms which remain in the fields 
 can also be destroyed, it becomes certain that we are at once and 
 forever relieved from all farther solicitude with regard to future in¬ 
 juries which this insect can inflict upon us. But can this be done ? 
 It has been proposed to burn the stubble of wheat-fields after the 
 harvest; and if this measure be resorted to at a very dry time in the 
 autumn, probably some of the worms would be destroyed by it. 
 But, so far as I have observed, they uniformly lie here in situations 
 where they are surrounded with some degree of moisture, under 
 damp and mouldy clusters of straw and stubble, or slightly within 
 the surface of the ground. It would, therefore, only be those strag¬ 
 gling individuals that were not in their usual haunts, that the tran¬ 
 sient heat caused by such a burning would reach. Would a turning 
 over of the field with the plow bury them to such a depth, that they 
 would fail of finding their way to the surface again ? This is an im¬ 
 portant inquiry. It is very probable that the larva can work its way 
 to the surface, from a greater depth than what the pupa can. Direct 
 experiment only can determine accurately at what depth the insect, 
 in both these stages, must be buried in order to destroy it. No in¬ 
 formation of any value can, therefore, be given upon this point, 
 until such experiments are made. 
 

 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 

 I 
 
 .1 KUnvil Si'. 
 
 
 A.filch. Dd 
 
 EnyruvnHbrtit Anurtnm Quantity Journal at Agruufairt. 
 
No. 105.] 
 
 281 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE CLEAR-WINGED WHEAT-FLY. 
 
 Cecidomyia Tritici.— Kirby . 
 
 The importance of full and accurate descriptions of every one of 
 the several parts of a natural object, in order that it may be identified 
 with certainty, is strikingly illustrated in the present species. For 
 some years it has been supposed to be identical with the English 
 wheat-fly; but those who are aware of the large number of both plants 
 and animals in Europe, that have analogous representatives in this 
 country so closely resembling them as to have been in many instan¬ 
 ces for a long time considered identical even by accurate and experi¬ 
 enced observers, could not but entertain doubts upon this point; and 
 with the fifteen or twenty characters of this insect which could be 
 gathered from different sources, I could still only say that our wheat- 
 fly was probably the Tritici of Mr. Kirby, some of its prominent pecu¬ 
 liarities seeming even to conflict with the descriptions given of that 
 species. For instance, all that we could gather respecting the form 
 of the joints of the antennae, was, that they were “ moniliform ;” 
 and Messrs. Kirby and Spence, in their “Introduction to Entomology,” 
 define this term to mean “ oval or globular joints, like a necklace of 
 beads.” Now the joints of the antennae in our insect are oblong, 
 and each has a marked contraction in its middle, thus approaching to 
 an hourglass shape, a form the very reverse of “ oval” or 11 globular.” 
 It was not until I saw the excellent figures and descriptions of Mr. 
 Curtis, that I became well assured that our species was identical with 
 the European. 
 
 The common reader will get the most clear and definite idea of the 
 appearance of the wheat-fly, by being told that it looks almost exactly 
 like the wheat-worm with wings and legs added to it. These mem¬ 
 bers, however, are so very small as to be scarcely recognized by the 
 naked eyes, except when they are fixed intently upon the object. 
 
 The head of the female Cecidomyia Tritici (Plate, fig. 1) is of an 
 orbiculate or fiattened-globular form, with the eyes forming its peri¬ 
 phery. These are large, occupying full two-thirds of the entire head. 
 They are of a deep black color, and are separated from each other on 
 the top of the head only by a slight and almost imperceptible cleft, 
 so that when viewed in front they appear like a continuous broad 
 
282 [Senate 
 
 black band surrounding the head, and interrrupted only below at the 
 mouth, thus resembling a horse shoe in their figure. The face 
 is pale yellow. In its centre, and contiguous to each other, are two 
 pale yellow tubercles or spherical eminences, more or less conspicu¬ 
 ous, on which the antennae are inserted, and which are by some re¬ 
 garded as forming a joint of these organs, in addition to the number 
 commonly stated. The anlenn(E are of a deep brown or black color, 
 less intense than the eyes. They are of about the same length as 
 the body, and composed of twelve joints. Each joint (Plate, fig. h ) 
 is commonly oblong, with a marked contraction in its middle, a shape 
 which is sometimes designated as “ coarctiform,” and is surrounded 
 with a whirl or row of hairs near its base, and another near its apex.* 
 The joints are ordinarily about thrice as long as they are broad, their 
 diameter being but little less than that of the legs. They are connected 
 together by a slender thread intervening between each joint, and about 
 a fourth as long as the joints themselves. The two palpi are pale 
 yellow, and clothed with shortish hairs: each is composed of four oval 
 joints; the one terminal being longer, but of the same diameter with 
 the preceding. 
 
 The thorax is of a pale yellow color; its upper side commonly 
 tinged with fulvous brown, which sometimes, though rarely, forms 
 three vittae or longitudinal spots forward to the middle. It is of an 
 ovale form, its greatest breadth being immediately back of the wing 
 sockets. Its vertical diameter much exceeds the transverse, as is 
 common in most species of Tipulidce, the breast jutting down far 
 below the level of the head and abdomen. The poisers are oval, 
 honey-yellow, their pedicels with a strong notch in the middle of 
 their anterior sides. 
 
 The abdomen throughout is of an orange color, more inclining to 
 red than to yellow. Its broadest part scarcely equals the thorax in 
 
 •Not unfrequently, however, singular anomalies occur in these joints. Thus in 
 some the contraction will be so considerable as to cause the segment to appear like 
 two globular joints slightly but distinctly separate from each other; whilst other seg¬ 
 ments of the same series are abbreviated and dilated, the usual contraction thus becom¬ 
 ing obsolete, and the joint taking on a short cylindrical form. It would thus seem as 
 though we, in the female, met with twenty-four joints of the male attennaj in a 
 modified or imperfectly developed condition; that what appears as a single oblong 
 coarctiform joint, is in reality two joints united. This would give but a single whirl 
 of hairs to each joint, as is common in most of the species of this genus. 
 
283 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 diameter. It is of an ovate form, often conspicuously attenuated 
 towards its tip, (as represented, fig. 1.) whence the two valvular sheaths 
 of the ovipositor are seen more or less exserted, and sometimes the 
 apex of the ovipositor itself projecting between them like a fine slen¬ 
 der thread. According to Mr. Curtis, by a slight pressure on the 
 abdomen of the living insect, the ovipositor (Plate fig. /) can be 
 made to protrude, and may then be drawn out to nearly thrice the 
 length of the body. 
 
 The wings are hyaline and colorless, appearing like thin plates 
 of glass or mica, but reflecting the tints of the rainbow, particularly 
 the violet, when viewed in certain directions. Their margins are 
 densely ciliated with longish hairs, and their surface is covered with 
 minute pubescence. The mediastinal or submarginal nerve is but 
 slightly distant from the costal (marginal), and becomes confluent 
 with it rather forward of the middle of the exterior margin. From 
 its middle, it sends a small connecting nerve backward to the post- 
 costal. The postcostal, which is the most conspicuous nervure of 
 the wing, runs direct, or with but an insensible curve, to the tip of 
 the wing. The medial is straight, and attains the inner margin at 
 about three-fourths of the distance from the base to the apex of the 
 wing. The anal runs nearly parallel with the inner margin, and, with 
 a very sudden curve from its direct course, joins the margin near 
 its middle. It gives off an obscure branch at its angle, which curves 
 outwards and backwards, joining the medial, or rather, seeming (if 
 the wing be moved so as to give a slightly different incidence to the 
 light) to be continued onward, parallel with and contiguous to the 
 medial nerve, till it attains the margin of the wing. The medial and 
 anal nerves are very slender, and are often invisible, except in a par¬ 
 ticular reflection of the light. The former, especially, can seldom be 
 distinctly traced, except towards its termination. These details of the 
 neuration of the wing apply equally well to all the species of Ceci- 
 domyia that have fallen under my observation, save only that they 
 are more distinctly traced in the others, particularly the larger species. 
 At rest (Plate fig. 6,) the wings are laid one upon the other, 
 reposing horizontally upon the back of the abdomen, and reaching 
 about a fourth of their length beyond it. 
 
 The legs are whitish or very pale yellow, long and slender, of a 
 cylindrical form, and of nearly the same diameter through their entire 
 
284 [Senate 
 
 length. The coxa; (small joints by which the femurs are connected 
 with the sternum), as they are directed more or less backwards, vary 
 the point from which the legs seem to arise in different specimens when 
 viewed from above. The femurs, tibiae, and second joint of the tarsi, 
 are all of about the same length. The third, fourth, and fifth joints of 
 the tarsi (Plate fig. g ), are successively shorter ; whilst the basal 
 joint is the shortest of all, its length little exceeding its diameter. 
 
 All parts of the body and limbs are clothed with minute, slender, 
 longish hairs. 
 
 The male differs so remarkably in its aspect from the female, and 
 is moreover so rare an insect, that it has generally escaped the 
 researches of observers. It would appear from Mr. Curtis’s paper, 
 that Meigen is the only one who has identified and given a description 
 of this sex j and I should distrust my having any specimens of it, but 
 that one of the flies hatched from the larvae already spoken of as 
 gathered in a wheat-field early in the spring, is a male (Plate, fig. 
 4); and a few of my other specimens manifestly coincide with this. 
 In these the antenna are at least double the length of the body, and 
 composed of twenty-four joints of a very exact globular form (Plate, 
 fig. e .); each joint encircled with a single row of hairs, and sepa¬ 
 rated widely from its fellows, the thread between being of about twice 
 the length of the joint itself. The abdomen , instead of being an ovate 
 form, as in the female, is broadest at the base, and thence tapers gradu¬ 
 ally, though slightly, towards the apex; the terminal segment, how¬ 
 ever, being broader than the one or two preceding it, and of a reniform 
 shape, with the lobes directed backwards. The male is also somewhat 
 smaller in size: in all its other marks, it appears to correspond with 
 the female. 
 
 Among the hosts of specimens of the female that may be met with, 
 there will occur considerable variations in size, color, and some minor 
 particulars. The common length, to the tip of the abdomen, is the 
 twelfth of an inch, or slightly under this; yet I have measured recent 
 specimens from the wheat-field, that were but half this size. The 
 color seems to be more uniform in specimens taken from the wheat- 
 field, than in those procured in other situations. It is of a lively orange- 
 red, particularly upon the abdomen, where the color is most observed ; 
 but varies from that to amber or honey-yellow, lemon-yellow, and 
 even to a cream-color. The specimens already spoken of as having 
 
285 
 
 No. 105.] 
 
 been raised in dried earth; are all quite pale; and it would hence 
 appear as though these lighter colored varieties were caused by unfa¬ 
 vorable circumstances in which the insect had been placed when in its 
 larva state. 
 
 THE SPOTTED WINGED WHEAT-FLY. 
 
 CECIDOMYIA CEREALIS. 
 
 Another species of Cecidomyia (Plate fig. 2,) as the reader has 
 been already informed, is frequently met with, associated with the 
 Tritici in fields of wheat: It is closely allied to the latter in form 
 and coloring, having like it an orange colored body, hyaline wings, 
 pale yellowish-white legs, and twelve joints to the antennae, identical 
 with those of the Tritici in their details. It is, however, readily 
 distinguished from the Tritici , as well as from all the other species of 
 this genus, with only two or three exceptions, by having spots upon 
 its wings. (Plate, fig. lc.) These spots are so conspicuous as to 
 be recognized by the naked eye, even when the insect is flying. 
 They are of a pale black or smoky color, and six in number on each 
 wing. Two, and these the most conspicuous from being commonly 
 of a deeper tint, are placed upon the outer margin ; one being at the 
 tip of the submarginal nerve, where it unites with the costal; the 
 other, half way between this and the apex of the wing. Both these 
 spots reach across the costal cell, and often slightly into the externo- 
 medial. Another spot occupies the apex of the wing, at the tip of 
 the post-costal nerve. Two others are based upon the inner margin, 
 one at the apex of the middle nerve and mostly in the inner middle 
 cell, the other occupying the middle of the anal cell, but nowhere 
 touching the anal nerve. The sixth spot is upon the disk of the 
 wing, mostly in the outer middle cell, and is sometimes confluent 
 more or less with one or more of the marginal spots. The nerves, 
 when traversing these spots, are of a deeper black color than in other 
 parts of their course, as are also the hairs which proceed from them 
 into the fringed border of the wing. These spots are formed by a 
 pigment in the membrane of the wing, the fine pubescence upon 
 the surface being no more dense here than upon the other 
 parts. The species under consideration is farther distinguished 
 from the Tritici, by invariably having the base of the abdomen, on 
 its upper side, of a brown or blackish color. The last joints of the 
 
286 [Senate 
 
 feet, moreover, are black in this species, and there is a broad black 
 band at the base of the anterior tarsi. 
 
 The males have the antennae composed of twenty-four joints, each 
 encircled as usual with a row of hairs. These joints approach a 
 globular form, but have, in common with those of the males of several 
 other of our species, this striking peculiarity, namely, that through 
 the whole series, though preserving the same diameter, they are al¬ 
 ternately shorter and longer; twelve being compressed-globular or 
 double-convex, and between each of these a very short cylindrical 
 joint with convex ends. 
 
 This species is closely related to the ornata of Say ( Appendix to 
 Long's Expedition, p. 357), but is readily distinguished from that by 
 its blackish antennae, the color of which contrasts strongly with that 
 of the legs; by the greater number of spots on its wings, and these 
 spots not being “ occasioned by the greater density of the hair of 
 the surface in those parts.” In the latter character it also differs 
 from the pictipennis of Meigen, as described by Macquart.; as also 
 in not having the spots forming bands across the wings. If any 
 description of the maculipennis of Stephens, in his catalogue of 
 British insects, has ever been published, I have not met with it. 
 That this species, however, exists abroad, is highly probable, from 
 the fact that the specimens reared from wheat-worms by Mr. 
 Markwick had “ spotted and transparent wings,” as he describes 
 them, or clouds” as they were termed by Mr. Marsham. 
 
 Mr. Curtis calls attention to this fact respecting these specimens, 
 apparently from a suspicion thus excited that another species existed. 
 He says, “ I am particular in noticing this, because the wings of 
 Mr. Kirby’s C. Tritici are not spotted, nor are any individuals that 
 I have seen ; and excepting the C. pictipennis, which is larger, I 
 know of no species of the genus with spotted wings.” 
 
 The species under consideration, may appropriately be named and 
 characterized as follows : 
 
 Cecidomyia ccrealis. Pale orange; tips of tarsi black; wings hyaline, with six dusky 
 spots, two only based on the inner margin; apex of anal nervurc immaculate. 
 
 Length 0.05. 
 
 Specimens have been taken almost weekly, from the middle of 
 June till the fore part of September, in fields of flowering wheat, 
 among the grass of plats contiguous to dwellings, and upon the 
 windows of houses. I do not doubt but its habits are very similar 
 
No. 105-1 
 
 287 
 
 and perhaps identical with those of the Tritici , and that in proportion 
 to its numbers it is equally destructive. The investigations of ano¬ 
 ther year, may, I hope, enable me to furnish something more definite 
 upon this most interesting subject. 
 
 SPECIES RESEMBLING THE WHEAT-FLIES. 
 
 CECIDOMYIA CALIPTERA*. C. THORACICAI C. TERGATA. 
 
 We have what appear to be several species of Cecidomyides, allied 
 to our wheat-flies in size, in the number and form of the joints of 
 the antennae, and more or less in the colors of their bodies. Among 
 objects so exceedingly minute, and so closely related to each other, 
 a most patient and critical study of a large collection of specimens, 
 in their recent as well as their dried state, is indispensable, in order 
 to trace out with accuracy and define with precision each of these 
 species. Perplexity and confusion will be the inevitable result of a 
 hasty or superficial performance of a work of this character. It is 
 hence that I shall at present venture to name and characterize but 
 three of these species, whose marks are so evident and distinct as 
 to render their recognition comparatively easy, yet whose colors are 
 so analogous to those of the two insects above described that they 
 would be confounded with them by ordinary observers, unless aware 
 of their distinctive marks. I am only acquainted with these species 
 in their perfect state. 
 
 From the middle of July to the first of September, a number of 
 specimens were taken, of a species intimately allied to the spotted¬ 
 winged wheat-fly. The body, however, is more deeply colored, 
 being to a greater or less degree tinged with red, and the thorax 
 both above and on the sides is of a fulvous-brown shade. It may be 
 readily distinguished from the cerealis by its tarsi, the tips of which 
 are of the same pale yellowish hue as the legs, and yet more readily 
 by the spots on its wings, which are seven in number (Plate, fig. 
 /). These spots are similarly placed with those of the wheat-fly, 
 except on the inner margin of the wing, where the present species 
 has three in number. One of these is situated on the apex of the 
 middle nerve, a second one on the apex of the anal nerve, and a 
 third at the axilla or base of the anal cell. These spots, though 
 smaller, are equally conspicuous with those of the cerealis , being 
 commonly of a deeper shade than those possess which are based on 
 
288 [Senate 
 
 the exterior margin. The two species may at once be discriminated 
 from each other by observing the space about the apex of the anal 
 nerve ; this is perfectly hyaline in the wheat-fly, and clouded in the 
 species under consideration, to which the following name and essen¬ 
 tial marks may be assigned : 
 
 Cecidomyia caliptera. Orange-red; tarsi whitish to their tips; wings hyaline, with 
 seven dusky spots, three based on the inner margin, the middle one being on the apex 
 of the anal nerve. 
 
 Length 0.05. 
 
 A few specimens occurred to my notice about the middle of the 
 month of August, having the abdomen more tinged with red than in 
 the wheat-flies, but commonly fading, when preserved, to a flesh- 
 color or dull yellow; the thorax brown or blackish above, its sides 
 dull yellow ; legs blackish except at their bases, and poisers of the 
 same hue ; wings dusky, with their nervures more distinctly marked 
 than in the wheat-flies. I would propose for this species a name 
 alluding to the contrast between the color of the thorax and of the 
 abdomen, in a dorsal view of the insect (Plate, fig. 8). 
 
 Cecidomyia tlioracica. Red: thorax above blackish-brown: legs and poisers blackish: 
 wings dusky. 
 
 Length 0.05. 
 
 A much more abundant species, and very closely related to the 
 preceding, occurs from the last of July till the middle of September, 
 and perhaps later. Its legs are dusky, but not of so deep a tint as 
 those of the thoraQica, from which, moreover, it is readily distin¬ 
 guished by having invariably a fulvous-brown or blackish spot at 
 the base of the abdomen on its upper side. The base and sides of 
 the thorax are of the same color with the abdomen, namely, red, or 
 in old specimens dull pale yellow; the upper side, forward of the 
 scutel, being brown. This species (Plate, fig. 5), may be named 
 and characterized as follows: 
 
 Cecidomyia tergata . Red: thorax anteriorly and spot at base of tergum brown: wings, 
 legs and poisers dusky. 
 
 Length about 0.06. 
 
 Each of the preceding appear to be quite distinct from any of the 
 European species that have been described. 
 
 The history of the insect which has now been considered, presents 
 some very singular and deeply interesting traits. Far back in the 
 vista of years we see it a powerful depredator: anon it sinks into 
 
289 
 
 No. 105.1 
 
 obscurity and becomes wholly forgotten. After a lapse of time, a 
 person observes a minute worm in the ears of wheat which he appre¬ 
 hends will do mischief. Another sees it, and for a time is persuaded 
 that it does his crops no damage whatever. A student has his curi¬ 
 osity so far excited that he closely investigates its operations, and 
 records the results of his observations, estimating that in one field 
 twenty bushels of grain, probably a fifteenth part of the crop, had 
 been destroyed. How little is there here to excite alarm. How 
 many fortuitous circumstances annually occur which cause us greater 
 losses. And now, year after year rolls away, till one generation of 
 the human race has nearly passed out of existence, yet nothing, 
 nothing further is heard of this matter. That student bids fair to 
 sink into the grave, perhaps with the apprehension that posterity 
 will pronounce his early labors tinged with the exaggerations of a 
 juvenile enthusiasm. But lo, a new epoch unexpectedly opens before 
 us. Suddenly bursting from its long obscurity, it rushes forth with 
 resistless vigor. It menaces the population of entire districts with 
 bankruptcy, and even threatens to wrest from man his “ staff of life.” 
 More marvellous still, it overleaps the ocean’s vast expanse, it plants 
 itself far in the interior of another continent, and there runs a career 
 surpassing in the severity of its havoc all that had been known of it 
 in its native haunts. And what is this potent enemy ? A diminutive 
 gnat, seemingly too trivial to merit a moment’s notice, too impotent 
 to excite an uneasy thought!—a tiny midge, so puny as to flee from 
 the light of day, so fragile as to be dismembered by a breath, or 
 crushed by the drop of a pin ! Yet man, the vaunted “ lord of cre¬ 
 ation” stands dismayed and powerless before it. He sees his pro¬ 
 perty wasted to the amount of millions, yet is incapable of resorting 
 to any measure to mitigate the severity of its devastations, or of 
 erecting the slightest barrier to check it in its triumphant progress! 
 
 We close this account, then, with the hope that what has now 
 been written maj be of some avail, not merely in giving the agri¬ 
 culturist a more intimate knowledge of one of his greatest enemies, 
 but also in enabling the general reader more duly to appreciate the 
 vast value of a branch of natural science but slightly esteemed and 
 but little pursued in this country. Since there is not one of our cul¬ 
 tivated plants, not one of our forest or fruit trees, not one of our 
 domesticated animals but is frequently attacked and liable to be de- 
 
 [Senate, No. 105.] 19 
 
290 
 
 ("Senate 
 
 stroyed by one or more of that myriad of beings which belong to the 
 insect races of our land, how very important is it that the habits of 
 each one of these should be fully and accurately investigated. May¬ 
 hap many of them, minute though they are, and apparently feeble 
 and innoxious, may one day, like the wheat-fly, become powerful 
 despoilers of our property and inflict upon us most severe calamities. 
 It is only by a familiar acquaintance with them that we can hope to 
 avert from us such disasters. 
 
 Salem, J\T. Y., Feb. 6, 1846. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE. 
 
 Fig. 1. Clear-winged wheat-fly, Cecidomyia Tritici. 
 
 Fig. 2. Spotted-winged wheat-fly, Cecidomyia cereatie. 
 
 Fig. 3. Cecidomyia thoracica. 
 
 Fig. 4. Male of the clear-winged wheat-fly. 
 
 Fig. 5. Cecidomyia tergata. 
 
 Fig. 6. Wheat-fly at rest, with its wings in their natural position. 
 
 Fig. a. Kernel of wheat, its chaff parted down to show tho worms in their usual 
 situation. 
 
 Fig. b. A mature worm or larva, highly magnified. 
 
 Fig. c. Wheat-head, with the chaff at • • • as bent down by the yellow-bird 
 in feeding upon the worms, the kernels remaining at ft- 
 Fig. e. Part of a male antenna. 
 
 Fig./. Tip of the abdomen, with the ovipositor drawn out (from Curtis]. 
 
 Fig. g. Foot of a wheat-fly, highly magnified to show its several joints. 
 
 Fig. h. Part of a female antenna. 
 
 Fig.«. Wheat-fly in its natural size. 
 
 Fig. k. Magnified wing of Cecidomyia cerealu. 
 
 Fig. I. Magnified wing of Cecidomyia caliptera. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .. ~ r »** 3F-iw 
 
 • ' 
 
 •v- -S » -■ .*> '' 
 
 ■m 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
I hereby certify, that I have used this season, some of the chemi¬ 
 cal guano, manufactured by D. B. Stockholm, Esq., on potatoes and 
 cucumbers with decided success. Both were planted the fifth day 
 of May, and by the fourth of July, T have potatoes on the parts 
 manured, of good size and fit to boil; whilst the next row of pota¬ 
 toes which was not manured with the guano, have none larger than 
 peas; my cucumbers were also large enough for the table by the 
 fourth of July. The vines grew vigorously; were of a dark color; 
 their stems were the largest I ever saw, they lasted long, and yield¬ 
 ed an abundance of fruit. My garden adjoins that of Mr. Stock¬ 
 holm, where he has also been making experiments with his guano, 
 and I have noticed them particularly at his request. 
 
 Corn manured with it liberally, planted the last of May, although 
 it was injured by the drought, grew vigorously. It is now well 
 eared and out of danger of frost. 
 
 Some corn planted the first of July, to which the manure was ap¬ 
 plied, has also grown well, although hoed bui. once; and now has 
 on it cars nearly fit to roast. The beets, carrots and melons have 
 also grown luxuriantly, although in consequence of the frequent 
 absence of Mr. Stockholm from the village during the summer, the 
 garden has been neglected, and is overrun with weeds and grass. I 
 am well satisfied that the vegetables of his garden have not been 
 better, if as well attended as the corn of the farm grown in the field. 
 This was done intentionally by Mr. S. in order that he might ascer¬ 
 tain -what would be the probable effect of the manure upon the crops 
 of the farmer. The garden of Mr. S. had no other manure this 
 season; but the guano was liberally applied twice to the corn. It 
 is of full height, its color is dark, and for the kind of corn, (Tusca- 
 rora and sweet corn) the ears are numerous and of good size. It 
 is planted in hills about 2J feet apart. 
 
 I have closely observed with much interest, the effect of this new 
 manure, and have no hesitation in saying, that the chemical guano, 
 discovered by Mr. Stockholm, is the greatest and best manure I ever 
 saw. . • 
 
 From the corn planted the first of July, was gathered on the 11th 
 of September, a mess of corn fit to boil; and if we have no frost 
 before the 16th it will ripen. 
 
 Ithaca, *7 tig . 29, 1846. 
 
 B. GIFFORD. 
 
THE HESSIAN FLY: 
 
 ITS HISTORY, CHARACTER, TRANSFORMATIONS, AND HABITS. 
 
 By Asa Fitch, M. D. 
 
 [Originally published in the American Journal of Agriculture and Science, Vol. 
 iv. v., and now revised by the author.] 
 
 The insect which we are about to consider, has for a long period 
 beep, at times, a severe scourge, in every district of our country. 
 It is more formidable to us, says Dr. B. S. Barton, than would be 
 an army of twenty thousand Hessians, or of any other twenty thou¬ 
 sand hirelings, supplied with all the implements of war. Hence it 
 has forced itself prominently to the notice both of agriculturists 
 and men of science. No other insect of the tens of thousands that 
 teem in our land, has received a tithe of the attention, or been chro¬ 
 nicled with a tithe of the voluminousness that has been assigned to 
 this species. Our scientific journals, our agricultural magazines, 
 and our common newspapers, have each accorded to it a conspicuous 
 place in their columns. As may well be supposed, almost every 
 point in its history, has by one and another of its observers, been 
 closely investigated, and laid before the public. Very little that is 
 new, can, therefore, at this day be embodied in an account of this 
 species. The most that an observer can accomplish, is to add his 
 testimony in confirmation of facts that have been already announ¬ 
 ced. The most that a writer can aim at, is to gather the various 
 papers that are scattered through volumes sufficiently numerous of 
 themselves to form a library, sift from them whatever they contain 
 of importance, and arrange the facts thus acquired, into a connect¬ 
 ed and symmetrical memoir. Such is the object of the present es¬ 
 say ; to carefully review the various accounts that have been hith¬ 
 erto published, extract from each the items of value which it con¬ 
 tains, compare these with personal observations made under favora¬ 
 ble circumstances during the past twelve months, and with the 
 materials thus acquired, write out a history of this species, more 
 
rt.if, 
 
 
 
 h'nonnrd fy ■. r,J m . ft fat l-it. trr tJu: {’uur.r/, Tourn.U r: U n ufhir.- 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 317 
 
 ample in its details than any that has been hitherto attempted, and 
 containing a complete summary of all that is known of this insect 
 down to the present day. 
 
 It is a European Insect. 
 
 For several years subsequent to the first appearance of the Hes¬ 
 sian fly in this country, it was universally believed to have been de¬ 
 rived from abroad. When, however, the severe devastations which 
 it was committing upon this continentfbecame known in Europe, 
 public attention was so strongly excited as to lead to an extensive 
 and thorough search for the insect there. The result of this inves¬ 
 tigation, as given by Sir Joseph Banks in his report to the British 
 government, was, that “no such insect could be found to exist in 
 Germany or any other part of Europe.” It was in consequence, 
 received as an established fact, and assented to on all hands, that 
 this was an exclusively American species. Of late years, however, 
 new light has been shed upon this subject; and we now proceed to 
 detail the evidence which induces us to believe that the Hessian fly 
 is indeed a European insect. 
 
 It would appear that this insect, or one identical with it in its 
 characters and habits, did exist, and commit severe ravages in Eu¬ 
 rope, long anterior to its appearance in America. In DuhameFs 
 Practical Treatise of Husbandry , (London, 1759, 4to. p. 90,) and 
 also in his Elements of Agriculture , (Lond. 1764, Svo., vol. i., p. 
 269,) after alluding to a worm in the root of oats, he says, “ I sus¬ 
 pect it to have been an insect of this kind that destroyed so much 
 wheat in the neighborhood of Geneva, and which M. de Chateau- 
 vieux describes thus : ‘ Our wheat in the present month of May, 
 1755, sustained a loss, which even that cultivated according to the 
 new husbandry has not escaped. A number of small white worms 
 have been found on it, which , after a time, turn to a chestnut color; 
 they place themselves betwixt the leaves , and gnaw the stalk ; they 
 are commonly found betwixt the first joint and the root ; the stalks 
 on which they fix are immediately at a stand ; they grow yellow and 
 wither. The same accident happened in 1732 : these insects ap¬ 
 peared about the middle of May, and did so much damage that the 
 crops were scarcely worth anything.’ ” This account, though per- 
 
318 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 haps too brief and imperfect to justify a decided opinion, corres¬ 
 ponds much more exactly with the Hessian fly, than with any other 
 insect of which we have any knowledge. Acquainted with it, as 
 our men of science in this country were, we are surprised that they 
 so readily and unanimously succumbed to the sentiment that the 
 species was indigenous to America. 
 
 In 1788, as we are informed in the Encyclopedia Britannica, 
 (art. Hessian fly, ^5,) the Duke of Dorset addressed a letter to the 
 Royal Society of Agricu^ure in France, inquiring if the Hessian 
 fly existed in that country. “ The report of the society was ac¬ 
 companied with a drawing of two insects, one of which was sup¬ 
 posed to be the caterpillar of the Hessian fly, from its attacking the 
 wheat only when in the herb; beginning its ravages in autumn, re¬ 
 appearing in the spring, and undergoing the same metamorphoses.” 
 From an obscurity in the phraseology of the subsequent paragraph, 
 and a reference therein to the memoirs of the Stockholm Academy, 
 it would seem that the society regarded the Hessian fly as identical 
 with the Chlorops pumilionis (Bjerkander) Meig.—a fly whose larva 
 lives at the base of the stems of the wheat and rye, and which a 
 few years before had been extremely injurious ter these crops in 
 Sweden. A doubt is therefore excited, whether the French insect 
 might not have been this latter species. But,as the society deemed 
 their insect to be the Hessian fly, it is somewhat singular that its 
 history was not investigated and distinctly recorded, before the an¬ 
 nouncement was so confidently put forth, that this species could not 
 be found in Europe. 
 
 But, more recently, clearer evidence upon this point is furnished 
 us. Mr. Herrick, in his valuable article in Silliman’s Journal , 
 (vol. xli. p. 154,) informs us, that Mr. J. D. Dana, who had been 
 much associated with him in making a thorough investigation of the 
 habits of the Hessian fly and its parasites, being on a voyage in the 
 Mediterranean, “on the 13th of March, 1834, and-subsequently, 
 collected several lame and pupae, from wheat plants growing in a 
 field, on the Island of Minorca. From these pupae, were evolved 
 on the 16th of March, 1834, two individuals of an insect, which 
 his recollections (aided by a drawing of the Hessian fly with which 
 he was provided), enabled him to pronounce to be the Cccidomyia 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 319 
 
 destructor. More of the perfect insects were evolved in the course 
 of the month, one of which deposited eggs like those of the Hes¬ 
 sian fly. In letters, dated Mahon, April 8 and 21, Mr. D. sent me 
 five of the insects, and several of the pupa;. They arrived in safe¬ 
 ty, and after a careful examination, I saw no good reason to doubt 
 the identity of this insect with the Hessian fly. The Mahor.ese as¬ 
 serted that the insect had been there from time immemorial, and 
 often did great damage both there and in Spain.” And further, 
 u on the 28th of April, 1834, Mr. D. collected from a wheat field 
 just without the walls of Toulon, in France, several pupa: and one 
 larva like those before obtained. On the 4th of June, 1834, he ob¬ 
 tained similar pupa: from a wheat field near Naples.” We doubt 
 whether there was living, at that day, two persons better qualified 
 to determine the identity of these insects with the Hessian fly, than 
 Messrs. Herrick and Dana. Testimony from such a source needs 
 no comment. 
 
 Finally, the year previous to that in which Mr. Dana made the 
 above examination, it appears that the wheat crops in some parts of 
 Germany, were seriously injured by an insect which was generally 
 regarded as the Hessian fly. M. Kdllar, of Vienna, in his treatise 
 on injurious insects, (London, 1840, p. 119,) relates that in the au¬ 
 tumn of 1843, complaints were made that the wheat on the estates 
 of his imperial highness, the Archduke Charles, at Altenburg, in 
 Hungary, had been considerably injured by an unknown insect, of 
 which the following account was forwarded to the archducal office. 
 “ Till the end of May, the wheat was in excellent condition, but 
 about the commencement of June, the ears began to hang down, 
 and the stem to bend, and in a few days patches appeared in differ¬ 
 ent parts of the fields which were of rather poorer soil than the 
 others, with the plants entangled and matted together, as though 
 
 lodged by heavy rains.More than two-thirds of the 
 
 straw was lodged in less than a week ; and the heavy rains which 
 fell in the latter half of June, so fully completed the work of de¬ 
 struction, that the wheat fields looked as if herds of cattle had gone 
 over them. The cause of this damage was sought for, and we soon 
 discovered at the crown of the root of each of the wheat plants, or 
 at the first joint, within the sheath of the leaf, whole clusters of 
 
320 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 pupae of an unknown insect. Those plants, the roots of which had 
 been attacked, died off; and the spot to which the insects had fast¬ 
 ened themselves on the still soft straw within the sheath of the leaf, 
 was found to be brown, withered, and tough, yet without any appa¬ 
 rent wound. The straw -which had become lodged, produced small 
 ears, with few and imperfect grains, which ripened with difficulty, 
 and the straw was twisted, and of a very inferior quality.” 
 
 Nearly a hundred miles south-west of Saxe-Altenburgh, a similar 
 account is simultaneously given by Baron Von Meningcr, agricul¬ 
 tural director of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg. According to his re¬ 
 port, “In the fields of Weikendorf, and other neighboring localities, 
 caterpillars were found which had devastated whole fields. These 
 caterpillars had their first abode near the ground, in the first joint 
 of the straw, where they were found in whole families, in a sort oi 
 nest. The largest were about the length of two.lines. Their colon 
 
 was pale green, with a small black dot above.The 
 
 straw became dry at the first joint, and fell over or leaned on its 
 neighbor. The upper part of the straw received its nourishment 
 from the atmosphere alone, and the ears formed : but they continu¬ 
 ed in a sickly condition, and could only produce small, shrivelled 
 grains. The life of the caterpillars (their duration as naked worms'?) 
 appeared to be from about twenty-four to thirty days. As the straw 
 ripened, the insects changed their color into a brownish hue, shriv¬ 
 elled up, and finally disappeared.” 
 
 M. Kbllar, who seems to have known nothing of the American 
 history of 11113)05601 beyond what he gathered from Mr. Say’s brief 
 account, obtained some of the diseased straw from Germany, in 
 which, he says, “ many of the brown pupa: were found. I opened 
 the pupa-case, and was able to determine with great probability, 
 partly from the form of the pupa, and partly from the unchanged 
 caterpillar in the pupa-case, that it must be a small fly. I only as¬ 
 certained this from the minute description and drawing of the insect 
 from Mr. Thomas Say, in a North American journal, in which a 
 stem of wheat, with the pupa within it, is exactly represented as I 
 have seen our wheat.” 
 
 Mr. Westwood, in a note appended to this account, says, it is 
 perhaps questionable whether the species, of which the above de- 
 
321 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 tails are given by M. Kollar, is identical with Say’s Cecidomyia de¬ 
 structor. He even intimates a doubt whether the European species 
 is a Cecidomyia, for, from all that had been observed, this genus in 
 its pupa state, is naked, like the other Tipulida;, and not enclosed in 
 a case. Having himself received specimens irom Dr. Ilammer- 
 schmidt of Vienna, and still in the straw near the roots, he found 
 tne insect “ enclosed in a leathery case,” on opening which, he dis¬ 
 covered the larva shrivelled up and dead. Now this nice point, so 
 particularly noted, and so strikingly showing the acuteness of dis¬ 
 crimination possessed by that eminent naturalist, we think must dis¬ 
 pel the last lingering doubt as to the identity of the American and 
 European insects. As will fully appear in a subsequent part of 
 this paper, the Hessian fly presents this singular anomaly, that its 
 pupa is coarctate, or enclosed in a case like those of the other fami¬ 
 lies of dipterous insects, but unlike all the pupte of the Cecidomyians 
 and other Tipulidae that have been hitherto observed ! The very 
 fact, therefore, which leads Mr. Westwood to suspect the European 
 insect is not a Cecidomyia, all but demonstrates that it is the Hes¬ 
 sian fly ! 
 
 Its Introduction into America. 
 
 The existence of the Hessian fly in Europe being premised, so 
 many circumstances conspire to render it probable that it w r as intro¬ 
 duced into this country in the mode originally supposed, that scarce¬ 
 ly a doubt can now be entertained upon this point. 
 
 When the habits and transformations of the insect itself are con¬ 
 sidered, it will be perceived that these interpose great obstacles to 
 its being transported across the Atlantic, at a period when two 
 months or more were required for the voyage. Its passing through 
 two generations in a year, makes its continuance in any one stage of 
 iiS existence comparatively briel. I he first of these generations oc¬ 
 cupies about seven months, from October to April inclusive. This 
 generation is nurtured at the roots of the young plants, and there is 
 no probability that any of these plants would be taken up, so that 
 the insect could thus be conveyed away. The second generation is 
 nurtured in the lower joints of the straw. The worm attains matu¬ 
 rity in May, becomes a dormant “ flax seed ” iu June, continues in 
 
 [Assembly, No. 150.] 23 
 
322 [Assembly 
 
 this state till August, when the fly comes out to deposit its eggs in 
 September. Though most of these flax seeds remain in the stubble 
 when the grain is harvested, numbers of them are so high in the 
 straw, as to be gathered with it. But they are so firmly imbedded 
 in the straw, and enveloped within the sheathing base of the leaf, 
 that it must be rare that any of them are detached by the flail in 
 threshing, so as to find their way among the grain, and thus with it 
 be carried to a distance. As the flax seeds moreover, evolve the 
 perfect insect in August, it must be equally rare that a solitary fly 
 comes from the straw after that date. These facts clearly show that 
 there is but one mode , and but one month in the year , in which this 
 insect could probably have been conveyed to this country at that 
 time, to wit, in straw landed upon our coast in August. If landed 
 at a later date, the flies would have completed their transformations,, 
 and made their escape, or perished in their confinement; if earlier, 
 there is no probability that the straw could have'been of the growth 
 of that year, consequently it would have contained no live insects. 
 Our present knowledge of the habits of this insect thus affords us a 
 singularly accurate test, for ascertaining the truth of the original 
 theory respecting the mode in which it was introduced. 
 
 And how do the facts furnished us by the military history of 
 those times, accord with what we have seen to be almost essential 
 contingencies to the importation of this insect 1 Early in July of 
 the year 1776, General Sir William Howe arrived on the New-York 
 coast from Halifax, with the troops which had evacuated Boston, 
 and debarked upon that part of Staten Island which lies within the 
 Narrows—one of the reasons which induced him to make this part 
 of the continent the central point of his operations being, that 
 “ Long Island was very fertile in wheat and all other corns, and 
 was deemed almost equal alone to the maintenance of an army,” 
 (Bisset's Hist. Geo. III). We are informed in Marshall's Life of 
 Washington , (vol. ii. p. 424,) under the date of August , 1776, that 
 11 the reinforcements to the British army were now arriving daily 
 from Europe ” Lord Howe’s strength was hereby augmented to 
 twenty-four thousand men, about half of whom (as is probable from, 
 the statement, page 416,) were newly arrived “ Hessians and Wal- 
 deckers.” The most of these were from Hesse Cassel, a district 
 
323 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 but about a hundred miles distant from Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Al- 
 tenburg, where, as we have already seen, the same insect did much 
 damage to the wheat crops in 1833. And again, under the date of 
 August 25, (p. 437,) it is stated, that '■'on this day, General De 
 Heister landed with two brigades of Hessians. The next day he 
 took post at Flatbush,” on Long Island, about six miles distant from 
 the main encampment on Staten Island. 
 
 In juxtaposition with this account, let us now place the statement 
 of one, who, Sir John Temple, the British Consul General at New- 
 York tells us, “had been more curious with respect to this insect, 
 than any other person with whom he was acquainted.” Says Col. 
 Morgan, ( Encyc. Britann.) “The Hessian fly was first introduced 
 into America by means of some stiaw made use of in package, or 
 otherwise, landed on Long Island, at an early period of the late 
 wur; and its first appearance was in the neighborhood of Sir Wil¬ 
 liam Howe’s debarkation, and at Flatbush.” So many circum¬ 
 stances concur to evince the truth of the account here given by Col. 
 Morgan, to its very letter, that we think no one w'ill hereafter hesi¬ 
 tate to give it full credence. 
 
 We have searched in vain for the date of the embarkation of the 
 Hessian troops, or the number of days occupied by them in crossing 
 the ocean. It is possible they may all have left Europe anterior to 
 the harvest. But in Germany, as in this country, as is showm by 
 M. Kollar’s statement, the infested straw becomes broken and tan¬ 
 gled, and turns yellow, early in June. Had a company of soldiers 
 needed straw for package, no objections would have been made to 
 their going into a field of this kind, and with a scythe, gathering 
 what they required, weeks before the usual time of harvest. 
 
 We have no where met with but one statement, which goes di¬ 
 rectly to prove that this insect is indigenous to this country, or existed 
 here anterior to the arrival of the Hessian troops. The late Judge 
 Hickock of Lansingburgh, N. Y., in a communication to the Board 
 of Agriculture in the year 1823, and published in their Memoirs, 
 (vol. ii. page 169,) says, “ a respectable and observing farmer of 
 this town, Col. James Brookins, has informed me, that on his first 
 hearing of the alarm on Long Island, in the year 1786, (doubtless 
 
 \ 
 
324 [Assembly 
 
 1776 is intended,) and many years before its ravages were complain¬ 
 ed of in this part of the country, he detected the same insect, upon 
 examining the wheat growing on his farm in this town.” If this 
 insect, observed by Col. Brookins in 1776, was the genuine destruc¬ 
 tor , it is a little singular that to betray its real character, it patient¬ 
 ly awaited some fourteen 3 ears, to be reinforced by its kindred fiom 
 Long Island, who reached it by regular advances made year after 
 year—that on their arrival, and not- till then, it acquired the skill 
 and courage to go forth and lay waste the crops through all this 
 section of country for several successive years, ihe strong proba¬ 
 bility is, that it was some other insect which was found by Col. 
 Brookins. 
 
 Its Civil History and Bibliography. 
 
 We now proceed to adduce such facts as we have been able to 
 collect, respecting the devastation of this insect in different years, 
 or in other words, to trace out with as much precision as the data 
 before us will enable us to do, its civil history, from the period of 
 its first appearance, down to the present time; and in connection 
 with this, to notice the different memoirs and other papers of value 
 that have been published respecting it, so far as we have had an op¬ 
 portunity of becoming acquainted with them. 
 
 Anterior to the revolutionary war, the Hessian fly was unknown 
 in this country. No allusion to an insect of this kind has been 
 found ir.i any American work, or ii^ the journal of any foreign tra¬ 
 veller, nor since its appearance has it been intimated that any ot 
 our citizens had ever observed it previous to that tilne. 
 
 All accounts concur in stating that its first appearance was up¬ 
 on Staten Island, and the west end of Long Island. There is some 
 discrepancy between different writers, as to the particular year in 
 which it was first observed. Dr. Mitchell states ( Encyc . Britann.) 
 that “it was first discovered in the year 1776.” Ihe ravages ot 
 the insect, however, are so much more conspicuous and liable to 
 attract attention from the broken and tangled condition of the 
 straw as it approaches maturity in June, than they are when a por¬ 
 tion of the young shoots are discolored and withered in October, 
 that there can be little doubt but it would first be observed Rt the 
 
325 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 former period- Had Dr. Mitchell, therefore, received definite 
 information upon this point, it would doubtless have been coupled 
 with the statement, that it was noticed at or before the harvest in 
 that year, and consequently anterior to the arrival of the Hessian 
 troops—which fact, he, confident as he was that this was an indige¬ 
 nous insect, would not have failed triumphantly to have stated. It 
 is hence believed, that Dr. M. has assumed this date, from the cur¬ 
 rent report that this insect was introduced by the Hessian soldiers, 
 knowing this to have been the year of their arrival. 
 
 biomthe “flaxseeds” casually lodged in the imported straw, 
 only a few flies would probably be evolved, to deposit their eggs 
 upon the young wheat in the autumn of 1776; nor would these 
 have multiplied to such an extent in the following spring as to at¬ 
 tract attention at the time of harvest? But, increasing with each 
 successive brood, by the harvest of the following year, 1778, we 
 might anticipate its being observed, and by a year thereafter, it 
 would become so numerous that its real character would no longer 
 be in doubt. And in accordance with this, we are informed by 
 Colonel Morgan, that “ the fly made its first appearance in 1778;” 
 and Mr. Clark, who in 1787 went to Long Island expressly to 
 gather authentic information respecting this insect, says in his re¬ 
 port, “ on the best inquiry I could make, during my stay there, I 
 satisfied myself in the following particulars, namely: first, that 
 the Hessian fly made its first appearance there about the year 1779, 
 so as to injure, and in some cases to destroy their crops of wheat.” 
 An anonymous writer in Carey's Museum, (vol. i, p. 143,) gives 
 the same year as about the period of its discovery. 
 
 We therefore regard the year 1779 as most probably the date 
 when its ravages actually commenced. The crops of wheat were 
 severely injured or wholly destroyed by it in Kings and Richmond 
 counties, during several of the following years; and each succeed¬ 
 ing generation regularly enlarged the sphere of its devastations in 
 every direction. 
 
 Quite early in its history, the important fact became accidentally 
 discovered, that certain varieties of wheat are capable of withstand¬ 
 ing its attacks. In the year 1781, a prize schooner loaded with wheat 
 
326 [Assembly 
 
 was taken in the Delaware river, and carried into New-York, 
 whence the cargo was sent to the mill ot Isaac Underhill, near 
 Flushing, Long Island, to be ground. Mr. Underhill’s own crop 
 of the previous year having been so entirely destroyed that he had 
 no grain for seed, he took what he required for sowing from this 
 cargo, and reaped therefrom upwards of twenty bushels per acre, 
 whilst few of his neighbors for miles around had any to reap, so 
 calamitous were the operations of the fly. To his praise be it 
 recorded, he distributed his entire crop, in small quantities, and at 
 a moderate price, among his neighbors, for seed; ami all who made 
 aise of it were similarly successful. The “ Underhill wheat” at 
 ■once became noted, for effectually resisting the attacks of the fly, 
 and for many years subsequently, as we shall have frequent occa¬ 
 sion to notice, was eagerly sought for and successfully cultivated, 
 where all other varieties of this grain failed. (Vaux and Jacobs, 
 Clark). 
 
 In 1786, the fly reached Col. Morgan’s farm, at Prospect, New- 
 Jersey, about forty miles south-west of Staten Island. It was first 
 observed in May, and by October was so increased, that some farm¬ 
 ers in Middlesex, Somerset, and Monmouth counties were induced 
 to plow up their young wheat and sow the fields to rye. Other 
 fields, less injured, were allowed to remain until the succeeding 
 spring, when their appearance was so disheartening, that many of 
 them were plowed up and sowed with spring grain. 
 
 Eastward its progress would appear to have been much more ra¬ 
 pid than towards the west and south, for this same year it had 
 reached a hundred miles, nearly to the east end of Long Island, and 
 was detected on Shelter Island. “ It was first perceived a little 
 before the harvest, and appeared to have come from the west end of 
 Long Island, in a gradual progress of between twenty and thirty 
 miles in a year. • Before the harvest the species appeared to be few 
 in number, but in the fall it was found to have greatly increased, 
 and appeared in great numbers on the green wheat, and was ob¬ 
 served to do most injury to that which had been most early sown.” 
 ( Havens , p. 71). 
 
327 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 Public attention was now becoming strongly turned towards this 
 formidable foe. The New-York Society for promoting Useful 
 Knowledge, issued an advertisement, requesting information res- 
 specting it. Two communications were soon received by them, and 
 •were directed to be inserted in the secular papers. These are the 
 first published documents relating to the fly, that have occurred to 
 our notice. They are copied into Carey's American Museum 
 (Phila. vol. i. p. 324-326). One of them, dated New-York, Sep¬ 
 tember 1, 1786, gives a brief but pretty accurate account of the 
 situation and habits of the insect, particularly in the fall and spring. 
 The other, dated Hunterdon, New r -Jersey, January 1, 1787, after 
 hastily alluding to its habits, proposes as remedies, late sowing, on 
 rich land; drawing elder bushes over the young plants; and passing 
 •over the wheat with a heavy roller to crush the worms. 
 
 In the Pennsylvania Mercury of June 8, 17S7, is published a let¬ 
 ter from Col. George Morgan, addressed to the Philadelphia Socie¬ 
 ty for promoting Agriculture. He suggests the importance of their 
 appointing some competent person to fully investigate the habits of 
 the Hessian fly, and the remedies to protect from it, after the ex¬ 
 ample of the Paris Academy of Sciences, which had commissioned 
 Messrs. Duhamel and Tillet to enquire out the history of the An- 
 goumois grain moth; he alludes to contradictory reports respecting 
 the Underhill wheat, copies the paragraphs already given from M. 
 Chuteauvieux, as <( answering in every respect to our Hessian fly,” 
 and gives an account of the ravages of the insect in his vicinity, 
 and its habits so far as observed. 
 
 The Mercury of September 14th, contains another letter from 
 Col. Morgan, correcting some inaccuracies in his previous commu¬ 
 nication, and giving some additional interesting items. He says, 
 “ those who are doubtful whether the fly is in their neighborhood, 
 or cannot find the eggs or nits in the wheat, may satisfy themselves 
 by opening their windows at night, and burning a candle in the 
 room. The fly will enter in proportion to their numbers abroad. 
 The first night after the commencement of the wheat harvest this 
 season, they filled my dining room in such numbers, as to be ex¬ 
 ceedingly troublesome in the eating and drinking vessels. With¬ 
 out exaggeration, I may say, that a glass tumbler, from which beer 
 
328 [Assembly 
 
 had been just drank at dinner, had five hundred flies in it, within a 
 few minutes. The windows are filled with them when they desire 
 to make their escape. They are very distinguishable from every 
 other fly, by their (having) horns or whiskers.” 
 
 Accompanying Col. Morgan’s letter is a brief report, made by 
 Thomas Clark, who, at the. request of his neighbors had gone to 
 Long Island to gather correct information respecting the fly, and 
 the means of escaping its depredations. He became well satisfied 
 that the Underhill wheat was fly proof, and could be obtained in 
 any desired quantities, at the moderate price of $1.25 per bushel. 
 He also reports the interesting fact, that the fly had now become 
 so reduced in its numbers on the west end of Long Island, that 
 many of the inhabitants supposed there had been none the present 
 year, though he himself saw it there quite common still. Since 
 1779 their crops had been destroyed more or less every year, until 
 the present. 
 
 In 1788, a communication in Carey’s Museum , (vol. iv. p. 47), 
 from Buck’s county, Pa., informs us that in the vicinity of Trenton, 
 N. J., so much as the seed sown would not be harvested. Many 
 farmers had plowed up their wheat crops in the spring, and planted 
 them with corn. The fly also in this year commenced it ravages in 
 the State of Pennsylvania. 11 Near seed-time last year, many per¬ 
 sons on the Pennsylvania shore saw the insect so thick in the air as 
 to appear like a cloud, coming over Delaware river.” 
 
 Following this communication, is a paper signed “ a landholder,” 
 who regards the eggs as laid in the grain of ripe wheat, and sowed 
 with them ; and proposes procuring seed from places not infested 
 with the fly, as a remedy. 
 
 Messrs.Vaux and Jacobs, farmers of Providence,Pa., in July, 1788, 
 made a tour through New Jersey and Long Island, for the purpose 
 of gathering information respecting the fly, and the best modes of 
 withstanding its attack. Their account is published in the Phila¬ 
 delphia Packet of August 21st, and is mainly occupied with a des¬ 
 cription of the Underhill wheat, and a full confirmation of previ¬ 
 ous reports respecting it. 
 
329 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 On the east part of Long Island, where, as already noticed, the 
 fly arrived in 1786, it so rapidly multiplied, that the following year 
 many fields were nearly destroyed, and this year the third of its 
 presence, the wheat crop “ was cut off almost universally.” The 
 red-bald, which was the common winter variety there raised; and 
 the spring wheat were equally affected. Rye in many fields was 
 much injured, and a field of summer barley was wholly destroyed. 
 
 ( Havens , p. 73). 
 
 Wheat in large quantities, was at this period exported hence to 
 Great Britain. Accounts of the appaling havoc that this insect was 
 making, excited the attention of the government there, and aroused 
 their fears, lest so dreadful a scourge should be introduced into that 
 country, by means of the American grain. “ The Privy Council 
 sat day after day, (says Kirby and Spence, vol. i. p. 50), anxiously 
 debating what measures should be adopted to ward otf the danger 
 of a calamity more to be dreaded, as they well knew, than the 
 plague or pestilence. Expresses were sent off in all directions to 
 the officers of the customs at the different outports respecting the 
 examination of cargoes—despatches written to the embassadors in 
 France, Austria, Prussia and America, to gain that information of 
 the want of which they were now so sensible; and so important 
 was the business deemed, that the minutes of the council, and the 
 documents collected from all quarters fill upwards of 200 octavo 
 pages.” In consequence of the information lajd before them, a 
 proclamation was issued by his Britanic majesty, on the 25th of June, 
 1788, prohibiting the entry of wheat, the growth of any of the 
 territories of the United States, into any of the ports of Great Bri¬ 
 tain. It has been remarked as very singular, that although the en¬ 
 try of American wheat was thus interdicted, it was still allowed to 
 be stored at the different seaports, thus affording the obnoxious in¬ 
 sects, if any of them had been contained in the grain, a very con¬ 
 venient opportunity to escape and make their way into the country! 
 
 When the news of the closing of the British ports against Ame¬ 
 rican wheat reached this countiy, the measure was at once regarded 
 as having resulted from misinformation respecting the habits of this 
 insect. The supreme executive council of Pennsylvania immediate¬ 
 ly addressed a letter to the Philadelphia ociety for promoting Ag- 
 
330 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 riculture, requesting the society to investigate and report to the 
 Council the nature of the Hessian fly, and particularly whether the 
 quality of the grain is affected by it. The society promptly replied, 
 “that from every communication made to them on that subject, they 
 are decidedly of opinion that it is the plant of the wheat alone, that 
 is injured by this destructive insect, that what grain happens to be 
 produced from such plants, is sound and good, and that this insect 
 is not propagated by sowing wheat which grew on fields infected 
 with it.” They also refer to the letters of Col. Morgan, and of 
 Messrs. Vaux and Jacobs, as containing the best information ex¬ 
 tant, relative to the natural history of the insect, and the most suc¬ 
 cessful method of preventing its depredations. ( Carey's Museum , 
 vol. iv. p. 244). 
 
 Dr. Currie took an active part in showing the government and 
 people of England, that the information which had led to the clos¬ 
 ing of the ports against the entry of American grain, was wholly 
 erroneous; and in eight or ten months the government bought the 
 stored wheat at prime cost, kiln-dried it, and resold it at great loss. 
 The prohibition was taken off almost immediately thereafter. (Me¬ 
 moir of Currie, ii. 65). 
 
 Jn 1789, as w'e learn from the Encyc. Britann., the Hessian fly 
 first reached Saratoga, two hundred miles north of its original sta¬ 
 tion. From the statements of several persons who were residing in 
 Washington and Saratoga counties so long ago as this date, it ap¬ 
 pears that the crops in this district of country, (at that day second 
 to no other in the quantity of wheat which it produced,) first be¬ 
 gan to fail about the year 1790 or 1791. The insect reached here 
 by a regular progess from the south, coming nearer and nearer each 
 successive year. It continued to infest the crops during a number 
 of the following years, sometimes severely, at others but moderate¬ 
 ly. On two or three occasions, many of the fields in Saratoga coun¬ 
 ty were entirely destroyed. I do not learn that in this vicinity their 
 devastations at any time reached this extent. About the year 1803, 
 their last depredations were committed. From that time this insect 
 has never been observed in this vicinity, that I can ascertain, until 
 the autumn of 1845. In Rensselaer county, however, I am credi¬ 
 bly informed, that it was quite injurious about the year 1810. 
 
331 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 In 1792, the recently instituted New-York Society for the pro¬ 
 motion of Agriculture, Arts, and Manufactures, issued part first of 
 its Transactions, containing (p. 71-S6), “ Observations on the Hes¬ 
 sian fly, by Jonathan N. Havens.” This is the most valuable memoir 
 that had hitherto appeared upon this subject, and few of those of a 
 later date surpass it. After sketching the ravages of the fly in dif¬ 
 ferent years in his own vicinity, Judge II. describes with much pre¬ 
 cision its situation and appearance in the respective stages of its 
 existence, showing that it passes regularly through but two genera¬ 
 tions in a year, instead of three or four, as anterior writers had 
 stated. As remedies, he recommends sowing none but the bearded 
 wheats, and burning or plowing up the stubble soon after harvest. 
 This last important measure had never before been proposed; Judge 
 H. had been led directly to it, by a close investigation of the habits 
 of this insect. 
 
 The American Philosophical Society this year appointed from 
 among its most competent members, a committee (Thomas Jefferson, 
 B. Smith Barton, James Hutchinson, and Casper VVistar), “ for the 
 purpose of collecting and communicating to the society materials 
 for forming the natural history of the Hessian fly.” This committee 
 immediately issued a circular, requesting all persons acquainted with 
 any facts relating to this insect, its depredations, and preventives, 
 to communicate the same by letter to their chairman. The nu¬ 
 merous points upon which information was desired, were particu¬ 
 larly detailed in an extended series of questions, which clearly in¬ 
 dicate the importance which they attached to this subject, and 
 the thorough investigation which they proposed making. (Carey’s 
 Museum, vol. xi. p. 285). It cannot but be regretted that this bu¬ 
 siness, committed to such capable hands, was not pursued and 
 brought to a close with the same zeal with which it was evidently 
 commenced. We have met with no report ever rendered by them. 
 
 At this time, as we infer from a clause in the circular just alluded 
 (o, and also from some passages in Dr. Mitchell’s address before the 
 New-York Society of Agriculture ( Transactions, vol. i. p. 32,) the 
 insect was becoming so rare in all the more densely settled parts of 
 the Middle States, which had been first overspread by it, that it was 
 the common opinion that it would soon vanish from the country en- 
 
332 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 tirely. Notices of it in the magazines and newspapers become 
 more rare, and it was evidently ceasing to be regarded with that 
 intense solicitude which it had hitherto excited. It was, however, 
 with unabated vigor, continuing its progress southward. A letter 
 from Prospect Hill, Delaware, dated June 12th, 1792, (Carey’s Mu¬ 
 seum, vol. xi. p. 301,) states that the fly arrived there “in prodi¬ 
 gious clouds,” about the middle of the preceding September. It 
 describes the place were eggs were deposited on the young wheat, 
 the growth of the worm, and the perishing of all the plants, except 
 those growing upon a rich soil, and adds further testimony in favor 
 of the Underhill wheat. 
 
 In 1797, Dr. Isaac Chapman, of Bucks county, Pa., prepared one 
 of the best accounts of this species that has ever appeared, contain¬ 
 ing the details of his own careful observations upon the insect and 
 the time of its appearance in its different stages. These observa¬ 
 tions led him to recommend as the most certain safeguards against 
 the fall attack, late sowing, and against the spring attack, a quick 
 vigorous growth, to be obtained by procuring southern seed and 
 sowing it on a rich, elevated and dry soil. His paper is published 
 in the fifth volume of the Memoirs of the Philadelphia Society for 
 promoting Agriculture, a volume which we regret having been un¬ 
 able to find in either of the largest libraries of this State. We are 
 therefore obliged to depend for its contents upon second hand ac¬ 
 counts. Dr. C. states that the fly was this year found upon the 
 west side of the Alleghany mountains. 
 
 The eighth volume of the Fncyclopcedia 'Britannica, published 
 this year, gives (pages 4S9-495) an extended article under the head 
 Mission Fly, consisting chiefly of a summary of the several docu¬ 
 ments laid before the privy council during their investigations. 
 
 In Dr. B. S. Barton’s Fragments of the Natural History of Penn¬ 
 sylvania, issued in 1799, the author announces (p. 23) his intention 
 of publishing “a memoir upon that destructive insect called the 
 Hessian fly.” It is probable that whatever communications were 
 addressed to the committee of the Philosophical Society, had been 
 consigned to his hands. We are not aware that the promised me¬ 
 moir ever appeared. 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 333 
 
 “ About the year 1801, the Hessian flies first made their appea¬ 
 rance in the neighborhood of the city of Richmond. We saw but 
 little mischief that year. Rut in 1802 they were much more de¬ 
 structive—1803, they swept whole fields—about the same in 1804” 
 (H. M’Clellaiid, Amer. Farmer , vol. ii. p. 234). 
 
 In the year 1803, we arrive at the first notice of this species, of 
 a scientific nature. Dr. Mitchell, in a short article in the Medical 
 Repository (vol. vii. p. 97, 98), entitled “ Further ravages of the 
 wheat insect, or Tipula tritici of America, and of another species 
 of Tipula in Europe,” states that it is now understood that our in¬ 
 sect is a Tipula. He alludes to the extent of this genus, (ninety- 
 four species being enumerated by Weber,) and though he has often 
 examined our insect, and bred it so as to observe its transformations, 
 he declines giving a decided opinion whether or not our species is 
 different from all those that had been described. He refers to the 
 species <£ treated as a nondescript” by the Rev. Mr. Kirby, in the 
 Idnnccan Transactions , copies its name and technical characters, and 
 closes with the remark, that whether Mr. Kirby’s insect is a new 
 one or not, it is not the same animal which has been so injurious in 
 this country. Had the doctor but added a few words descrip¬ 
 tive of our species, he would undoubtedly be entitled to “ the 
 barren honors of a synonym.” Respecting the depredations of 
 the insect at this time, we learn from him, that “ during the cold and 
 dry spring of 1803 these creatures again infested the wheat more 
 than they had done for many years. Many crops were cut off 
 early in June, and the ground plowed up for other purposes. 
 
 During a long interval we meet with, no further notices of this 
 species. Its depredations would appear to have been so slight, and 
 public attention was so much engrossed, with other affairs, that noth¬ 
 ing, as we have discovered, is recorded of it. 
 
 At length, in 1817, it is stated to have renewed its ravages in 
 various sections of the country. In the neighborhood of New- 
 York and of Philadelphia, it is evident that it was unusually abun¬ 
 dant, and in parts of Maryland and Virginia, it was perhaps more 
 destructive than it had ever been before. 
 
334 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 It was on the 24th of June in this year, that Mr. Say read before 
 the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences a paper entitled 
 u Some account of the insect known by the name of Hessian fly, 
 and of a parasitic insect that feeds on it.” Thig contains an accu¬ 
 rate technical description of the insect, on which he bestows the 
 name of Cecidomyia destructor, and also of its most common para¬ 
 site, referred by him to the genus Ceraphron, and also named des¬ 
 tructor. This paper was published in the Journal of the Academy 
 (vol. i. p. 45-48), issued in the course of the ensuing month, and 
 was followed in August by a copperplate illustration of these in¬ 
 sects, drawn and engraved by Mr. C. A. Le Sueur. “ A local habi¬ 
 tation and a name” were thus conferred upon this world-renowned 
 species, by which it has ever since been definitely specified and ar¬ 
 ranged in works of science. 
 
 In the American Monthly Magazine and Critical Review for 
 August, 1817, New-Yorlc, (vol. i. p. 275-279,) appeared a paper 
 bearing the title, <! An account of the wheat insect of America, or 
 the Tipula vaginalis tritici, commonly called the Hessian fly.” 
 This paper gives the substance of Judge Havens’s memoir, and pro¬ 
 fesses to copy a technical name and description which had been pub¬ 
 lished by Dr. Mitchell in the Ncw-Yorlc Gazette of July 3d. But 
 whoever refers to the New-Yorlc Gazette , will find no attempt at a 
 technical description, and no name except that of Tipula Tritici , 
 which is in one instance, casually as it were, made use of. The 
 word vaginalis is therefore an interpolation of the writer in the 
 Magazine-, and as he, at least on some subsequent occasions, re¬ 
 frained from bringing this name farther into notice, when a fair op¬ 
 portunity was presented him for doing so (as editor of Hooper's 
 Medical dictionary , fyc.) we doubt not, when the excitement of the 
 day was past, he deeply regretted that he had ever drawn up an 
 article so derogatory to himself as that which appears in the Maga¬ 
 zine. We should therefore suppress all allusion to this subject, 
 with the hope that it might pass wholly into oblivion, but that the 
 article from the Magazine has of late years been copied into some 
 of our agricultural journals, and has been referred to in terms of 
 commendation by some names of respectability. With the curren¬ 
 cy thus unfortunately given to it, it will be read by hundreds who 
 can never see the New-York Gazette , and will thus deem, that one- 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 335 
 
 of our most distinguished savans had degraded himself by a paltry 
 attempt to forestall Mr. Say in giving to this species a technical 
 name. 
 
 Gen. John H. Cocke this year communicated his observations to 
 the Albemarle Agricultural Society of Virginia. Having well as¬ 
 certained that the fly deposits its eggs upon the blades of the wheat, 
 at from a half to three inches from the central stalk, and that these 
 remain therg four or five days before they hatch, he recommends 
 feeding off the crop, by pasturing sheep upon it; thus destroying 
 the eggs, and depriving the fly of its wonted place for depositing 
 them. “A King William Farmer” dissents from this advice, and 
 thinks covering the seed to the depth of three inches the best safe¬ 
 guard against the fly. “A Frederick County Farmer” and Dr. 
 Merriwether oppose this, and a controversy ensues, reaching through 
 several communications in the Richmond Enquirer and National In¬ 
 telligencer, and afterwards continued in the American Farmer, till 
 in 1820 it was brought to a close by a valuable article from that 
 distinguished agriculturist, the late James M. Garnett, ( American 
 Farmer, v ol. ii. p. 174,) accompanied by an illustration, which would 
 seem to clearly demonstrate the correctness of the statements first 
 put forth by the King William Farmer. This subject will be fully 
 considered in a subsequent part of this essay. 
 
 In 1820, Edward Tilghman, of Maryland, described ( American 
 Farmer, ii. 235) the place and mode of deposition of the eggs, he 
 having in numerous instances watched the fly in the very act of 
 ovipositing. At a later day Mr. T. has favored the public with a 
 more full and exact description of this process, {Cultivator, \ iii. p. 
 82). James Worth of Pennsylvania, also in 1820 minutely descri¬ 
 bed from his personal observations, the situation of the egg, its 
 hatching, and the journey of the worm down the leaf to its usual 
 nidus, {American Farmer, ii., 180). 
 
 In the second volume of the Memoirs of the New York Board of 
 Agriculture, issued in 1823, is a communication (p. 169-171) on 
 the Hessian fly, from Judge Hickock, who deems a fertile soil the 
 best safeguard. In the third volume of the same work, published 
 in 1826, (p. 326-338,) is a paper by the indefatigable secretary of 
 
336 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 the board, the late Judge Buel, giving a condensed summary of all 
 the information respecting this inaect, contained in the accounts of 
 Judge Havens, Dr. Chapman, and the different writers in the Ameri¬ 
 can Farmer. 
 
 In 1S40, Miss Margaretta II. Morris, of Germantown, Pa., in a 
 communication to the American Philosophical Society, revives the 
 theory of “ a landholder,” already noticed, that the egg of the fly 
 is deposited in the grain, and that obtaining seed from uninfected 
 districts will therefore be the best safeguard. The report of the 
 committee upon this paper, is inserted in the society’s Proceedings 
 of November, 1840, and the paper itself is published in the socie¬ 
 ty’s Transactions (vol. viii. p. 49-51). 'Communications bearing 
 upon the same subject were also made to the Academy of Natural 
 Sciences, in 1841, by Dr. B. II. Coates, (Proceedings Acad., vol. 
 i. p. 45, 54 and 51). 
 
 In 1841, Mr. E. C. Herrick, librarian of Yale College, gave “ a 
 brief, preliminary account of the Hessian fly, and its parasites,” in 
 Silliman's Journal of Science (vol. xli., p. 153-15S). This paper 
 announces the interesting fact of Mr. Dana’s having met with ap¬ 
 parently the same insect on the shores of the Mediterranean, details 
 the writer’s own accurate observations of the changes from the egg 
 to the flax seed stale, and enumerates four different parasitic insects 
 that prey upon it during these periods of its existence, by which 
 “ probably more than nine-tenths of every generation of the Hes¬ 
 sian fly is destroyed.” Another valuable paper from Mr. Herrick 
 appears in the Report of the Commissioner of Putents for the year 
 1844, (p. 161-167), giving a most exact and particular history of 
 the transformations of this insect, and a summary view of the va¬ 
 rious remedial measures that have been proposed. Both of these 
 papers evince the close and patient investigation which the writer 
 had made, and the utmost carefulness in announcing nothing be¬ 
 yond what heJiad clearly ascertained. 
 
 Dr. T. W. Harris’s invaluable “ Treatise on the insects of Mas¬ 
 sachusetts injurious to vegetation” was also completed in 1841. 
 An excellent summary of all the leading facts pertaining to the histo- 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 337 
 
 ry of this species, is given in this work, and its generic place, upon 
 which point Mr. Herrick, Latreille and others had intimated doubts, 
 is correctly settled. 
 
 The numerous agricultural periodicals of our country, abound 
 with notices of this insect, more or less extended and valuable. To 
 specify these notices in detail, at least as respects some of these pe¬ 
 riodicals, would require a reference to almost every number issued. 
 Wherever important facts are derived from these sources, in the 
 course of thisessav, they are accompanied by a particular acknowl¬ 
 edgment in each instance; an additional reference in this place, 
 is therefore deemed unnecessary. 
 
 We close this section of our subject, with a condensed view of 
 the depredations of this insect in different parts of our country, 
 during a few of the past years; the materials for which, are fur¬ 
 nished us, in those valuable documents, the yearly reports of the 
 Commissioner of Patents. 
 
 In the year 1812, the ravages of the Hessian fly would appear to 
 have been quite limited. Pennsylvania suffered the most severely. 
 The wheat crop in this State is estimated to have been twenty per 
 cent less than it was the preceding year, and of four different causes 
 that produced this diminution, the fly is placed first. Some parts 
 of Maryland, and also of Ohio, were visited by it. In the latter 
 State it appeared to be increasing so much, that serious apprehen¬ 
 sions were beginning to be felt respecting its future ravages. 
 
 In 1S43, it was so abundant in western Pennsylvania in June, 
 that it was thought it would diminish the crop twenty-five per cent. 
 Through Maryland, and the great wheat-growing valley of Virginia, 
 it was noticed at the same time as committing great havoc in many 
 fields, and threatening a very decided failure in the crop ; at har¬ 
 vest, however, the yield was found to be much better than was an¬ 
 ticipated. In Ohio it was less injurious than in the preceding year. 
 Upon some parts of Long Island it was observed, but in limited 
 numbers. 
 
 In 1844, it seems to have been much more destructive than in 
 either of the preceding years, and to have made its appearance pro- 
 
 [Assembly, No. 150.] 24 
 
338 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 minently in some districts where it had been unobserved before. 
 Thus, through all the northern parts of Indiana and Illinois, and 
 the contiguous parts of Michigan and Wisconsin, it did much inju¬ 
 ry, and in many places occasioned almost a total failure of the 
 crops. Near Goshen, la., a person writes, the fly is taking the 
 wheat here at a dreadful rate, destroying some pieces entirely ; 
 some fields have been plowed up, and corn planted therein. The 
 Prairie Farmer states that the wheat crop has suffered severely in 
 various sections by the fly. In Will county, Ill., says the Chicago 
 Journal , several entire fields of both winter and spring wheat have 
 been destroyed by the Hessian fly. In Michigan also, it is reported 
 to have made sad havoc, particularly in light sandy soils. From 
 different places in this State, we are told as follows : “ In some 
 cases the injury was so severe, that the farmers had to plow up their 
 fields and sow them over again.” “ There is not more than one- 
 fourth of the surplus of 1843, owing to the wet season and the ra¬ 
 vages of the fly.” The wheat crop is almost an entire failure. 
 The insects took it last fall, and the rust in the spring, and then 
 again the insects a second time.” It is also stated that the same 
 enemy had made its appearance in great force at the close of the 
 season, in the early fall sown wheat. From different parts of Ohio, 
 the crop was reported in May and June to be suffering considerably 
 from the ravages of the fly. In the vicinity of Masillon, it had ne¬ 
 ver been so destructive before, whole fields being entirely destroyed. 
 In the neighborhood of Rochester, N. Y., also, the fields suffered 
 some, particularly those having a sandy soil, and that were early 
 sown. On the west end of Long Island, its ravages were also bad, 
 many farmers not having more than half a crop. Both in the east¬ 
 ern and western sections of Pennsylvania, the fly lessened the pro¬ 
 duce of this year. In Bucks county it was particularly destructive. 
 One person states, in the month of June, that where he had expect¬ 
 ed to gather 1,200 bushels or more, he could not now hope for 300. 
 Though it is noticed on both shores of the State of Maryland, the 
 injury done by it here appears to have been but slight. 
 
 In 1845, through those districts of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, 
 where it committed such havoc the last year, it is said by different 
 persons to have wholly disapprared. The Prairie Farmer , however, 
 states that it was still present, doing more or less injury all over the 
 
339 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 State of Illinois. Ohio sustained but little injury. It is not no¬ 
 ticed north of Maryland, in the central parts of which State it is 
 reported that on nearly all the light lands the Hessian fly made se¬ 
 rious ravages, and in many instances rendered the crops totally 
 worthless. In Georgia,moreover, its ravages in the counties around 
 Milledgeville are said to have been dreadful ; whole fields were to¬ 
 tally destroyed, and others yielded not more than a fourth of an or¬ 
 dinary crop. 
 
 We regret that we have not at hand the requisite information, for 
 tracing with equal precision the ravages of this insect during the 
 past year, 1846. From such notices as we have casually observed 
 in the public papers, we presume that through the country general¬ 
 ly, it has been unusually numerous. In this vicinity, some fields 
 have produced less than a fourth of what they would have done, 
 but for the invasion of the fly last autumn, after an absence of over 
 forty years, and its great increase in the spring. On sandy soils in 
 Saratoga and the north-west parts of Rensselaer counties, several 
 fields were observed early in July w r ith the wheat stalks so “ few 
 and far between,” that no harvesting of them would be attempted ; 
 Whilst many others had been, at an earlier period of the season, 
 plowed up and occupied with spring crops. In the western section 
 of the State, it has also been quite destructive. The loss from the 
 fly alone, says the Genesee Farmer , (vol. vii. , p. 251,) will doubtless 
 be at least 500,000 bushels. In those districts of Illinois, Wisconsin, 
 and Iowa, which are contiguous to the Mississippi river, it appears 
 to have been common, and also in eastern Pennsylvania. From a 
 minute in the proceedings of the trustees of the Maryland Agricul- 
 tual Society, w r e learn that t; so great ravages have not been com¬ 
 mitted by the Hessian fly, since 1817. On some of the best land 
 wheat has been plowed up, and other portions are so much injured, 
 that they will not be w r orth harvesting. At least one-half of the 
 crop of Talbot county has been destroyed.” And in the upper 
 counties of Georgia, it is said, “ the fly has committed such ravages 
 upon the wheat, as scarcely to leave enough seed for another year.” 
 
 Its Name and Synonyms. 
 
 It is a somewhat trite but very true adage, that “names are 
 things.” Every one who has had occasion to search through files 
 
340 [Assembly 
 
 of our agricultural journals for information respecting any particu¬ 
 lar insect or other malady to which our crops or herds are subject, 
 well knows what doubt and perplexity is often occasioned from hav¬ 
 ing two or more names used by different writers for the same thing, 
 and also from having two or more distinct things designated by the 
 same name. To illustrate this, let us refer to the Patent Office Re¬ 
 port for 1844, p. 26, where, in thirteen consecutive lines, we read as 
 follows : “ Near Onondaga county (he wheat is said to be injured 
 
 by the grain worm .In Schoharie we find complaints 
 
 of the weevil .In Schenectady county the ravages of 
 
 the fly were great.In parts of Columbia county it 
 
 suffered from the maggot .In Dutchess a yellow worm. 
 
 in the head destroyed it.” Of a truth, “what a host of enemies !” 
 By way of climax, we only require some wiseacre who has never 
 seen the insect, or lived within a hundred miles of it, to say, “ Good 
 people, you are all wrong ; wheat worms is the correct name for 
 your insect”—and we are furnished with a tolerably complete list 
 of the popular synonyms of the Cecidomyia tritici ! But who, not 
 intimately conversant with its American history, would suspect this 
 single species of being designated by such a profusion of terms. 
 Who, on reading the page referred to, of the Patent Office Report , 
 (and it is a correct transcript of the very words which are in popu¬ 
 lar use,) but would receive its statements as conclusive evidence 
 that we had in eastern New-York at least four or five kinds of de¬ 
 structive insects preying upon our wheat crops. Such mistakes are 
 the inevitable result of a diversity of names. So important, there¬ 
 fore, do we deem this topic, that we are induced to assign to it a 
 distinct head. 
 
 It is very fortunate that no confusion of the kind just alluded to, 
 has ever existed with reference to the species under consideration. 
 Its popular name. Hessian fly , was first bestowed upon it by Colonel 
 Morgan, soon after its appearance on Long Island. Some two or 
 three of the earliest writers allude to it by the names of Hessian 
 lug, and Hessian insect, but these designations were speedily drop¬ 
 ped, and Hessian fly became universally the only name by which it 
 was definitely distinguished, not only in this country, but in all parts 
 of the world where the English language was spoken. Even when 
 it was by every one deemed to be a native insect, and the epithet 
 
341 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 Hessian was therefore remarked by different writers as most inap¬ 
 propriate, still it was in such universal use, that no one ventured to 
 propose that it should be changed. And this continues to be the 
 only name by which it is spoken of at the present day, with one or 
 two exceptions. In the Ohio Cultivator it is designated as the 
 “ wheat fly,” and in late volumes of the Genesee Farmer the names 
 Hessian fly and wheat fly are indiscriminately applied to it. The 
 name “wheat fly,” however, had been anteriorly and extensively 
 applied to the C. tritici, upon both sides of the Atlantic, and was 
 indeed the only common name of that insect in use among writers 
 in agricultural journals and popular treatises, until recently, the 
 perhaps more judicious name of “ wheat-midge,” has been bestow¬ 
 ed upon it, by some of the best foreign authorities.* 
 
 * may Imre state some additional reasons which induced us in our former essay, 
 to adopt the name “ wheat-fly” in preference to that of “ wheat-midge,” the name 
 by which the C. tritici has been designated by Mr. Curtiss, Westwood, and some 
 other recent writers. 
 
 1. The insect itseli, is, next after the wholly inappropriate name of “weevil,” 
 most commonly called “ the fly,” we believe, in all those districts where it is molt 
 abundant and has been longest known. It is never called “the midge.” Why, then, 
 should we speak ono common name, and write another ; or have in print as the com- 
 mon name, what we well know is not the common name. 
 
 2. No othor insect in the world has a popular name better established than the 
 Hessian fly. Both it and the C. tritici will undoubtedly continue to be common in¬ 
 sects in this country, and very frequently spoken of. If one is called the Hessian Jly 
 and the other the whoat-midge, every person not well acquainted with this subject, 
 will imbibo the idea that they are very different insects, their names being so dissimi¬ 
 lar ; whereas, they are most closely allied to each other. 
 
 3. It has often beon remarked as a great desideratum, that tho technical and com¬ 
 mon names of species in natural history, should correspond with each other; or, in 
 other words, that the common names should in all eases where practicable, be trans¬ 
 lations of the technical names. Cccidomyia tritici. literally rendered in English, is 
 gall-fly of the wheat; but inasmuch as this species docs not produce galls, there is 
 an obvious impropriety in retaining that word. Wheat-fly thus becomes the most direct 
 translation of tho technical name, that the habits of the insect admit of. No one will 
 maintain that v r heat-7m'dgc is a translation. 
 
 Dr. Webster is in error in saying the word “ midge ” is “ not in use” at the pre¬ 
 sent day. In tho neighboring Green mountain districts, one or more most annoying 
 species of Simulium that tlioro abound, are daily designated in common conversation 
 as the midges, or, as the name is often corrupted, the midgets. From Dr. Harris’ 
 treatiso it appears that the same name is in popular use for the same insects in Maine. 
 Tho term is limited in this country, wo believe, exclusively to those minute insocts, 
 smaller than the musketoe, which suck the blood of other animals. 
 
342 
 
 [Assembi.t 
 
 The scientific name, Cecidomyia destructor , bestowed upon this 
 species by Mr. Say, is the only one belonging to it, neither the 
 name Tipula tritici , nor Tipula vaginalis tritici having any legiti¬ 
 mate claims to be retained as synonyms. Mr. Say’s name might at 
 first view be thought liable to criticism, as being in no wise distinc¬ 
 tive, many other species of Cecidomyians being also destroyers. 
 Yet this species is so preeminent in that particular, as to throw the 
 injuries inflicted by each of the others quite in the back ground. 
 We hence think it will be conceded that the name is signally ap¬ 
 propriate. Placed beside it, all its kindred are mere depredators— 
 this alone is the destroyer. 
 
 Its Characters , Transformations , and Habits. 
 
 As a general rule, the Hessian fly passes regularly through two 
 generations annually. The first of these occupies the autumn, win¬ 
 ter, and fore part of the spring, and is reared at the roots of the 
 young grain, slightly below the surface of the ground. The second 
 occupies the remainder of the spring and the summer, and is chiefly 
 nurtured at the first and second joints of the straw. The time when 
 its several transformations occur, is not perfectly uniform, being va¬ 
 ried by the climate, the state of the weather, and perhaps other 
 contingencies ; and it is not improbable that individual specimens, 
 placed in circumstances unfavorable to their developement, have 
 their growth retarded so much as to require even a whole year to 
 complete their metamorphoses. 
 
 First Generation. 
 
 The Egg. When and where deposited. —The eggs of the first 
 generation are deposited chiefly in the fore part of September. Dr. 
 
 But, inasmuch as we have another common word (gnat), applied to species having 
 in this respect the same habit, in the paucity of terms which our language furnishes by 
 which to designate insects, it is desirable that no two of these terms should bo em¬ 
 ployed as synonymous. And as the night midge (Anglo-Saxon mygge or miege, a 
 swarmer,) is appropriate for all those minuto flies which assemblo together in acria 
 dances, it would be well to adopt it as the generic or family term for all the small 
 Tipulida), and apply the term gnat only to the Culicid® or musketoe family. This ap¬ 
 pears to be the mode in which the English entomologists at present employ these 
 words. And in this country it will probably be more easy to bring the new name, 
 wheat-midge, into common use as the distinctive appellation of the C. tritici, than to 
 have any one of tho names now bestowed upon it supersede all the others. 
 
343 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 Chapman says the deposit is made from the latter end of August 
 till the 20th of September, and most other accounts coincide with 
 this, though some extend the time into October. On the 8th of Oc¬ 
 tober the fly was seen ovipositing in eastern Pennsylvania, in IS 19, 
 and it had wholly disappeared on the 11th. ( Amer. Farmer , ii. 
 
 180). The deposit is doubtless made later, at the south, than in 
 this vicinity. Mr. Tilghman’s description of this process (Cultiva¬ 
 tor, viii. 82,) will convey so much more distinct a view to the gene¬ 
 ral reader, than any other that has ever been published that we here 
 insert it. He says, “By the second week of October, the first sown 
 wheat being well up, and having generally put forth its second and 
 third blades, I resorted to my field to endeavor to satisfy myself by 
 ocular demonstration, if I could do so, whether the fly did deposit 
 the egg on the blades of the growing plant. Selecting what I 
 deemed to be a favorable spot to make my observation, 1 placed 
 myself in position, by reclining in a furrow between two wheat 
 lands. It was a fine, warm, calm forenoon; and I had been on the 
 watch but a minute or two, before I discovered a number of small 
 black flies, alighting and setting on the wheat plants around me; 
 and so strong seemed to be their predilection for the wheat, that I 
 did not observe a single fly to settle on any grass, or any thing 
 within my view, but the wheat. I could distinctly see their bodies 
 in motion when settled on the leaves or blades of the wheat, and 
 presently one alighted and settled on the ridged surface of a blade 
 completely within my reach and distinct observation. She imme¬ 
 diately commenced disburthening her apparently well stored abdo¬ 
 men, by depositing her eggs in the longitudinal cavity between the 
 little ridges of the blade. I could distinctly see the eggs ejected 
 from a kind of tube or sting, or by the elongation of the body ; the 
 action of the insect in making the deposit, being similar to that of 
 the wasp in stinging. After she had deposited, as I supposed, some 
 eight or ten eggs, I easily caught her, upon the blade, between my 
 
 finger and thumb. After that, I continued my observations on 
 
 the flies, caught several similarly occupied, and could see the eggs 
 uniformly placed in the longitudinal cavities of the blades of the 
 wheat; their appearance being that of minute reddish specks.” 
 
344 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 Its appearance and characters. —The account of the eggs, and 
 also of the worms of the Hessian fly, as given by Mr. Herrick, is 
 drawn up with such scrupulous care, and is so full and definite in 
 every particular, that we are constrained to enhance the value of 
 this essay by presenting it entire. He says; “ The eggs are laid in 
 the long creases or furrows of the upper surface of the leaves of the 
 young wheat plant. While depositing her eggs, the insect stands 
 with her head towards the point or extremity of the leaf, and at 
 various distances between the point and where the leaf joins and 
 surrounds the stalk. The number found on a single leaf, varies 
 from a single egg up to thirty, or even more. The egg is about a 
 fiftieth of an inch long, cylindrical, rounded at the ends, glossy and 
 translucent, of a pale red color, becoming, in a few hours, irregu¬ 
 larly spotted with deeper red. Between its exclusion and its hatch¬ 
 ing, these red spots are continually changing in number, size, and 
 position; and sometimes nearly all disappear. A little while before 
 hatching, two lateral rows of opaque white spots, about ten in num¬ 
 ber, can be seen in each egg. In four days, more or less, according 
 to the weather, the egg is hatched.” 
 
 The Larva. Growth of the worm , or active larva. —Mr. Her¬ 
 rick’s excellent description is continued as follows, “ The little 
 wrinkled maggot, or larva, creeps out of the delicate membranous 
 egg skin, crawls down the leaf, enters the sheath, and proceeds 
 along the stalk, (see fig. m,) usually as far as the next joint below,” 
 (fig. B. or, in other words, to the base of the sheath , which in 
 the young autumnal wheat, is at the crown of the root, (fig. A. §.) 
 “Here it fastens, lengthwise, (fig. n and o ,) and head downwards, 
 to the tender stalk, and lives upon the sap. It does not gnaw the 
 stalk, nor does it enter the central cavity thereof; but, as the larva 
 increases in size, it gradually becomes embedded in the substance 
 of the stalk. After taking its station, the larva moves no more, 
 gradually loses its reddish color, and wrinkled appearance, becomes 
 plump and torpid, is at first semitranslucent, and then more and 
 more clouded with internal white spots; and when near maturity, 
 the middle of the intestinal parts is of a greenish color. In five or 
 six weeks (varying with the season,) the larva begins to turn brown, 
 and soon becomes of a bright chestnut color, bearing some resem¬ 
 blance to a flax-seed, &c.” 
 
 i 
 
345 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 Its characters .—When freshly taken from the root of the wheat 
 the mature worm (fig. g ,) measures about fifteen hundredths of an 
 inch (0.15) in length, by about 0.06 in breadth. It shows no signs 
 of life when placed upon paper and turned over with a needle point. 
 It is soft, glabrous, shining, white, oval and apparently composed 
 of but nine segments, although twelve can often be distinctly per¬ 
 ceived before its growth is completed. These are quite slightly 
 marked by faint transverse lines of a greenish brown hue. Its under 
 side is flattened, and has an oblong grass green cloud or spot in the 
 middle, placed longitudinally. No regular contractions or crena- 
 tures occur along the margin to mark the segments, though after the 
 worm has laid exposed to the air an hour, the color of the trans¬ 
 verse lines above spoken of becomes bleached out as it were, and 
 then, perhaps from the worm’s having become somewhat dried, 
 faintly impressed transverse lines are perceptible at the junction of 
 each of the nine segments: faint longitudinal striae are also discern- 
 able, as though produced by the pressure of the parallel veins or 
 ribs of the sheath and culm, between which the worm had laid. 
 
 Its mode of feeding .—We have hitherto sought in vain to ascer¬ 
 tain, by ocular and microscopic examinations, how it is that the 
 worm imbibes its nourishment from the stalk. To expose it to 
 view, we are obliged to place it in circumstances so unnatural to it, 
 that it apparently refrains from feeding. That it “gnaws” the stalk, 
 as some writers in our agricultural papers, and some compilers of 
 popular treatises inform their readers, is an error so gross as scarcely 
 to deserve notice. Some have supposed that it absorbs its nourish¬ 
 ment through the pores of its skin ; but we incline to the belief that 
 Dr. Lee’s opinion is nearest the truth of any that has been hitherto 
 advanced — that it takes in its nouiishment by suction, in a manner 
 more analogous to the leech than any other familiar object. (Gen. 
 Farmer ) vii. 225). 
 
 Its effects upon the crop . — The autumnal attack of the fly is in a 
 double sense a radical one. Each particular shoot at whose root 
 one or more of these larvae nestles, is commonly destroyed by the 
 time the worm has attained its growth. The presence of these 
 worms is therefore readily detected by an examination of the young 
 wheat in October or November. Individual shoots will be found 
 
346 
 
 [Assembl? 
 
 here and there in the field, withered and changed to a light yellow 
 color, (fig. A. f), strongly contrasting with the rich green of the 
 vigorous uninjured plants, (fig. A. *). The frost or some other 
 casualty may cause the ends of some of the other leaves to be of a 
 pale yellow color, but here the whole plant is of that hue; and 
 where a field is badly infested this yellow “sickly” aspect is per¬ 
 ceptible from a distance. On examining the withered plants, the 
 worm, or flax seed if it has advanced to that stage, can be readily 
 found. It is situated a short distance below the surface of the earth, 
 at the crown of the root, (fig. A. One or two radical leaves 
 start from this point, their bases forming a cylindrical sheath around 
 the central or main shoot, which as yet is but in its infancy. It is 
 within this sheath, at its base, that the worms repose, one, two, 
 three, or more, and by imbibing the nutricious juices of the young 
 shoot, cause it to wither and die. The mechanical pressure of the 
 larvae, so frequently spoken of as impeding the circulation of the 
 fluids of the plant, and hereby causing it to perish, I think has had too 
 much importance assigned to it, the young plants being so soft and 
 pliant that they would readily accommodate themselves to this pres¬ 
 sure, if they received no molestation beyond this. 
 
 Is the crop ever benejitted by it ?—The vigor and luxuriance of 
 the uninjured shoots from the same root, contrasts so strongly with 
 the wilted and feeble appearance of those attacked by the worm, as 
 to have led some to believe that the unaffected shoots were stimu¬ 
 lated to a more rapid and robust growth in consequence of the prun¬ 
 ing given by the fly ; and that a belter crop is thus sometimes pro¬ 
 duced, by the presence of a moderate number of these worms among 
 the wheat plants. The correctness of this opinion we very much 
 doubt. The worm is nourished and reared upon those very fluids 
 that are absorbed by the plant and elaborated for its own sustenance 
 and growth. Every particle of this nutricious juice, therefore, that 
 is consumed by the worm, is a direct loss of just so much material 
 that would otherwise become straw and grain. At all events, we 
 think our farmers generally will prefer that nature should ba left to 
 her own undisturbed course in rearing their wheat plants, and will 
 be by no means solicitous to have this renowned guest take any part 
 in the operation. 
 
No. 160.] 
 
 347 
 
 Its change to a “flax seed' 1 ' 1 or dormant larva . — When the worm, 
 or active larva, has fully completed its growth, a slight diminution 
 in the dimensions of the inner soft parts of its body commences, 
 in which the outer and harder shin does not participate, this latter 
 retaining its original full size. The result of this contraction is, 
 that the worm gradually cleaves from its outer skin. It examined 
 with a microscope when this change has recently commenced, a 
 slight translucent space is observable at the head end, and a larger 
 and more obvious one at the pointed or tail end, plainly indicating 
 that the enclosed worm does not entirely fill its outer skin. This 
 contraction continues, until the worm becomes entirely separated 
 from its outer skin, and lies within it like the finger within a 
 glove. The outer skin at the same time changes in color. 
 From its original whiteness and transparency, it gradually becomes 
 opake, brown, and finally of a dark bay or chestnut color. Though 
 much less flat than a flax seed, its resemblance in color, size, and 
 form, to that familiar object, is so striking as at once to be remark¬ 
 ed by every one. 
 
 Characters of the flax seed, or larva case . — Different specimens of 
 these flax seed like larva cases (fig. h. i. j.) vary in length from 
 0.13 to 0.19 and in breadth from 0.05 to 0.08. They are shining, 
 cylindrical-oval, more obtusely rounded at the lower or head end 
 than at the other, which is generally attenuated into an acuminated 
 point or small projecting papilla. They are commonly composed 
 of but nine obvious segments, and these are but slightly indicated 
 by very faint acutely impressed transverse striae—a similar trans¬ 
 verse stria, but still more faint, being sometimes perceptible 
 (fig. h.) across the middle of some of the segments. Longitudinal 
 impressed striae are sometimes present, (fig. j.) more conspicuous 
 than the transverse and reaching a part or the whole length of the 
 worm ; and between these the surface is minutely acuducted (i. e. 
 appearing as if lightly scratched by the fine point of a needle) longi¬ 
 tudinally — all these longitudinal impressions being perhaps caused 
 by the pressure of the veins and fibres of the plant, against which 
 the worm has been imbedded. On the under side, (fig. i.) towards 
 the head end, the case is flattened, as if pinched together, so. much 
 so that the anterior segment seems a mere empty fold of the mem¬ 
 brane, without any inflation sufficient to make room for internal 
 
348 [Assembly 
 
 viscera. At this end is often observable one or two little brush-like 
 granules, resembling those on the soles of the feet of some carabidous 
 insects. (One of these is indicated on the anterior edge of fig. i.) 
 Are these the relics of the suctorial mouth of the larval This lar¬ 
 va case is comparatively tough and leather-like at first, but becomes 
 more brittle and also darker with age. 
 
 Characters of the dormant larva. —On carefully opening the larva 
 case just described, a worm (fig. k.) is found within it, scarcely dif¬ 
 ferent in any respect from what it was immediately before entering 
 upon this flax seed state. It has the same oval form, opake milk- 
 white color, and green, cloud-like visceral spot or line beneath. 
 The nine segments into which it appears divided, however, are now 
 much more distinctly marked than they previously were, the trans¬ 
 verse lines being more deeply imj ressed, and the margins showing 
 corresponding crenatures. No traces of the members of the future 
 fly are yet discernable. The insect now undergoes no further 
 change, for a period of five months or more. Enveloped in its flax 
 seed like mantle, and reposing at the root of the now lifeless grain, 
 it is buried beneath the snows of winter. Over one-half of its en¬ 
 tire term of life is therefore passed in this state. 
 
 Error in previous accounts. —This is the stage of this insect, 
 which has been spoken of by all preceding writers as its pupa or 
 crysalis state. Upon a close observation of Cecidomyia tritici, the 
 writer succeeded in discovering that that species had, what some 
 had conjectured, but none had actually observed, a regular pupa 
 form, identical with that of other species of Cecidomyia, whose 
 metamorphoses had been fully described. It hence appeared neces¬ 
 sary to distinctly mark that long period of inactivity which inter¬ 
 venes in the wheat-fly, after the larva has completed its growth, and 
 before it enters its pupa state ; it was therefore, during this stale of 
 its life denominated a dormant larva, in my essay upon that species. 
 It occurred to me whilst writing out that essay, that the dormant 
 larva state of the wheat-fly, was exactly analogous to the flax seed 
 state of the Hessian fly, and in a note, my suspicions were expressed 
 that the real pupa of the Hessian fly had never been detected. The 
 ample opportunities which I have since enjoyed for investigating 
 
349 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 this species, have enabled me fully to trace out this point in its 
 transformations, and to show that it is not till near the close of its 
 flax seed period of existence that the Hessian fly puts on its pupa 
 form. In penning the note just alluded to, I had overlooked a pas¬ 
 sage in Mr. Herrick’s last paper, from which it is obvious that he 
 has seen the real pupa of the Hessian fly, although he still speaks 
 of its pupa stale as commencing when the worm becomes a flax-seed. 
 Inaccuracies of this kind, which to the general reader appear so tri¬ 
 vial as scarcely to require correcting, are liable to lead to important 
 errors. Of this, we have a striking illustration in this very instance. 
 Mr. Westwood, on opening the flax seeds contained in the wheat 
 straw from Germany, came upon the larva,” where, according to 
 all the accounts of the Hessian fly he ought to have found the pupa; 
 he therefore at once draws the important inference, that the Ger¬ 
 man insect cannot be the Hessian fly of America. Indeed it is sur¬ 
 prising, that so plain a fact as this, that it is a worm and not a pupa 
 which is enveloped in the flax seed case of our insect, has been so 
 wholly overlooked by every one who has hitherto written upon this 
 subject. 
 
 The Pupa. When formed. —On the access of the first warm days 
 of spring, as soon as the weather becomes sufficiently genial for 
 some of our earliest plants to put forth their blossoms, the larva of the 
 Hessian fly is rapidly stimulated to maturity. The present year, 
 so early as the 21st of April, most of the insects were found to have 
 taken on their pupa form. As this season was more forward than 
 usual, this may prove to be an earlier date than is common for this 
 occurrence ; a more accurate criterion by which to indicate it defi¬ 
 nitely, is no doubt by a reference to the progress which vegetation 
 has made at this time. We may therefore state, that in all parts of 
 our country, the Hessian fly will probably be found in its fully form¬ 
 ed pupa state, about a week after the liverwort, ( Ilepatica triloba,) 
 the trailing arbutus ( Epigcea repens ), and the red or swamp maple 
 {Acer rubrum ,) first appear in bloom, and simultaneously with the 
 flowering of the dry strawberry {Comaropsis fragarioides), the com¬ 
 mon five-finger {Potentilla canadensis) , the hill-side violet ( Viola 
 ovata), &c. It continues in this state about ten or twelve days, and 
 then sends out the winged fly. 
 
350 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 Its characters .—The flax seed shell has now become quite brittle, 
 breaking asunder transversely if rudely handled, and one of its ends 
 slipping off from the inclosed pupa like a thimble from the end of 
 the finger. On removing the pupa (fig. /.) from its case, it is found 
 to be 0.13 long by 0.05 broad, of an oval form, with rounded ends, 
 and having its limbs and body enveloped in separate membranes. 
 The thoracic portion is slightly narrower than the abdominal. The 
 wings do not quite attain the middle of the length of the body. 
 The outer pair of feet come out from under the tips of the wings, 
 and reach to the anterior margin of the penultimate abdominal seg¬ 
 ment, slightly curving inwards at their tips. The next pair of feet 
 are somewhat shorter, and the inner pair are shorter still. They all 
 lie in contact with each other, and in a direction parallel with the 
 body. The abdominal segments are distinctly marked by strongly 
 impressed transverse lines, and are of a milk-white color, the thorax 
 and head being of a delicate pale pink-red, and the feet translucent- 
 white. On the anterior margin is a chestnut-brown crescentiform 
 mark. It will hence be perceived, that in all the details of its form, 
 the pupa of the Hessian fly coincides precisely with those of the 
 other species of this genus which have been described. 
 
 Its change into a fly .—The time for its final transformation hav¬ 
 ing arrived, the pupa breaks open and crawls from its puparium or 
 flax seed case, and works its way upwards within the sheath of the 
 leaf, until it arrives at some cleft in the now dead, brittle and elas¬ 
 tic straw ; through this cleft it gradually, by bending from side to 
 side, crowds its body until all except the tip of the abdomen is pro¬ 
 truded into the air, the elasticity of the straw causing it to close to¬ 
 gether upon the tip of thfi abdomen, so much as to hold the pupa in 
 this situation, secure from falling to the ground ; and as if to pre¬ 
 serve the body in a horizontal position, the feel are slightly separa¬ 
 ted from the abdomen, and directed obliquely downwards, with their 
 tips pressed against the side of the straw, thus curiously serving, 
 like the brace to the arms of a sign post, to support the body from 
 inclining downwards. Thus securely fixed, and now freely exposed 
 to the drying influence of the atmosphere, the outer membrane of 
 the pupa speedily exhales its moisture, and as it becomes dried, 
 cracks apart upon the back part of the thorax ; out of this clgft the 
 inclosed fly protrudes its head and thorax more and more, as it gra- 
 
351 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 dually withdraws its several members, the antennae, wings and legs, 
 from the cases in which they are respectively enveloped—a process 
 analogous to that of withdrawing the hand and its several fingers 
 from a tight glove ; until at length entirely freed, the now full- 
 fledged and perfectly formed fly leaves its pupa skin and mounts 
 into the air. 
 
 Peculiarity in its metamorphoses .—It is sufficiently apparent from 
 the account that has now been given, that the Hessian fly differs 
 notably from all its congeners in one important point in its transfor¬ 
 mations. From all the observations that have been hitherto made, 
 the cecidomyians correspond with the other tipulides in this promi¬ 
 nent particular—that their pupae are naked. Other species, at least 
 many of them, after completing their growth, cleave from their 
 skins in the same manner that the Hessian fly does, but when the 
 separation is formed, the inclosed worm invariably crawls from and 
 forsakes its larva case. It is thus, even, contrary to what has been 
 hitherto supposed, with the C. tritici. Since my essay upon that 
 species was published, I have clearly ascertained that the mature or 
 dormant larva does cast its skin. Indeed, this fact is distinctly re¬ 
 lated by Dr. Harris, in his treatise, to whom is due the credit of 
 having first announced it. His statement had escaped my observa¬ 
 tion when previously alluding to this subject. So far as I am aware, 
 moreover, the cast skins in the several species are translucent, and 
 of a membranous texture. In the Hessian fly, however, it becomes 
 opake, changes its color, and is of a firm or coriaceous texture. 
 The inclosed worm, also, does not leave it, but remaining, eventu¬ 
 ally changes within it to a pupa, the same case thus forming its 
 puparium. Its metamorphosis thus approximates it to the Muscidae 
 or true flies, the Stratiomidae or soldier-flies, &c., and its pupa, in 
 technical language is “ coarctate” and not “ incomplete,” like the 
 pupae of the other cecidomyians. Should usage, therefore, settle 
 down upon the name midge as distinctive of the minute tipulides, 
 there will still be a marked propriety in continuing to this species 
 its old name, Hessian Jly* 
 
 * I doubt, however, whether the Hessian fly will continue to be the sole member of 
 this genus having a coarctate pupa. Quito recently a species has occurred to my no¬ 
 tice, analogous to (ho Hessian fly flax soed in every point that I havo been able to 
 
352 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 The Fly. Its Characters. —In the female, (fig. 3,) the head is 
 flattened globular, and black throughout. The antennal (fig. e,) are 
 about half as long as the body, and composed of sixteen joints, each 
 of a cylindric-oval form, the length being about double the diame¬ 
 ter ; each joint is clothed with a number of hairs, of which those 
 towards its base are slightly more robust and longer, about equal¬ 
 ling the joint in their length, and surrounding it in a whirl. The 
 joints are separated from each other by very short translucent fila¬ 
 ments, having a diameter about a third as great as the joints them¬ 
 selves. The terminal joint is at least a third longer than the pre¬ 
 ceding ones. The two basal joints of each antenna are globular, 
 and compact or not separated by an intervening filament, and ex¬ 
 ceed the following joints in diameter. The palpi (fig. /,) consist 
 of three obvious joints, clothed with very short minute hairs. The 
 two last joints are cylindrical, nearly equal in size, and about twice 
 as long as broad : the basal joint is more short and thick. The 
 thorax is oval, broadest immediately back of the wing sockets, and 
 black. The scutel is of the same color, projecting, and slightly 
 polished, with the suture surrounding it sometimes fulvous. The 
 poisers are dusky. The abdomen is elongate-ovate, its broadest part 
 scarcely equalling the thorax in diameter; it is of a black color 
 above, more or less widely marked at the sutures with tawny-ful¬ 
 vous, and furnished with numerous fine blackish hairs. The ovipo¬ 
 sitor is rose-red, and slightly exserted commonly in the dead speci¬ 
 men; it is susceptible of being protruded to a third of the length of 
 the abdomen. The wings are slightly dusky, and fulvous at their 
 insertion into the thorax. Their form and neuration is identical 
 with that of the other species of this genus, except that the slight 
 connecting nerve between the mediastinal and postcostal is common¬ 
 ly wanting, and the medial and forks of the anal nerves are extreme¬ 
 ly faint for a species o! Cecidomyia so large as this. The legs are 
 
 detect, except tliat its larva case is of a pale brown color, untingod with rufous or 
 castaneous. It infests the Agrostis lateriflora ?, numbers dwelling together in an 
 imbricated gall, somewhat resembling the fertile aments of the hop, though larger, 
 and connected with the main stalk by a short pedicel which is inserted into one of the 
 lowest joints of the culm. From the coriaceous texture of the larva ease, I suspect 
 the inclosed worm will not leave it, until transformed to a pupa and upon the point 
 of evolving the perfect fly. 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 353 
 
 pallid brown, the tarsi black, the femurs paler at their bases. The 
 several pairs of legs equal each other in length, being about 0.24 
 long when extended, of which length the tarsus embraces one-half. 
 The several joints of the tarsus are of the same relative length as in 
 other species; the short basal joint however, is much more indis¬ 
 tinct than usual, insomuch that a minute examination of several 
 specimens is required ere one is met with showing this joint dis¬ 
 tinctly.* This character, and also the neuration of the wings, clear¬ 
 ly shows that this species belongs to the genus Cecidotnyia, and not 
 to Macquart’s genus Lestremia , nor Meigen’s Lasioptera. 
 
 In the male, the antenna; (fig. d,) are three-fourths of the length 
 of the body, with the joints of a short oval and nearly globular form, 
 the diameter hardly equalling the length: each joint is surrounded 
 with a verticil of longish hairs. The terminal joint does not differ 
 from the preceding ones. The two basal joints arc compacted toge¬ 
 ther as in the female. The antennm diminish very slightly in dia¬ 
 meter towards their tips. The filaments separating the joints are 
 smoky-translucent, nearly as long as the joints, and about one-third 
 of their diameter. The abdomen (fig. 2,) is cylindric or slightly 
 tapering towards its tip, and consists of seven joints beside the ter¬ 
 minal one, which (viewed from beneath, vide fig. c,) consists of a 
 transversely oval joint, giving off two robust processes, armed with 
 incurved hooks at their tips; and between these processes at their 
 base are two exceedingly minute papillae. As ordinarily seen, in 
 the living specimen, the abdomen is of a brownish-black color, more 
 or less widely marked at the sutures with pallid fulvous or smoky 
 w'hitish lines. In all other .points the male coincides with the 
 female in its characters. 
 
 Its duration. That the fly which comes out in the spring conti¬ 
 nues but a very short time, I infer from the following data. A num¬ 
 ber of wheat plants, containing pupae, were transplanted into a box 
 of earth, April 21st, and inspected daily. On the morning of May 
 1st, about half of them were found fo have sent out the perfect fly 
 
 * How well the engraver lias executed his task will be obvious by passing a magni- 
 tier over the plate; The joints of the tarsi in tig. 3, and other minute details, scarce* 
 ly. if at all perceptible to the naked eye, will then be distinctly recognised. 
 
 [Assembly, No. 150.] 25 
 
354 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 within the preceding twenty-four hours. Cn repairing to the field 
 whence these plants were taken, the fly was found to be out in large 
 numbers. At every step, a dozen or more would arise from their 
 coverts, sluggishly fly a few feet, and alight again. In other fields, 
 where none of the flax seeds could previously be found, an occa¬ 
 sional fly was met with, on the same day. A week after this, on 
 a thorough examination, no flies could be found, nor were but two 
 specimens afterwards met with, until the coming out of the summer 
 brood. 
 
 Second Generation. 
 
 After the full details that have already been given, but a few 
 words will be required under this head. About the first of May the 
 fly appears, and deposits its eggs upon the same crop of grain that 
 has already reared one brood, and also upon any spring wheat that 
 is sufficiently forward for its purposes. The radical leaves of the 
 winter wheat are now more or less withered, and the fly therefore 
 selects the more luxuriant leaves that have put forth above these. 
 The worm hatches, and again makes its short journey to its future 
 home, at the base of the sheath; it consequently now nestles at the 
 first and second joints of the young stalk, and is sometimes, though 
 rarely, as high as the third joint. Even before the worm reaches 
 the base of the sheath, it has frequently grown nearly to its full size, 
 (as shown, fig. m.). The stalk has now attained such vigor and hardi¬ 
 ness that it is seldom destroyed by this spring attack. A slight 
 swelling, immediately above the joint, (fig. B. commonly indi¬ 
 cates the presence of the larva beneath. This is a fact which has 
 been overlooked, or at least not distinctly stated by writers hitherto. 
 We only find it noticed by Mr. Bergen, ( Cultivator , viii., 133,) who- 
 informs us that in a crop of barley which was destroyed by the Hes¬ 
 sian fly, many of the stalks were “ at the joints as thick as a man’s 
 finger.” The insect is therefore a true ^a/Mly, although when but 
 one larva succeeds in reaching the joint, the swelling caused by it is 
 but little if at all apparent. More commonly however, the straw 
 becomes so weakened, that it is unable to sustain the weight of the 
 wheat head, and it accordingly bends down (as represented, fig. 
 Bj-f,) with the force of the wind and rains. The appearance of a 
 badly infested field, as harvest time approaches, cannot better be 
 
355 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 described than in the words of M. Kollar. The grain looks as 
 though a herd of cattle had passed through it, so broken and tangled 
 together is the straw. The worm attains its growth and enters its 
 flax seed state about the first of June, and the flies of this second 
 generation commonly come forth about the last of July and in 
 August. 
 
 Miss Morris's theory. —We do not deem it necessary to go into 
 a detailed examination of the theory revived by Miss Morris in 1340, 
 that the eggs of the Hessian fly are deposited in the grain, and that 
 the larva lies in the centre of the culm. We suppose this theory 
 to be abandoned by its late advocates, from the fact that for four 
 years past, we have met with no farther attempts to sustain it. To 
 us it appears manifest that the lady was widely misled at the very 
 outset of her observations by an error in Mr. Say’s account, to wit, 
 that “ the perfect fly appears early in June.” Were this the case, 
 she might well enquire, “ Where are the eggs placed ? Surely not 
 in the old and dying stalk .... and there is no young wheat growing 
 from June until September.” The flies which Miss M. saw in June, 
 1S36, “in countless numbers, hovering over and settling on the ears 
 of wheat, we cannot but suspect were the same species which in 
 this section of country appears in such swarms upon the heads of 
 wheat about the middle of June, that it has been for years mistaken 
 hereabouts for the wheat-fly or midge, (vide Transactions N. Y. 
 State Jigr. Soc., vol. v., p. 260 and 267). In size and color it does 
 closely resemble the Hessian fly, and might readily mislead any one 
 just commencing their observations. That occasional specimens of 
 the Hessian fly may be taken in June we do not doubt; *but that 
 the main brood comes out, deposits its eggs, and disappears, a month 
 earlier than this, we are quite confident, from our ow’n observations 
 as already related, as well as from the testimony of almost every 
 writer who speaks definitely upon this point. Those few larv<e 
 which have been found in the centre of the wheat culm, were not 
 unlikely of some other species, since in this particular its habits cor¬ 
 respond with those of the Cephus pygmants , the Chlorops pumilio- 
 nis, Sfc. That the Hessian fly larva resides in the sheath of the 
 culm, and not in its centre, we feel confident Miss M. has herself 
 become convinced ere this day:—so earnest and candid an enquirer 
 
356 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 after truth, and one so capable of giving to every fact its due weight, 
 cannot long remain in error, upon a point so susceptible of demon¬ 
 stration as this. 
 
 Its Parasites. 
 
 It is well known that one of the most effectual means for keep¬ 
 ing the Hessian fly in check and preventing it from literally swarm¬ 
 ing all over our land, has been provided by nature herself. Other 
 insects have been created, apparently for the very purpose of prey¬ 
 ing upon this, and thus preventing it from becoming inordinately 
 multiplied. The world is indebted to Mr. Herrick for much inte¬ 
 resting information respecting these insects, the result ot his own 
 accurate and patient investigations. As we purpose, should we suc¬ 
 ceed in more fully tracing out the history of these and other Ce- 
 cidomyian parasites, making them a subject of a separate memoir at 
 some future day, we refrain from devoting to them any considerable 
 space in the present paper. The general reader, however, will 
 scarcely pardon us, if we omit all allusion to them. Me therefore 
 subjoin a brief sketch of the contents of this part of Mr. Herrick’s 
 article. 
 
 The Hessian fly is preyed upon and devoured by at least four 
 other insects. When its eggs are lay eel upon the wheat leaves, they 
 are visited by an exceedingly minute four winged fly, (a species of 
 Platyguster ,) which punctures the egg and deposites in it tour or 
 six eggs of its own; the Hessian fly woim hatches, grows, and 
 passes into its flax seed state with these internal foes feeding upon 
 it: it now dies, and its destroyers in due time escape from the flax 
 seed shell. Three other minute four winged flies, or bees as they 
 would be called in common language, destroy the fly wdien in its 
 flax seed state. The most common of these, by far, is Say’s Ce- 
 raphron destructor. Alighting upon the w r heat stalks, instinct in¬ 
 forms them precisely where one of these flax seeds lies concealed. 
 They thereupon <( sting” through the sheath of the stalk, and into the 
 body of the worm, placing an egg therein, which hatches to a mag¬ 
 got, lives upon and devours the w y orra. Such are the means which 
 nature has provided for preventing this pest from becoming unduly 
 multiplied. And so efficient and inveterate are these foes, that 
 more than nine-tenths of all the Hessian fly larva? that have come 
 
357 
 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 into existence, are probably destroyed by them, Mr. Herrick thinks, 
 and we have strong reasons for believing that his estimate is within 
 the truth. 
 
 From the date given by Mr. Herrick of his first discovery of the 
 e SS parasite, we know that the first or autumnal generation is at¬ 
 tacked by it. Whether it preys upon the second or spring genera¬ 
 tion also, does not so clearly appear. From our own observations, 
 and the well known habits of the other parasites, it would seem 
 to be principally upon the second or spring generation which they 
 prey. Indeed we can scarcely conceive it possible for them with 
 their short ovipositors to reach the flaxseeds of the first generation, 
 buried as these are beneath the surface of the earth and reposing at 
 the roots of the young wheat. That these parasites are surprising¬ 
 ly abundant, and destroy immense numbers of the spring generation, 
 any one can easily ascertain by collecting the infested straw at har¬ 
 vest time, and securely enclosing it, to preserve all the insects 
 which hatch from it. He will thus obtain parasites in abundance, 
 and only occasionally a Hessian fly. On the other hand, numbers of 
 the young plants taken up by us in April, evolved nothing but Hes¬ 
 sian flies. The observations of a single season, we are aware, can¬ 
 not be relied on for establishing a point like this. But they force 
 upon us the suspicion that it is chiefly the second generation that is 
 infested by parasites, and that the first is comparatively free from 
 them. 
 
 Remedies. 
 
 “ An effectual remedy ” against the Hessian fly, which has been 
 so much inquired after and talked about, and by which term we sup¬ 
 pose is meant some specific which will infallibly destroy or drive 
 away the insect, or protect the crop from its ravages, never has been 
 and probably never will be discovered. In truth, we regard the idea 
 that a remedy of this character exists, as being equally absurd with 
 a belief in the philosopher’s stone. There is probably no such 
 thing as sure and infallible specifics against any of the insects which 
 invade our crops, anymore than there is against those diseases which 
 attack our persons. Still, believing this, we also believe that there is 
 no noxious insect but what, when we closely study into its habits we 
 can invariably discover some one or more ways of opposing it, by 
 
I 
 
 358 [Assembly 
 
 which we can with certainty to a great extent, if not entirely, 
 shield ourselves against its depredations. Thus it is with the in¬ 
 sect under consideration. There is no remedy with which we can 
 “ doctor 5 ’ it away—no charm with which we can say to it, ct vanish 
 presto; 5 ’ yet there are measures, which employed, will guaranty fair 
 crops, when if not reserted to, no wheat will be gathered. Of this 
 fact we are well convinced, both from personal observations, and the 
 concurrent testimony of a cloud of witnesses. 
 
 A consideration of the various remedial measures which have 
 been proposed, is therefore a subject of surpassing interest to every 
 cultivator of the soil. We shall hence proceed to review them in 
 detail, treating first of those, which, after a careful consideration of 
 this topic, we regard as the most important. 
 
 1. A rich soil .—This is a safeguard which has been strongly 
 urged by almost every one who has written upon this insect. In¬ 
 deed an inspection of different fields of wheat in a district where 
 this enemy is present, cannot fail to impress upon the observer the 
 utility and importance of this requisite. Other things being equal, 
 the crops on impoverished lands invariably suffer the most. Hence 
 those on sandy soils, which retain the strength of fertilizing agents 
 less than other soils, have in numerous instances been remarked as 
 most severely devastated. A striking contrast, even, may very of¬ 
 ten be perceived in different parts of the same field. The summits 
 of the knolls and ridges, situations where the soil is the most mea¬ 
 gre, almost invariably show the greatest amount of damage; whilst 
 the intervening hollows, to which the fertilizing matters are w r ashed 
 from the surrounding acclivities, sustain a comparatively slight if 
 at all sensible injury. Yet the latter situations are the very ones 
 which insects of this family are known to be most prone to frequent, 
 being more low, shady and damp. There can be no doubt, there¬ 
 fore, but the fly is as numerous in the hollows of a grain field, as 
 upon its ridges; and that it is only in consequence of the greater 
 fertility of the former situations, that the crop there, is enabled so 
 effectually to withstand this enemy. Indeed, the farmers them¬ 
 selves, in districts where the fly has prevailed, have all learned from 
 experience, that it is only upon fertile lands that it will do to sow 
 their wheat. Hence Ezra L’Hommedieu long ago intimated that the 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 359 
 
 Hessian fly on Long Island, by driving the farmers to manure their 
 lands, instead of a curse had actually been a blessing. He says, 
 ‘ ! the land in Suffolk county and other parts of Long Island, was 
 easily tilled, and by continual cropping with wheat was so reduced, 
 that on an average not more than live or six bushels was raised to 
 the acre. Ihis mode of husbandry was still pursued, and although 
 the land was gradually impoverished, the farmer found the crop, 
 although small, more than would pay for his labor and expense. 
 The Hessian fly put an end to this kind of husbandry, and in that 
 respect has proved a blessing instead of a curse; no other way being 
 found to prevent the injury done by this insect, but by highly ma¬ 
 nuring the land.” {Trans. JV. Y. Soc. for Prom . of Jlgric ., frc., i. 
 57). A writer in Delaware also states that the universal predilec¬ 
 tion there, was to have large rather than rich fields of wheat; that 
 this insect was counteracting this, by compelling them to cultivate 
 less land, in order to cultivate it well; and that its tendency conse¬ 
 quently was, to make our population more dense, by making it the 
 interest of every man to own no more land than what he could ma¬ 
 nure highly and till carefully. {Carey's Museum, xi. 301). We 
 thus have, even in the devastations committed by this destroyer evi¬ 
 dent indications of that 
 
 “All partial evil, universal good,” 
 
 which is every where manifest in the works of the Supreme Archi¬ 
 tect of nature. It is doubtless the additional strength and vigor 
 enjoyed by plants growing upon a rich soil, which enables them to 
 withstand the depredations of this insect. Those shoots which are 
 first sent up from a kernel of seed, are the ones which are common¬ 
 ly attacked and destroyed, and in an impoverished soil the seed it¬ 
 self thereupon perishes; whilst in a rich soil, its vitality continues, 
 and other shoots are sent forth by it, which grow vigorously and 
 unmolested. In the spring attack also, the weak and slender stalks 
 growing upon a poor soil, are much more liable to become broken 
 and fail of maturing any grain, than the large, robust, well nourish¬ 
 ed stalks of a fertile soil. Hence a rich soil enables a plant to ela¬ 
 borate a sufficient amount of fluids for its own sustenance, in addi- 
 dition to that which is abstracted from it by a few of these insects. 
 We therefore regard this as a primary and indispensable measure, 
 and one which must accompany others next to be considered, in or- 
 er to their full success. 
 
360 [Assembly 
 
 2. Late Sowing .—This measure also comes to us sanctioned by 
 the almost unanimous recommendations of writers; and we regard 
 it as one of the most efficient, as it certainly is the most facile of 
 any that can be resorted to. It is universally admitted that it is 
 the earliest sowed fields that are always the most infested; and we 
 cannot but suspect that the present visit of this enemy to this sec¬ 
 tion of the country, after so long an absence, has been invited by 
 the general practice of early sowing, resorted to by our farmers 
 under the probably incorrect idea of hereby escaping from the de¬ 
 predations of the wheat-fly. Just before harvest, our attention 
 was directed to two contiguous fields of wheat in the town of Still¬ 
 water, one of which was seriously injured by the Hessian fly, 
 whilst in the other not a solitary straw broken by the insect could 
 be found. The only cause to which this striking contrast could 
 be imputed, was, that the latter field had been sowed a fortnight 
 later than the former one. Analogous instances have often oc¬ 
 curred to the notice of every observing person living in districts 
 where the fly has been present. Such cases, however, must not 
 be deemed to prove so much as they at first view appear to. It 
 is not probable that the fly had entirely ceased from depositing its 
 eggs before the second of the above fields had become forward 
 enough for its purposes. Had the sowing of the first field been 
 delayed a fortnight, both fields, it is probable, would have suffered 
 equally. The whole injury that fell upon the first field, would 
 thus have been divided between it and its neighbor. And so in 
 all cases, we presume that the field which is the earliest, attracts 
 all of the insects in its immediate vicinity, and these finding all 
 the accommodations they desire there, have no occasion for going 
 elsewhere. For a more extended elucidation of this topic, sec the 
 American Farmer , vol. ii. p. 167. Two objections have been 
 urged against late sowing; the liability of the young plants to 
 “winter-kill,” and of the crop when near maturity to be attacked 
 by “the rust.” There is little danger of th'e first of these casual¬ 
 ties, we suppose, upon porous soils, it being a disaster almost pe¬ 
 culiar to stiff clays, which retain a large amount of moisture at 
 their surface. In such soils, therefore, it may be advisable to re¬ 
 sort to the plan employed in some parts of England, namely, sow¬ 
 ing only on a newly turned over sward, the grass roots in which 
 
361 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 serve to bind the soil together in such a manner as to retard its 
 “heaving” by the frost. ( Fessenden's Complete Farmer, p. 114), 
 This disaster, moreover, is guarded against in a great degree by 
 sowing only upon a very fertile soil, whereby a quick and vigor¬ 
 ous growth is secured, and the young plants are thus enabled to 
 acquire sufficient strength of root to withstand the winter’s frosts. 
 The same expedient, also, by insuring a rapid growth and an early 
 maturity of the crop is the best safeguard against the rust, a dis¬ 
 aster to which late props only are ordinarily liable. Upon rich 
 land, therefore, scarcely any scruples need be entertained with re¬ 
 gard to late sowing. If a neighboring field has been already sowed 
 and the season is favorable for its vegetation, it will be safe to 
 commit the seed to the ground within a week or two thereafter, 
 as all the insects in the vicinity, unless they are present in immense 
 swarms, will be attracted to and remain in the earlier crop. About 
 the last of September is probably as late as it will be judicious to 
 defer sowing wheat in this climate; and in most seasons this will 
 secure it from any serious attack of the fly. Although when it 
 comes forward, the season for the deposition of the eggs of the fly 
 may not in some years be entirely over, it must be rare that a num¬ 
 ber of these sufficiently large to be materially injurious, will be 
 laid; but should that at any time be the case, other remedies still 
 can thereupon be resorted to, to counteract the evil. 
 
 3. Grazing. —This measure is alluded to as worthy of attention, 
 in the first account of this insect published in this country, where 
 the fact is stated, that “ by feeding the crop very close in the win¬ 
 ter and spring, if the land is rich it will again spring up, and the 
 worms do not much injure the second growth.” It is plain that a 
 close fed crop will furnish few leaves for the fly to place its eggs 
 upon, and these leaves will be commonly consumed before the eggs 
 are hatched. Gen. Cocke directed public attention strongly to this 
 measure in 1817, and six years subsequently states that full expe¬ 
 rience had amply confirmed him in his estimate of its efficacy. — 
 {American Farmer , v. 241). If in autumn it be omitted till after 
 the eggs are hatched, and the worms have descended to the root, it 
 can obviously be of little or no service. When, therefore, an attack 
 of the fly is feared, as the exact time of the deposition of the eggs 
 is somewhat variable in different seasons, it will be necessary to 
 
362 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 watch the young wheat, as soon as two or three blades from each 
 root appear ; and if the fly is discovered profusely depositing its 
 eggs, sheep or other stock should at once be turned upon it, in such 
 numbers, if possible, as to eat down the crop in a few days. The 
 eggs will thus be destroyed, and the favorite nidus of the fly for 
 continuing this deposite, will be effectually broken up : it will thus 
 be compelled to resort to other quarters. The same process may 
 also be repeated in the spring, if found necessary. No injury to 
 the crop need be apprehended from its being thus grazed down, if 
 the soil is of due fertility — it soon and entirely recovers from this 
 operation. Moreover, if the soil is poor and impoverished, the fly 
 will be sure to injure it far more than what the sheep will do. We 
 cannot, therefore, but regard this as a most judicious and important 
 measure, if seasonably resorted to. The intelligent wool grower, 
 will scarcely require to be informed, that sheep taken from their 
 ordinary walks, should at first remain upon the rank feed of the 
 wheat field but an hour or two of a day. 
 
 4. The roller— Passing over the grain with a heavy roller, is a 
 remedy in commendation of which several writers concur, supposing 
 that many of the eggs upon the leaves will thus be crushed. Col. 
 Morgan was in the habit of both rolling and grazing his wheat fields, 
 before the Hessian fly appeared in his vicinity ; and as his crops 
 were much less injured than those of his immediate neighbors, he 
 attributes his escape to these causes. If there be any foundation for 
 Mr. Smellzer’s opinion, that certain varietes of wheat are fly proof, 
 because their leaves grow horizontally instead of inclining upwards, 
 assuredly by a repeated use of the roller every kind of wheat may 
 be made fly proof. No doubt this measure is a judicious one, par¬ 
 ticularly on fields that are so smooth and free from stones that 
 almost every plant will receive a firm pressure by the operation. 
 If resorted to, it should obviously be done at those times when the 
 eggs are newly laid upon the leaves. After all, is not the efficacy 
 of the roller, at least in part, owing to its loosening and dislodging 
 the eggs from their position and causing them to drop to the ground, 
 where the wmrm, hatching, is unable to find its way into the sheath 
 of the young plant 1 This point merits investigation ; for if there 
 is any truth in the suggestion, sweeping the plants with a broom or 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 363 
 
 some similar implement, will probably brush off much greater num¬ 
 bers of the eggs than passing a roller over them can do. 
 
 5. Mowing. —Mr. Goodhue, of Lancaster, Wisconsin, in a com¬ 
 munication in the fifth volume of the Prairie Farmer, suggests that 
 the larvae concealed within the bases of the leaves, may be destroyed 
 by mowing the wheat, and feeding it to the stock. We deem Ibis 
 proposal a valuable one for exterminating the second or spring 
 brood from a wheat field. In those cases where the worms are dis¬ 
 covered in the month of May, to be fearfully numerous at the joints 
 of the young stalks, there can be little doubt but that on smooth 
 grounds the scythe may be so used as to take off almost every spear 
 below where the larva; are lodged ; and that thus a second growth 
 of stalks will be produced, quite free from these depredators. The 
 following facts incline me to believe that on a fertile soil, wheat 
 may be thus mowed, with little if any eventual injury to the crop. 
 Portions of a field of my own, the past season grew so rank, that 
 deeming it would become lodged and mildewed, by waj of experi¬ 
 ment a space in it was mowed down after the plants were two feet 
 in height, and another after the heads had begun to put forth. 
 Though not so early in ripening, the appearance of these two patches 
 at harvest, indicated, so far as a single experiment could do, that 
 wheat might be mowed at the former period without any diminution 
 of its productiveness, whilst at the latter, both the straw and heads 
 would be of a more slender and feeble growth. 
 
 6. Fly proof wheats .—That there are any kinds of wheat which 
 are perfectly “ fly proof,” (to use a common and expressive term,) 
 as has been [sometimes stated, we wholly disbelieve. At times 
 when the fly is so excessively numerous as to attack barley and rye, 
 it is not probable that any of the cultivated species of the genus 
 Triticum can entirely withstand its attacks. But that there are * 
 kinds of this grain, that escape with little injury, when other kinds 
 are almost wholly destroyed, is a well established fact. What the 
 peculiar properties possessed by these varieties are, that render them 
 thus singularly invulnerable, has nevir been investigated with that 
 degree of accuracy, which so interesting and important a subject 
 well merits. Mr. Worth supposes that fly proof wheats must have 
 smooth leaves, affording no grooved or channelled surface to hold 
 
364 [Assembly 
 
 the eggs of the fly. {Abner. Far, ii. 181). Mr. Smeltzer thinks the 
 leaves of such wheat stand out horizontally from the stem, or incline 
 downwards, instead of being erect, and that the egg is thus washed 
 to the ground by rains. (Patent Off. Report , 1844, p. 434). The 
 Hon. J. Taliaferro regards the immunity as proceeding from the 
 strength and vigor of the roots, whereby the plant continues to grow, 
 notwithstanding the exhaustion of its juices by the worm. (Patent 
 Off. Report, 1842, App. No. 1). This theory appears to us more 
 plausible and more in accordance with the facts recorded with regard 
 to these varieties, than any other which has been proposed. Other 
 opinions less specific, might be alluded to, but all of them are 
 opinions merely, as we discover no evidence of their having been 
 substantiated by a diligent investigation of this point. The reputa¬ 
 tion of the Underhill wheat has already been sufficiently shown. 
 This was a bearded white chaff, with a plump yellow berry, requiring 
 to be thoroughly dried before grinding, and then producing flour in 
 quantity and quality equal to the best of the other varieties. Its 
 fly proof quality was by many supposed to be owing to the hardness 
 or solidity of its straw. The fly freely deposited its eggs upon this 
 wheat, but it was seldom, if ever, materially injured by it. The 
 Spelter wheat ( Triticum spelta, Linn.,) was also long since re¬ 
 marked as never having been injured by the^fly. This is so very 
 inferior a species, that it is but little in use in this country, and only 
 cultivated because it will grow well on the poorest soils, whether 
 the season be wet or dry, and is free from all maladies. It has a 
 long, slender, beardless head, with the chaff so firmly attached to 
 the grain, that it can only be separated by passing through a mill, 
 and yields a yellowish flour. It is more highly esteemed in Ger¬ 
 many than in any other country, being there preferred even to all 
 other kinds of wheat. The China wheat, said originally to have 
 been found in a crate of imported China ware, branches and grows 
 very much like rye, ripen§ at least a week earlier than other varie¬ 
 ties, yields largely, (forty or fifty bushels per acre it is said,) and 
 has never been known to be injured by the fly. {Pat. Off. Report, 
 1844, p. 43). The Mediterranean wheat, in such high repute 
 for its fly proof and other qualities, was introduced into Maryland 
 in 1837. It is a slight red chaff, having a long stiff beard, a long, 
 ted, and very flinty berry, and ripens about ten days earlier than 
 
365 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 other varieties. Mr. Garnett, in his Fredericksburg address, consi¬ 
 ders its only title to be designated as fly proof, is, that it recovers 
 better than other wheats from the depredations of this insect. In 
 the South. Planter , (vol. ii. p. 243,) it is said to be a coarse, dark 
 grain, much like rye, and yielding such indifferent flour, that some 
 of the merchants had announced they would buy no more of it. Its 
 straw too, when grown upon a fertile soil is said to be too weak 
 to support the head. Mr. It. L. Wright, in .the American Ag¬ 
 riculturist of 1843, [and others, state that it improves by culti¬ 
 vation. As it becomes fully acclimated, it will, we doubt not, lose 
 its most objectionable traits ; but will it not with them also lose its 
 fly proof and other qualities, which are its main recommendations at 
 present ? On the whole, this variety is so very prolific, and so ex¬ 
 empt from all diseases, that we are not surprised at the marked favor 
 it has received. It is admirably adapted for securing a premium in 
 our agricultural societies, where, “the largest crop, raised at the 
 least expense ” receives the prize ; but its grower will be reluctant 
 to inform his neighbors, that he sells it in market at six cents per 
 bushel under the current price. In fine, we think this noted variety 
 can never come into general favor in those districts where choicer 
 kinds can be successfully cultivated. The Etrurian wheat, brought 
 home by Com. Stewart, so far as yet appears, possesses all the most 
 valuable qualities, and none of the defects of the Mediterranean. 
 This is a bald variety, having a strong and vigorous stalk, a beauti¬ 
 ful long smooth head, yielding a round plump, white kernel, with 
 a remarkably thin bran. It is very prolific, and quite as early as 
 the Mediterranean, (Rev. D. Zollickoffer and others in the American 
 Farmer ,) and has thus far resisted the attack of the fly. We are 
 gravely told by an anonymous writer, that “ this wheat was not, as 
 its name would indicate, brought from the little Island of Etruria.” 
 In what creek this “ little island ” is situated, we have been unable 
 to discover, but with such a decided negation, we are driven to the 
 inference that the grain in question was derived from a territory 
 which we moderns call Tuscany. The White flint; wheat, one 
 of the choicest varieties of western New-York, withstands the attack 
 of the fly better than any of the other kinds there in use. For a full 
 account of it, see Gen. Harmon’s paper in the Trans. N. Y. State 
 Agric. Soc., 1843, p. 217. In conclusion of this branch of our 
 
366 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 subject, we would observe, that we should by no means be solicitous 
 of procuring any variety of wheat, merely because of its fly proof 
 qualities, believing as we do, that in all ordinary visitations of the 
 fly, other measures are a sufficient safeguard. If vigor of root, 
 firmness of stalk, and rapidity of growth, are, as would appear, the 
 points which render these varieties fly proof, a fertile soil will cer¬ 
 tainly go far towards imparting to most other varieties the same 
 quality. 
 
 7. Steeps for the seed. -These have been recommended with a 
 
 two-fold view. 1st. To destroy the eggs ; decoction of elder, juice 
 of elder, boiling water, &c. These assume the erroneous position that 
 the eggs of the fly are deposited upon the grain ; it is manifest 
 therefore that they can be of no utility. 2d. To insure a quick and 
 vigorous growth of the young plant. Where sowing is deferred un¬ 
 til late in the season, it may be judicious to resort to some measure 
 of this kind to stimulate the seed to a more speedy and rapid ger¬ 
 mination and growth. In Carey's Museum, (voli xii page 182,) an 
 experiment of a Poughkeepsie farmer is related, who had soaked his 
 seed wheat in a solution of saltpetre, four ounces being dissolved in 
 water sufficient to wet a bushel. After soaking twenty-four hours, 
 it was spread out and dried twelve hours, and then sowed, so late as 
 the first of November. Early in the following June, this crop is 
 reported as being in advance of neighboring ones which had been 
 sowed early. This experiment, and others of a similar character, 
 strikingly indicate that it lies much within the compass of human 
 instrumentality to accelerate the growth of vegetation, by measures 
 of this kind. 
 
 8. Oats as a decoy .—It has been recommended, to furnish a crop 
 of young or of “ volunteer” oats to the insect, on which to deposit 
 its eggs ; and when it has nearly or quite completed this operation, 
 plowing the oats under, thus burying the eggs and larvae, and then 
 sowing the wheat upon their graves. To us, this appears only as 
 u a tub to amuse the whale or in other words, an admirable pro¬ 
 ject for wheedling honest (< Farmer John ” into late sowing, upon 
 an enriched well pulverized soil. We have no clear evidence that 
 the fly will deposite its eggs upon oats. It certainly will not be in¬ 
 clined to do so if there is any young wheat, barley, or rye in the vi¬ 
 cinity to which it can resort. 
 
367 
 
 No. 150.] 
 
 9. Wheat as a decoy .—The preceding measure suggests to us 
 another, which is well worthy of the attention of the agriculturist. 
 The facts recorded respecting this insect, clearly show that it is the 
 earliest sowed and most forward fields of grain that are most infest¬ 
 ed. The fly is attracted to these fields, and finding a more luxuriant 
 vegetation, and a more shady covert here than elsewhere, and meet¬ 
 ing with all the accommodations which it desires, it here remains, 
 even though adjoining fields separated only by an open fence, have 
 come forward sufficiently to afford at least a part of the brood, quar¬ 
 ters equally as comfortable. To us it appears evident, from these 
 premises, that if one or two acres across the middle of a large field 
 be sowed with wheat about the middle of August, all the flies in the 
 vicinity will be attracted to this point, and there retained ; so that 
 it will be perfectly safe to sow the remainder of the field by the 
 middle of September. If the Ilessian fly is common in the neigh¬ 
 borhood, the early sowed strip will be badly infested. If so, let it 
 be turned under by the plow, either after two or three severe frosts 
 have rendered it certain that the season for depositing the eggs is 
 fully past, or early in the following spring—resowing it with win¬ 
 ter wheat in the former case, or with spring wheat in the latter. 
 By this procedure all the larvae will be buried and perish. Only in 
 one contingency, as we can perceive, will this plan be inexpedient or 
 liable to fail, namely, when the flies are present in such vast num¬ 
 bers, that the decoy thus prepared is inadequate fully to accommo¬ 
 date them. Upon this point, the amount of damage done at the pre¬ 
 ceding harvest, will enable the cultivator to judge with a considera¬ 
 ble degree of certainty. The advantages which this plan promises, 
 are, that it draws all the insects of the neighborhood together, and 
 destroys their entire progeny ; it enables most of the grain tp be 
 sowed as early as is desirable ; and finally, there will no second or 
 spring generation come forth in the field to attack any part of the 
 crop. This measure therefore, should receive a fair trial from some 
 intelligent wheat grower in a district suffering under this pest. 
 
 10. Deeply covering the seed .—From the letters of a King Wil¬ 
 liam County Farmer, and from the specimens furnished by him to 
 Mr. Garnett, which are figured in the American Farmer, (vol. ii. p. 
 174,) the following facts would seem to be conclusively established, 
 
368 
 
 [Assemb 
 
 to wit :—That when a kernel of wheat is buried to the depth of 
 about three inches, it sends a single stem upwards, which, within 
 an inch of the surface forms a crown, sending from that point a tuft 
 of fibrous roots downwards, and a tuft of blades upwards ; these be¬ 
 come the main roots and stalks, if undisturbed. But if these be de¬ 
 stroyed by the fly, a new set of shoots and roots start directly from 
 the deep buried kernel, and these latter shoots are never attacked 
 by the fly. A kernel but slightly covered, on the other hand, sends 
 up its blades at once directly from the seed ; if these be attacked 
 therefore, the whole is destroyed. Such is a brief but plain state¬ 
 ment, we believe, of the argument of the King William Farmer. 
 In other words, seed slightly covered can send up but a single set 
 of shoots, and being attacked by the fly, the whole perishes ; but 
 seed deeply buried can send up a double set of shoots ; those first 
 appearing are attacked and destroyed ; those which thereupon start 
 directly from the seed are never infested by the fly. Admitting the 
 facts to be as set forth, it amounts to this, that by deeply covering, 
 the same quantity of seed in reality produces two crops; one, which 
 is speedily harvested by the fly ; and the other, gathered at a later 
 day by human hands. To this procedure we have two objections. 
 By adopting it, you do nothing whatever towards destroying the in¬ 
 sect or frustrating it in the least in its operations. On the contrary, 
 you aim to provide food for it. You cherish it. You, in effect, say 
 to it, “ be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.” True, by 
 giving it what it wants, it leaves us as much more. But it is rather 
 humiliating to us “ lords of creation” to rear crops “ at the halves” 
 and place ourselves in the rank of mere tenants to so ignoble a land¬ 
 lord ! Again, this measure only shields us against the autumnal at¬ 
 tack-. It does nothing against that of the following spring. Nay, 
 by providing so well for the first generation, it tends to make the 
 second generation more numerous, and the spring attack conse¬ 
 quently more severe. Thus much upon the supposition that the 
 facts are precisely as set forth by the King William Farmer. That 
 he sincerely believed them to be correct, and that he was perfectly 
 honest in the selection of the specimens which he forwarded to Mr. 
 Garnett, we do not in the least doubt. Indeed the encomium which 
 Mr. G. has written upon the character of his friend, must forever 
 place him above all suspicions of insincerity or of anything approach- 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 369 
 
 ing to chicanery. But our own observations impress upon us 
 strongly the conviction that he is in error in one most important 
 point in his argument, namely, that seed slightly covered, dies 
 whenever its blades are destroyed by the fly. It is only in an im¬ 
 poverished soil that it thus dies ; in a rich soil, as has been already 
 stated, its vitality continues, its roots are so well surrounded with 
 nutriment that they readily sustain it, and its first shoots being de¬ 
 stroyed, it sends up a second set which grow unharmed. It thus 
 performs the same operation which the King William Farmer con¬ 
 tends, it can only do when deeply buried. Our specimen, from 
 which the drawing (fig. A,) was taken, plainly shows this fact. The 
 illustration is an exact copy from nature, of two shoots which were 
 separated from a tuft of similar ones, all growing from one shallow 
 covered seed ; and in every infested field which we have examined, 
 myriads of similar specimens might have been gathered, whilst com¬ 
 monly only on knolls and other barren or dry parts of the fields 
 were the plants found to be wholly destroyed, as they are repre¬ 
 sented in the figures of the American Farmer. A fertile soil there¬ 
 fore insures the same results which are claimed for a deep covering 
 of the seed. In both cases, the shoots which first appear are de¬ 
 stroyed ; another set appear afterwards, which are unharmed—not 
 because the seed is buried too deep for the worms to crawl down to 
 it, as the King William Farmer seems to infer, but because there 
 are no flies any longer abroad to deposite their eggs upon the leaves. 
 The exact truth then, with regard to this matter, we are firmly per¬ 
 suaded is as follows. In a meagre soil, the seed will die, whether 
 it, be covered slightly or deeply. In a less impoverished soil, if the 
 weather be dry in September as it frequently is, seed near the sur¬ 
 face will often perish, when that which is deeply buried will survive. 
 In a fertile soil the seed will survive, whether it be covered shallow 
 or deep. That suits of specimens can therefore be easily procured 
 which will appear to demonstrate a state of things in every particu¬ 
 lar the very reverse of those figured in the American Farmer , 
 scarcely admits of a doubt. Our conclusion then is, that the King 
 William Farmer is measuiably correct in his position, but by no 
 means correct to the extent contended for. When the Hessian fly 
 is present in any district, deeply covering the seed, especially if it be 
 early sowed, will in most cases be an additional safeguard against 
 [Assembly, No. 150.] 26 
 
370 [Assembly 
 
 its destruction. The measure is therefore good as a subordinate one, 
 but it must fall far short of ranking as a primary one. 
 
 11. Procuring seed from uninfested districts. —This measure also, 
 is based upon the erroneous supposition that the eggs are deposited 
 upon the grain. It can consequently be of no utility whatever as 
 a safeguard against the Hessian fly. The measure has been fairly 
 Jested in several instances without success. 
 
 12. Sun-drying the seed. —Mr. W. II. Hill, in the Nashville Ag¬ 
 riculturist of 1842, states that for fifteen years his wheat crops had 
 not been injured by the Hessian fly, whilst those of his neighbors 
 had suffered more or less. This immunity he attributes to two cau¬ 
 ses •, exposing his seed to the sun for two days previous to sowing 
 it, and sowing none but the largest and fullest grains, the others 
 being separated by a sieve. Doubtless stronger roots and a more 
 vigorous growth is obtained by sowing large,plump seed. We think 
 that effectually drying the seed in the sun can have but one effect, 
 that of retarding its germination a short time—an end that may be 
 equally as well attained, and with less trouble, by deferring the 
 sowing until a somewhat later period. 
 
 13. Drawing elder bushes over the young plants. —We have here 
 one of the fancies of a former day, it being supposed that elder pos¬ 
 sessed an odor or some more occult property, which rendered it 
 peculiarly repulsive to insects. A trial of it against the Hessian fly, 
 however, soon demonstrated that it possessed little or no virtue of 
 tjiat kind in reference to this insect. If any benefit ever resulted 
 from it, it was probably only by dislodging and brushing off some 
 of the eggs from the blades of the wheat. 
 
 14. Sprinkling fine salt , ashes, or caustic lime over the young 
 plants. —The first of these measures was proposed, from its appear¬ 
 ing at one time that wheat growing upon points of land exposed to 
 the sea air was less injured than that growing back from the coast. 
 Neither of these remedies, however, have been attended with suc¬ 
 cess, in an^ case on record, and they probably are of no service 
 whatever, except as they may slightly increase the fertility, of some 
 fields. There is no likelihood that the fly, its eggs, or larvae can be 
 materially discommoded by them. 
 
No. 150.] 
 
 371 
 
 15. Burning and plowing up the wheat stubble .—This measure 
 was originally proposed by Judge Havens, and has been unanimous¬ 
 ly approved of and strongly urged by several of the most intelli¬ 
 gent writers since. Indeed, a slight examination can scarcely fail of 
 impressing upon every one its utility, independent of the sanction of 
 authority. Whoever will at, or soon after hai vest, inspect the stub¬ 
 ble of a field that has been badly infested by the Hessian fly, will 
 find these insects in their flax seed state lying one,* two, three or 
 more, at the joints of perhaps half the straws of the field. What 
 a trifling labor, or rather what a pastime will it now be to set fire to 
 this dry stubble, and hereby inevitably consume countless thousands 
 of these destroyers. This point appears so plainly evident, that no 
 one, we think, will hesitate in pronouncing this remedy decidedly 
 the most important and valuable of all. But a thought breaks in 
 upon us, of such fearful import, that fancying we see the burning 
 brand extended, in an instant more to send a sheet of vivid flame, 
 leaping, hissing, and crackling over the fated field, we involuntarily 
 shout, 
 
 “ Stop! or thy tread is on an empire’s dust !” 
 
 Of a truth, what a short sighted mortal is man, and how often are 
 the words of the poet verified, that 11 a little knowledge is a dan¬ 
 gerous thing.” Seeing his enemy chained to the stake, he exult- 
 ingly rushes at once to fire the faggots, and lo, a dozen of his friends 
 are immolated upon the same pyre ! Is it not a fact, that whilst by 
 this measure we consume the Hessian fly by hundreds, we inevitably 
 destroy its mortal foes by thousands I And that the very means 
 which we thus resort to for averting a future calamity are the surest 
 means that could be devised for bringing that calamity upon us ! 
 If nine-tenths of every generation of the Hessian fly are destroyed 
 by three or four other insects, who can calculate the value of the 
 services which these latter are yearly rendering us ? And who, 
 then, will be so inconsiderate and ruthless as to destroy nine of 
 these useful parasites, iu order to exterminate one Hessian fly ! Yet 
 this must, in most cases, be the result of burning the stubble of the 
 wheat field. We commenced our account of this remedy impressed 
 with a belief that it w r as the best that had ever been proposed ; we 
 close it, persuaded that it is the very worst. 
 
372 
 
 [Assemblt 
 
 Brief Summary of the preceding History. 
 
 The Hessian fly (Cecidomyia destructor of Say,) is a European 
 insect, and has been detected in Germany, France, Switzerland and 
 Italy, where it at times commits severe depredations upon the wheat 
 crops. Its ravages are alluded to so far back as the year 1732. It 
 was brought to this country, probably in some straw used in pack¬ 
 age by the Hessian soldiers, who landed on Staten and the west end 
 of Long Island, August, 1716, but did not become so multiplied as 
 to severely injure the crops in that neighborhood, until 1779. From 
 theme as a central point, it gradually extended over the country in 
 all directions, advancing at the rate of from ten to twenty miles a 
 year. Most of the wheat crops were wholly destroyed by it within 
 a year or two of its first arrival at a given place, and its depreda¬ 
 tions commonly continued for several years, when they would near¬ 
 ly or quite cease ; its parasitic insect enemies probable increasing to 
 such an extent as to almost exterminate it. It is frequently reap¬ 
 pearing in excessive numbers in one and another district of our 
 country, and in addition to wheat, injures also barley and rye. 
 
 There are two generations of this insect annually. The eggs re¬ 
 semble minute reddish grains, and are laid in the creases of the up¬ 
 per surface of the leaf, when the wheat is but a few inches high, 
 mostly in the month of September. These hatch in about a week, 
 and the worm crawls down the sheath of the leaf to its base, just 
 below the surface of the ground, where it remains, subsisting upon 
 the juices of the plant, without wounding it, but causing it to turn 
 yellow and die. It is a small white maggot, and attains its growth 
 in about six weeks. It then changes to a flax seed like body, with¬ 
 in which the worm becomes a pupa the following spring, and from 
 this the fly is evolved in ten or twelve days. The fly closely re¬ 
 sembles a musquitoe in its appearance, but is a third smaller, and 
 has no bill for sucking blood ; it is black, the joints of its body be¬ 
 ing slightly marked with reddish. It appears early in Ma^,lays its 
 eggs for another generation and soon perishes. The worms from 
 these eggs nestle at the lower joints of the stalks, weakening them 
 and causing them to bend and fall down from the weight of the 
 head, so that towards harvest, an infested field looks as though cat¬ 
 tle had passed through it. 
 

 No. 150.] 373 
 
 Wheat can scarcely be grown except upon a fertile soil in those 
 districts where this insect is abundant. The sowing should be de¬ 
 ferred until about the last of September, the season then being past, 
 when the fly usually deposites its eggs. If at any time in autumn 
 the eggs of the insect are observed to be profusely deposited upon 
 the leaves, the crop should be speedily grazed down by sheep and 
 other stock, or if this cannot be done, a heavy roller should be pass¬ 
 ed over it, that as many of the eggs as possible may be crushed or 
 dislodged thereby. One or the other of the same measures should 
 also be resorted to in the spring, if the same contingency occurs ; 
 or if the worms are at a later date discovered to be numerous at the 
 first and second joints of the young stalks, the experiment may be 
 tried of mowing as close down as possible, the most infested por¬ 
 tion of the field. Where the soil is of but medium fertility, a re¬ 
 sort to some of the hardier varieties of wheat, which are known to 
 be in a measure fly proof, may be advisable. 
 
 Fitch's Point , Salem , JV. F., April, 1847. 
 
 Note .—Since our preceding essay, upon the Cecidomyia tritici, was published, hav¬ 
 ing had an opportunity of porusing the original artioles of Mr. Kirby upon that spe- 
 oies, wo find that he both figures and describes the joints of its antennas as “ modio 
 constrict io.” It is singular that this most important distinctive mark has been so 
 misstated in the descriptions of that species which have been republished upon this 
 side of the Atlantic, and also in Turton’s edition of the System of Nature. From 
 the remarks introduc.tory to our “ Description,” some might perhaps infer that this 
 error arose with the founder of the species. We hasten, therefore, to obviate any 
 such impression. 
 
THE AGR1LUS RUFICOLLIS. 
 
 By Prof. S. S. Haldeman. 
 
 Plate, Fig. I .—This little insect, so hurtful to the raspberry, is 
 about three inches long ; black, minutely punctured, thorax and 
 front brassy ; front with a vertical impression ; a wide shallow im¬ 
 pression across the thorax posteriorly, and another at the base of the 
 elytra. In this particular case, the knowledge of the appearance 
 of the insect is not essential, as far as the means of preventing its 
 depredations are concerned, although it is always interesting to 
 know whence an injury proceeds. 
 
 In its larva state, Agrilus ruficollis lives at the expense of the cul¬ 
 tivated Rubus (raspberry), in the heart of which the pupa may be 
 found in the month of May, the imago appearing in June. The lar¬ 
 va bores between the wood and the bark, injuring the plant, and 
 causing a wide, unsightly excrescence. It next penetrates to the 
 pith, which it traverses for two or three feet, finally excavating a 
 cavity in which it undergoes its transformations. 
 
 It is probable that the larva feeds during summer and autumn, 
 and passes the winter in the pupa state. The diseased stems are 
 readily recognizable, and should be cut out and burnt in autumn, or 
 early in the spring. The perfect insect is sometimes found upon the 
 na'ive Rubus villosus, which renders it probable that this genus of 
 plants constitutes the natural food of the larva. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE. 
 
 Fig. 1. Agrilus rvficoUis, Fab. a. Its natural length. 
 
 Fig. 2. Hessian fly, male. (Cecidomyia destructor.) From a young specimen, hav¬ 
 ing the fulvous sutures of the abdomen wide. 
 
 b. Its natural size. 
 
 c. Ventral view of the terminal segments of its abdomen. 
 
 d. Joints of its antenna. 
 
 Fig. 3. Hessian fly, female. (C. destructor, °.) From an older specimen, having 
 the fulvous sutures narrow and in part obliterated. 
 
 e. Joints of its antenna. 
 
 /. Profile view of the head, palpi, and origin of the antenna. 
 
 g. Dorsal view of the worm or active larva. 
 
 h. do do “ flax seed,” or larva case. 
 
 i. Ventral view of the same. 
 
 j. Lateral view of the same. 
 
 k. Dorsal view of the dormant larva, taken from the larva case. 
 
 l. Ventral view of the pupa. 
 
 m. Wheat stalk; sheath broken away, showing the young worms on their 
 
 way to the joint. 
 
 ». ando. Wheat stalks; sheath broken away, showing the “flaxseeds” in their 
 ordinary situation. 
 
 A. Appearance of a healthy (•), and of a diseased (f) shoot of wheat in autumn, 
 
 the worms lying at §. 
 
 B. Appearance of a healthy (•*),and two diseased stalks of wheat at harvest time. 
 
 (jj) Stalk broken, from being weakened by the worms. §§ Base of sheath 
 swollen from worms having laid under it, and perforated by parasites 
 coming from those worms. 
 
ON THE CHOICE OF TREES AND SHRUBS FOR 
 CITIES AND RURAL TOWNS 
 
 By D. J. Browne, 
 
 It has often been remarked by strangers, that, in sailing up the 
 harbor of New York, they have been strongly impressed with the 
 beauty of the scenery, particularly with the number and diversified 
 forms of the trees} and that, after landing, the whole appears like 
 one vast garden, interspersed, not only with many trees indigenous 
 to the neighboring woods, but with those of the most distant 
 climes of the two worlds. In progressing inland, or in either direc¬ 
 tion along the sea-board, the same features are observable, though in 
 a less degree, in all of our cities and larger towns. It has also 
 been remarked, that the foreign trees most conspicuous in the artifi¬ 
 cial scenery, in America, are various kinds of fruit-trees, the Lom¬ 
 bardy Poplar, the Weeping Willow, the Horse-Chesnut, the Euro¬ 
 pean Lime-tree, the Ailantus, and the Paper-Mulberry. The con¬ 
 trast between the regular position and round-tufted heads of the 
 fruit-trees, and the erect-branched summits of the poplars, and be¬ 
 tween these trees and the drooping heads of the willow and the 
 ailantus, as well as between those of the wild luxuriance of the indi¬ 
 genous species, strikes the beholder with admir.ation. This love, 
 or desire, for rural taste and ornament, speaks well for our people, 
 whether they have been the most judicious in their choice and ma¬ 
 nagement, or not; and doubtless, the time is not far distant, when 
 a due regard will be paid to the cultivation of such trees and shrubs 
 for beautifying our parks, public high-ways, and private grounds, 
 as will best subserve the purposes of health, ornament and shade,— 
 and with this view the following brief hints are offered, not by the 
 way of complaint, but merely as suggestions for future improve¬ 
 ment. 
 
AGRICULTURAL SURVEY. 
 
 The executiye committee feeling the importance of a full and ac¬ 
 curate agricultural survey of the State, secured the services of Asa 
 Fitch, M. D., of Salem, Washington county, to make the survey of 
 that county. From the well known reputation of Dr. Fitch, the com¬ 
 mittee feel themselves peculiarly fortunate in securing his services for 
 this important work. He has commenced his labors and has pursued 
 his investigations during the past summer and autumn, but has not 
 been able to finish the survey, but will complete it the ensuing year. 
 
 The letter of the secretary, with the plan of the proposed survey, 
 is annexed, and also a letter from Dr. Fitch, in relation to the sur¬ 
 vey. It is believed that the survey of this county, w T hen completed, 
 will furnieh a pattern for other counties, and that a portion of the 
 funds of the society can in no way be appropriated to more advan¬ 
 tage to the agricultural interest of the State, than in continuing the 
 survey of the State. 
 
 Agricultural Rooms, ) 
 Albany, May 12th, 1847. £ 
 
 Asa Fitch, M. D. 
 
 Dear sir—You have been selected to make an agricultural survey 
 of the county of Washington; to collect accurate information in re¬ 
 lation to the state of its agriculture, and every subject connected 
 with it; to suggest means of improvement, and to make report with 
 as much exactness as circumstances will admit. 
 
 I enclose you a plan of the proposed survey, adopted by the execu¬ 
 tive committee of the New-York State Agricultural Society, which 
 will direct your attention to such inquiries as are deemed most im 
 portant. Your own experience will guide you in the fulness of ex¬ 
 amination and report under the various heads, some requiring from 
 their importance much more extended notice than others. 
 
 The reports on natural history, which have been prepared under 
 the direction of the Legislature, will aid you materially in some 
 branches of the survey, as many of the inquiries submitted can be 
 answered probably through them, and without as minute personal 
 examination as would otherwise have been necessary. 
 
r 
 
 i 
 
 36 ' [Assembly 
 
 As this is the first agricultural survey which has been undertaken 
 by the State Agricnltural Society, and upon its successful result will 
 depend whether the survey be continued in future years to other coun¬ 
 ties or not, it becomes of the highest importance that the work should 
 be done with such particularity and care, as will secure a complete 
 and finished return. It is desirable that the survey, when completed, 
 should be embraced in an octavo volume of some 200 pages; but this 
 will depend in some measure upon the extent to which it may be 
 lengthened by subjects of importance which may require particular 
 notice. 
 
 vi,The executive committee rely upon your ability to perform the work 
 in a manner that will be creditable to the society, and so as to be 
 an enduring monument to yourself in the future history of the agri¬ 
 culture of the State. 
 
 I am, very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 B. P. JOHNSON, 
 
 Secretary JY. F. State. Jig. Society. 
 
 PLAN OF THE PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF THE COUNTY OF 
 
 WASHINGTON. 
 
 1. Geographical and topographical description of the county. 
 
 2. Geological features, minerals and fossils, nature of the soil, dis¬ 
 tinguishing that composed of the “ northern drift” or of transported 
 materials from that produced from the rocks of the immediate neigh¬ 
 borhood. 
 
 3. Length of time the soil has been under cultivation; the origi¬ 
 nal growth of timber, and the time it was first cut off. 
 
 4. Date of the first settlement of the several parts of the county, 
 and the origin and general character of the settlers. 
 
 5. Condition and progress of agriculture from the first settlement 
 to the present time, showing what have been the improvements and 
 causes which have produced them; what have been the staple crops, 
 the mode of their cultivation, and as fhr as may be practicable, the 
 actual profits of each, at different periods. 
 
No. 125.] 
 
 37 
 
 6. Present state of agriculture; the several crops cultivated, their 
 respective yields and market value. Also, all industrial pursuits con¬ 
 nected with farming, such as the manufacture of maple sugar, how 
 managed in its preparation, &c. 
 
 . 7. Adaptation of crops, as grains, grasses, and roots, to different 
 soils, showing the arrangement which in this respect has been found 
 by experience to be most judicious and profitable. 
 
 8. Fruits and fruit trees; having particular reference to the adap¬ 
 tation of the various species to the different soils (mentioned under 
 head No. 2) and how far the productiveness, health, or longevity of 
 the trees are affected by the nature of the soil, &c. 
 
 9. Weeds and pernicious plants, describing those most injurious, 
 whether indigenous or introduced, and giving the most improved 
 modes for their eradication. 
 
 10. Insects, describing those which are prejudicial to the farmer, 
 and noticing the most effectual means of preventing their ravages. 
 
 11. Implements; having regard to any peculiarity of construction, 
 and noticing any improvements which may have been adopted in their 
 form, mode of manufacture, or uses. 
 
 12. Live stock; horses, cattle, sheep and swine; showing the num¬ 
 bers of each of these classes kept in the county, their diseases and 
 mode of curing them; the different breeds, and as far as maybe, the 
 relative value of each for different purposes; the relative value of 
 horses and oxen lor labor on the farm; and any facts in regard to 
 the profits and most economical management of poultry of different 
 kinds. 
 
 13. Feeding and fattening animals; having regard to the most 
 profitable modes, and the relative value of different kinds of grain, 
 roots, apples, pumpkins, grasses, (both in their green and dry state) 
 or any plants for feeding laboring animals, (whether horses or oxen,) 
 milch cows, or for fattening cattle, swine or sheep. 
 
 14. Dairies and dairy produce; showing the quantity of butter and 
 cheese produced, the quantity per cow, the best modes of making 
 these articles, and the kind of pasture and food, as well as the ge¬ 
 neral management, which is found most profitable. 
 
■ 38 [Assemblt 
 
 15. Wool growing; showing the number of sheep in the county, 
 the breeds, the quantity of wool produced per head, the value per 
 pound of the different kinds of wool, its preparation for sale, and 
 where sold; the number of sheep pastured per acre on different soils; 
 time required for winter feeding; quantity of hay required for carry¬ 
 ing a given number of sheep through the winter; most economical 
 mode of winter feeding, whether with hay alone, or with any other 
 fodder, and whether any and what kinds of grain or roots, and in 
 what quantities, and in what manner, are fed to sheep. 
 
 16. Manufactures; the kinds carried on in the county, their extent 
 and the effect they have had on the farming interest. 
 
 17. Examples of good management or success in farming. 
 
 18. General profits of farming; showing the returns for capital 
 invested. 
 
 19. Education; the state of schools, and whether any instruction 
 having a particular reference to agriculture is given in schools and 
 academies, and with what success or advantage. 
 
 20. Suggestions for improving the condition of agriculture. 
 
 21. Zoology of the county; at least a notice of those indigenous 
 quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, fish, &c., that are serviceable or detrimen¬ 
 tal to man. 
 
 To the Executive Committee of the JYew-York State Agricultural 
 
 Society. 
 
 Gentlemen —It is with deep regret that I find myself under the 
 necessity of making the announcement to you, that it is impossible 
 for me to render the expected report on the agricultural survey of 
 Washington county at the present time. Eight months ago I was 
 honored with your appointment to perform this service. A previous 
 engagement, as you was apprised when the business was first pro¬ 
 posed to me, demanded a moiety of my time during the summer. 
 The remainder of that time has been devoted to the work which you 
 commissioned me to execute, and this has received my sole attention 
 during more than half of the intervening period. But the points of 
 enquiry are so numerous, and the territory to be examined so exten- 
 
No. 125.] 
 
 39 
 
 sive, that to this date I have not been able to visit some of the 
 towns. Indeed, I may say, that in none of them have my investi¬ 
 gations been so complete as I would like to render them. When it 
 is remembered that the county embraces seventeen towns, occupying 
 a territory over sixty miles in length, and for the chief part of that 
 distance nearly twenty in breadth, it will be perceived that a tho¬ 
 rough exploration of it could not be made within the time which I 
 have as yet had to devote to it. Business of this kind, moreover, 
 is far more laborious and slow of accomplishment, than any one not 
 experienced in it would suppose. I have frequently deemed myself 
 fortunate, if on a second or third call at the end of a ride of several 
 miles, I have found the desired person at home, and so far disen¬ 
 gaged from his own secular employments, that I could make free to 
 detain him two, four or six hours, in responding to my numerous 
 interrogatories. 
 
 To some of the branches of this work I would here briefly allude, 
 that the nature and extent of these investigations, and the time 
 requisite for completing them, may be more distinctly perceived. 
 
 It was very desirable that the exact elevation and height of diffe¬ 
 rent sections of the county should be ascertained, in order to show 
 definitely the slope of its surface, the fall of its streams, its facilities 
 for drainage, irrigation, &c. Instruments for this purpose were 
 kindly furnished me by Prof. C. B. Adams, late of Middlebury, now 
 of Amherst college; and assisted by my friend T. B. Culbertson, of 
 Princeton seminary, observations were taken in the month of June, 
 upon the summit of Black mountain on the east shore of lake 
 George, the highest point in the county; Willard mountain in Eas¬ 
 ton, the highest point in the southern section of the county; Bald 
 mountain, in Greenwich; the Pinnacle, in Granville; the dividing 
 ridge in Hebron, whence the waters flow north into lake Champlain 
 and south into the Hudson, and some other localities within the 
 county, and also upon the summit of the Green mountain ridge in 
 Vermont, east of the county. Mr. P. C. Ten Eyck, of the Albany 
 academy, has favored me with a copy of the observations registered 
 by him at the same dates for that institution, and I am hence enabled 
 to determine, in a very satisfactory manner, the height of these 
 points above tide water at Albany. These, in conjunction with the 
 well known levels of the Champlain canal, and levels that have 
 been taken in two or three instances in some parts of the county for 
 proposed canals and railways, furnish ample data for presenting a 
 definite ard valuable account of its surface and features. 
 
41 
 
 No. 125.] 
 
 denouncing the most terrible war against all the hardened enemies of 
 their king, and threatening to let loose the hordes of savages in his 
 train, to search out in their coverts, and punish (hose who neglected 
 putting themselves under his protection, the peril and alarm that per¬ 
 vaded this district, can hotter be imagined than described. The in¬ 
 habitants, however, remained in their dwellings until the tomahawk 
 and scalping-knife had actually commenced executing their awful 
 ■work. The murder of Jane McCrea has resounded through the world. 
 Strange as it may appear, other murders, simultaneously committed, 
 which many will regard as still more horrid and atrocious, remain to 
 this day untold in our country’s annals. One such is specified by 
 Gen. Gates, in his letter to Burgoyne, complaining of the barbarities 
 of his Indians, where, in connection with Miss McCrea’s murder, he 
 says, “ Two parents with their six children were all treated with the 
 same inhumanity, while quietly resting in their once happy and 
 peaceful dwelling.” Burgoyne in his reply roundly asserts, “ The 
 above instance, (of Miss McCrea) excepted, your intelligence respect¬ 
 ing the cruelty of the Indians is false.” Seventy years have elapsed 
 since this correspondence; and the whole world seems to have sup¬ 
 posed that Burgoyne’s statement was correct. The particulars of the 
 event alluded to by the American general, have all but passed into 
 irretrievable oblivion. The plow, when it next courses over the 
 ground, will obliterate forever the slight mark that yet indicates the 
 spot, where in one grave, uncoffined and unshrouded, was hastily laid 
 the gashed and gory corpses of a whole household! That Jane Mc¬ 
 Crea, voluntarily leaving her brother’s house and placing herself up¬ 
 on the very confines of the hostile encampment, should meet the aw¬ 
 ful doom which she did, was a casualty imputable measurably to her 
 own imprudence. But that a whole family, a loyalist family, the 
 children and grandchildren of one of the leading loyalists of the town¬ 
 ship, while at rest in their own tranquil home, secluded amid 
 the hills and far away from the camp, should without any provoca¬ 
 tion be suddenly massacred in cold blood, aye, and by the allies of 
 that very king whom they loved so well—who so credulous as to 
 give ear to such a tale; and who, believing it, could longer adhere 
 to a cause blackened by such enormities'? Who could thereafter re¬ 
 ly on Britain’s arm for safety, when the most confiding fell victims 
 to Britain’s hirelings'? Whilst the murder of Jane McCrea, there¬ 
 fore, was ringing through the country, it was of the utmost moment, 
 that no tidings of this more heinous and revolting murder, should get 
 out to the world. And occurring as it did, in the midst of a loyalist 
 settlement, Burgoyne, we suppose, succeeded in smothering it so ef- 
 
42 [Assembly 
 
 fectually, that he felt himself safe in boldly denying it. “ Justice to 
 the-unfortunate,” has induced historian's to place upon their pages his 
 exculpatory account of Miss McCrea’s murder, and his peremptory 
 disavowal that any other Indian barbarities had been perpetrated. 
 Truth and impartiality will demand that, in all coming time, that 
 denial should be followed by an allusion to this enormity, showing 
 how little the veracity of the British chieftain is to be relied on. 
 
 Full details of this, and of many other equally important events of 
 that period, I find still preserved in the memories of the old people 
 of this district. Brought up before me as they have been in connec¬ 
 tion with the other inquiries in which I am engaged, I have deemed 
 it a paramount duty to carefully rescue from oblivion and preserve to 
 the world, such impressive mementos of those pangs which attended 
 a nation’s birth. 
 
 That you may be enabled to judge of the interest and value of the 
 local hiitory of this district, and of the thorough examination I am 
 making, I forward herewith the annals of one of its towns, from its 
 first settlement down to the close of the year 1777—drawn out, I am 
 aware, more in detail than will be desirable for the final report. 
 Some of the other towns furnish materials for a historical narrative 
 equally interesting, if not more so. To most of the present inhabi¬ 
 tants of those towns, these incidents will be as new as they are to 
 non-residents, they have so long since ceased to be the themes of 
 conversation. It will readily be perceived that much time and close 
 research, is indispensible, to duly gather up facts like these, as well 
 as the numerous other matters that pertain to this survey. The la¬ 
 bors of several additional months I find will no more than suffice to 
 render the work on which I am engaged such an one as I have de¬ 
 signed furnishing. Feeling that a partial and imperfect report would 
 cause more disappointment than a temporary delay can do, I am 
 obliged to request that another season be allowed me, to complete it. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 ASA FITCH. 
 
 Salem, JY. Y, January 14, 1848. 
 
THE CURRANT-MOTH, Abraxas? Ribearia. 
 
 BY ASA FITCH M. D. 
 
 The gooseberry and currant bushes cultivated in the gardens of 
 Europe, are known to be subject to the attacks of several insect 
 depredators. Among the more conspicuous of these, are the larvae 
 of several species of moths, which subsist upon the leaves of these 
 shrubs. Some are confined almost exclusively to the currant and 
 gooseberry, or to plants of the genus Ribes. Such^re the Abraxas 
 Grossulariata, Linn., the Halia vauaria, Linn.; the Eledra Spinach- 
 iata, Haw. &c. Whilst others feed indiscriminately upon these and 
 several other vegetables. 
 
 The Abraxas Grossulariata, or “ Gooseberry-moth,” as it is com¬ 
 monly designated, is so very abundant in several European coun¬ 
 tries, that it has long been noted for the depredations which it com¬ 
 mits. A history of this species, from the able pen of Mr. Curtis, is 
 given in the Gardener’s Chronicle, vol. i. page 515, which, to my 
 regret, I have never been able to meet with. From other sources 
 we learn that the Gooseberry-moth hatches from the egg in autumn, 
 the young larvae lives through the winter without eating, and is in 
 readiness to attack the tender leaves of the gooseberry and currant 
 when they first put forth in the spring. When fully grown, it is 
 nearly an inch and a half in length, of a white color, the back with 
 numerous black spots of various sizes, and low on the sides yellow 
 sprinkled with black dots. The moth that is produced from these 
 worms, measures nearly two inches across the wings, has a yellow 
 body with rows of black spots, and white wings, the upper pair with 
 two yellow and six interrupted black bands. 
 
 We have in Eastern New York a moth which will rank as the 
 compeer of the European species in destructiveness, though varying 
 from it somewhat in its habits, and in the characters which it pre¬ 
 sents, both in its larva and its perfect state. These characters suffi¬ 
 ciently indicate that it is an insect different from all those that have 
 heen hitherto described by authors. 
 
464 [Assembly 
 
 evening. The exact situation in which it deposits its eggs, I have 
 not yet discovered. These remain, it is probable, during the autumn 
 and winter, to hatch and produce another generation of worms the 
 following May. 
 
 For at least three years past, the currant and gooseberry bushes of 
 particular gardens in this district, have in June, been stripped of 
 their leaves by these worms, so completely, that they would be bare 
 as in winter, but for the dead stems and blighted fruit adhering to 
 them. The long rows of these bushes in our gardens, when thus 
 defoliated, present a dismal aspect, rendered more striking by the full 
 luxuriance in which all the surrounding vegetation is arrayed at this 
 period of the year. A second growth of leaves begin to show them¬ 
 selves within a week after the worm has disappeared, and the shrubs 
 are hereby sustained against immediate decay: but no fruit is yielded 
 by them, and this annual destruction of their foliage cannot but prove 
 most pernicious to their health and vigor. 
 
 My attention was first directed to these worms in June 1846, when 
 on a visit to the north part of this (Washington) county. Every 
 garden in the village of Whitehall, I was informed, had been equally 
 devastated by them, and eight miles south, in Granville, most of the 
 gardens had shared the same fate. In one enclosure was an insu¬ 
 lated cluster of bushes growing in the midst of a plat of tall grass, 
 remote from any others, and it had been hoped these thus shielded 
 would escape unharmed; but they were at length discovered, and 
 suffered to the same extent with those more exposed. Air-slacked 
 lime, and similar substances, had by some been sprinkled over their 
 bushes, but without any benefit. A favorite gooseberry bush was 
 shown me, over which a lady had tied her gauze veil, wholly envel¬ 
 oping the leaves within it. This had proved an effectual protection. 
 The worms had traversed the gauze in all directions, their tracks 
 still visible by the cobweb-like threads which they spun as they 
 crawled over it; but no attempt had been made by them to eat holes 
 through this delicate fabric, although the inclosed leaves were every¬ 
 where crowded against it. 
 
 Thirty miles distant, here in the southern section of the county, 
 the moth is much less abundant; but particular gardens may be 
 found which are annually suffering to the same extent as above re¬ 
 lated. Two such occur upon opposite sides of my own residence, 
 less than a mile distant. And although from specimens preserved 
 in my collection, I know the moth has been quite common in my 
 own garden for four summers past, still it has not multiplied so as 
 to commit any observable injury. 
 
No. 125.] 
 
 465 
 
 Fqrther with regard to the extent of the geographical range of 
 this species, I only know that a specimen of this moth was among 
 some insects gathered at Saratoga Springs in July last; and another 
 occurred in a collection in Albany which had been chiefly made in 
 the valley of the Housatonic river the past season. 
 
 This insect is so closely related to the Gooseberry-moth of Europe, 
 that we may confidently infer, that those measures only which have 
 been found efficacious for checking the ravages of that species, can 
 be of material avail against this. Numerous remedies have there 
 been resorted to; such as sifting the fine dust of soot, of ashes, &c., 
 repeatedly over the bushes; sprinkling with lime-water, or with de¬ 
 coctions of tobacco, of fox-glove, of elder, &c.; by successive shakes 
 of the bushes, causing all the worms to descend to the ground, and 
 then tying cabbage-leaves around the base of the stalks, over which, 
 it was reported, the worms would not crawl to reascend. But none 
 of these remedies have established themselves in public favor; and 
 the only measure which is recommended with confidence, by all the 
 more intelligent writers, is that of “ hand-picking,” as it is termed. 
 This, though tedious, is said to be, in the end, the most economical 
 of any measure known, and the only one on which full reliance can 
 be placed. It is commonly accomplished by suddenly jarring the 
 bush, and then with a forked stick or some similar implement, gath¬ 
 ering those worms that have let themselves down by threads, and 
 crushing them beneath the foot. This process requires to be repeated 
 three or more times to free a bush from the worms, as but part of 
 them let themselves down on the first agitation. 
 
 This remedy should be resorted to with our insect, as soon as the 
 young worms are discovered upon the bushes, and if perseveringly 
 followed up, will, no doubt, be effectual. The task, however, will 
 be a formidable one, to thus free a garden of the countless numbers 
 of these larvm by which it is iniested; and the measure can only be 
 resorted to with facility in those gardens where the bushes are kept 
 well thinned by pruning. 
 
 A less laborious mode of reducing the numbers of our moth, in 
 badly infested gardens, it strikes me is so feasible, that some may be 
 disposed to test its efficacy by giving it a trial. As already related, 
 the worms having completed their growth, bury themselves slightly 
 in the ground under the bushes, where they lie several days in their 
 pupa state, and then the winged moths come from these pups and 
 make their way out of the ground. Now if the surface of the earth 
 beneath currant and gooseberry bushes be carefully levelled and made 
 smooth with a rake, it will be but a slight labor, when the worms 
 have mostly left the bushes and buried themselves, to closely cover 
 
 [Assembly, No. 125.J 30 
 
466 
 
 [Assemble 
 
 the ground beneath and around the bushes with boards, or pave it 
 with bricks, should these be at hand, allowing this covering to re¬ 
 main three or four weeks The winged moths on coming from 
 their pupa shells, would probably then be unable to make their way 
 into the air, and would perish in their confinement. The efficacy of 
 this measure woulJ be indicated, on removing the boards, by the 
 numbers of dead moths on the surface of the ground beneath them. 
 
 On first examining the larvse of this insect, I felt confident that 
 they would produce moths cogeneric with the European Gooseberry- 
 moth. But when, a few days after, perfect insects were obtained, 
 an inspection of them rendered it apparent that they could not be 
 included in the genus Abraxas, as defined by its founder Dr. Leach, 
 and by other English entomologists; nor was I able to assign them 
 a satisfactory place in any of the genera of those authors which I 
 had at hand to consult. On transmitting specimens to Dr. Harris, 
 whose investigations of our nocturnal Lepidoptera so well qualify 
 him for deciding every doubtful point of this nature, he favored me 
 with the opinion, accompanied with a full statement of the grounds 
 on which it is based, that although this species presents more points 
 of affinity with Abraxas than with any other genus at present estab¬ 
 lished, yet it cannot be included in that genus without a modifica¬ 
 tion of its characters; which modification must be made, or a new 
 genus must be constructed to receive our insect. Though fully con¬ 
 curring in this opinion, inasmuch as it is not the unaided result of 
 my own examinations, I decline availing myself of it, and have 
 therefore here placed the insect doubtingly in the genus Abraxas, 
 bestowing upon it a specific name, which perhaps the general reader 
 should be informed, indicates to the entomologist not merely the 
 genus of shrubs on which the larva feeds, but also that the insect is 
 a Geometrician-moth with feather-like antennae 
 
 Subjoining is a description of the moth, in its perfect and pre¬ 
 vious states, which, with the accompanying figures, cannot fail of 
 rendering it well known and readily recognized by every careful 
 observer. 
 
 Abraxas? Ribf.aria.— Nankin-yellow; body immaculate; wings with two brown 
 bands, the outer composed of sub-conlluent spots, whereof three in the middle of 
 tlie anterior pair are more conspicuous and permanent. Wings expand slightly 
 over one and a fourth inches. 
 
 The ground color of all parts of this moth is a light buff or nan¬ 
 kin-yellow, which in old specimens fades to yellowish-white. The 
 posterior wings are a shade lighter than the anterior, whilst the head 
 and neck are commonly of a deeper tint, bordering on orange-yellow. 
 The body is immaculate, but the wings are more or less variegated 
 with spots or bands of a dull leaden-brown color. In the most per- 
 

 
 No. 125.] 467 
 
 feet specimens (fig. 2) two bands, the inner one continuous, and the 
 outer composed of sub-confluent spots, extend across both pairs of 
 wings, but of a paler shade on the posterior pair, the inner one be¬ 
 ing here extremely faint. These bands are placed at equal distances 
 from each other, and from the base and the outer margin. At their 
 commencement on the forward margin of the anterior wings they are 
 commonly of a ferruginous color; and there is also a small ferrugi¬ 
 nous dot on the middle of the forward margin, and a slight line op¬ 
 posite to it on the posterior margin. The basal third of the anterior 
 wings, including all the space inside of the inner band except upon 
 the forward margin, is of a leaden-brown color. In most specimens, 
 however, (fig. 1) the several marks above described are obliterated 
 to a greater or less degree. A pale brown inner band, three spots 
 in the middle of the outer band, the middle one larger, with a 
 . brownish dash opposite them on the anterior margin, and on the 
 hind wings one or two pale spots forward of the middle of the outer 
 margin, are the only obvious marks commonly presented. And in 
 yet other specimens, these spots are faint, and the inner band en¬ 
 tirely disappears. The under side of the wings is similar to the 
 upper, but in most cases more copiously marked with leaden brown, 
 the entire basal half of the wings, except on their anterior margins, 
 being here overspread with that color, traversed with light yellow¬ 
 ish lines upon the nerves. The outer band of spots aTso, is here 
 often very perfect when it is nearly obliterated upon the upper 
 side. 
 
 The antenna are more than half the length of the body. In the 
 males (fig. 8), they are strongly bi-pectinated to their tips, the ro¬ 
 bust branches which issue from near the apex of each joint on each 
 side, being furnished with minute hairs or bristles, of which those 
 on the anteiior side of each branch are longer and more erect. In 
 the females, they at first view appear to have a row of processes, 
 somewhat like the teeth of a saw, projecting upon one side only 
 (fig. 10); but when carefully turned, to bring the face of the an¬ 
 tenna fully in view, a corresponding row of teeth is exhibited upon 
 the opposite side (fig. 9), showing that these organs in this sex are 
 bi-serrated. Indeed, they only differ from the male antennae in 
 being destitute of the lateral branches or pectinations, the main 
 stalk of the male antenna being bi-serrated, or showing a projecting 
 tooth on each side of the apex of the joints, the same as in the 
 female. 
 
 The palpi (fig. 7), enveloped in seales to their tips, project mode¬ 
 rately forward and upwards, being obvious to the naked eye, in a 
 dorsal view of the insect (figs. 1 and 2). 
 
468 [Assembly 
 
 The proboscis (fig. 7), when uncoiled, is fully half as long as the 
 antennae. 
 
 The tibia (fig. 11), are furnished with spines or spurs on their 
 inner sides, as in other geometridae ; the anterior pair having one 
 only, which is inserted near the middle, and so incumbent and im¬ 
 mersed among the scales as to be distinguished with difficulty. The 
 intermediate tibiae have a pair of spurs at their apex ; whilst the 
 posteriors have two pairs, one at the apex, and the other at about a 
 third of the distance from these to the base. 
 
 The Larva (figs. 3 and 4), when fully grown, is eight or nine- 
 tenths of an inch in length, and slightly over one-tenth in diameter, 
 of a cylindrical form, distinctly showing the thirteen segments of 
 which it is composed. Its ground color is a light lively yellow, 
 which forms a continuous line or stripe along the middle of the 
 back, another stripe rather low down upon each side, and still an- . 
 other below this. There is an irregular, white, cloud-like spot on 
 each side of each segment, mostly between the dorsal and lateral 
 yellow stripes, but prolonged downwards across the latter to the 
 under side of the body. Numerous deep black spots and dots occupy 
 each side of the body, which may be enumerated as follows : 1st. 
 
 A regular row along each side of the yellow dorsal line, equidistant 
 from each other, two being upon each segment, placed, with the 
 corresponding ones opposite them, at the angles of an imaginary 
 square. 2d. A smaller round spot on the anterior edge of each 
 segment, slightly below those already described. 3d. Along the 
 upper side of the lateral yellow stripe, a row of two spots on each 
 segment, whereof the anterior one is large and the most conspicuous 
 of any, and has a short black line immediately forward of it ; these 
 two spots, with the two above them in the row first described, also 
 form the angles of an imaginary square, within which the white 
 cloud-like spot previously mentioned is chiefly situated. 4th. Close 
 to the lower edge of each of the large spots just noticed, is a well- 
 defined black dot, which is the spiracle or breathing-pore ; and 
 slightly backwards and downwards from this is a round spot, nearly 
 of the size of those in the rows first noticed. 5th. At the lower 
 edge of the lateral yellow stripe, is a row of large, irregular shaped 
 spots, two on each segment, somewhat confluent, forming as it were 
 a black stripe. 6th. Below this stripe are four or more dots on 
 each se gment, less regularly arranged and constant than those above, 
 and leaving below them an immaculate light yellow ventral stripe. 
 The head is white, the eyes, mouth, and a transverse spot above the 
 upper lip, and also the three anterior pairs of feet, black. The 
 
469 
 
 No. 125.] 
 
 body is slightly wrinkled transversely, and from each of the black 
 spots upon it, a short black hair arises. 
 
 The Pupa (figs. 5 and 6), is somewhat variable in size, hut it is 
 about half an inch long, and sixteen-hundredths of an inch broad. 
 It is of a shining-black, or very dark chestnut-brown color, and 
 paler at the sutures. The dorsal and abdominal segments are 
 thickly punctured. The tips of the wing-cases*reach nearly three- 
 fifths of the entire length, and their surface faintly shows some 
 slightly elevated lines, formed apparently by the nerves of the in¬ 
 closed wings. The abdomen terminates in a short, projecting, bifid 
 point. 
 
 Explanation of the Plate. 
 
 Fig. 1. The male Currant-moth. 
 
 2. The female. 
 
 3. The larva ; lateral view. 
 
 4. The larva ; dorsal view. 
 
 5. The pupa ; ventral view. 
 
 6. The pup? ; lateral view. 
 
 7. The head, lateral view, magnified, showing the palpi, 
 
 spiral proboscis, &c. 
 
 8. Joints of the male antenna, highly magnified. 
 
 9. Joints of the female antenna, highly magnified, facial view. 
 
 10. Joints of the female antenna, highly magnified, lateral 
 
 view. 
 
 11. Anterior, middle, and posterior legs, magnified. 
 
470 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 AN ESSAY ON THE ADVANTAGES OF AGRI¬ 
 CULTURAL SOCIETIES TO THE FARMING 
 COMMUNITY. 
 
 BY D. A. OGDEN. 
 
 Agriculture as a profession, stands in advance of all others in 
 point of dignity and importance. It is the most ancient, the most 
 useful, and in its influence, exercises the best and most conservative 
 influence over the physical and moral good of community at large. 
 Its practice is directly promotive of health and virtue, and upon its 
 productions the world depend for food. To subdue and cultivate 
 the earth, and to watch over and tend the flocks and herds which 
 subsist upon her rich grasses, and sport over her green fields, was 
 the first, and seems the best as well as most natural occupation of 
 man. The father of his country has pronounced it, “ the most heal¬ 
 thy, the most useful, and the most noble occupation of man.” 
 
 The Earth has received the significant name of mother, a name 
 alike indicative of its nature as well as the duty of those who sub¬ 
 sist upon it. To whom does man from infancy to age cling with so 
 much real affection and esteem, whom does he so warmly cherish, so 
 much delight to please and honor, as his mother % If then the 
 Earth be the common mother of us all, is she not entitled to our re¬ 
 gard, and are we not bound to nourish, protect, and by generous 
 treatment, exalt, honor, and provide for her ! From her bosom 
 comes forth nourishment for all, from her abundance all are fed and 
 clothed; she has a never-ceasing productive power; and when kind¬ 
 ly treated and properly cared for, she never fails to reward the labor 
 of her sons with rich harvests, and to gladden their hearts with the 
 beautiful flowers of the field, and the lovely foliage of shrub and 
 tree. 
 
 The proper business of the husbandman is to study the nature, and 
 seek to become well acquainted with the disposition, powers and 
 
)s\ 
 
 A HISTORICAL, TOPOGRAPHICAL & AGRICULTURAL SURVEY 
 OF THE COUNTY OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 Taken under the direction of the New-York State Agricultural Society, 
 BY ASA FITCH, M. D. 
 
 ,^ rs * P°rii°n of this work, on being put into type, has been found to occupy so much more 
 space thou the wriier hud supposed it would do that he has been led to depart from his original design 
 of pursuing the several topics in consecutive order, that he might first complete those branches to which 
 this Survey mainly has reference. As the several topics to be reported upon are measurably distinct 
 and independent of each other, the succession in which they are pre«ented becomes n matter of minor 
 consequence. To fully report upon every subject is obviously impracticable. It has therefore been 
 deemed specially important that in those industrial branches to which attention is most prominently 
 directed m this county, and in which it occupies a leading rank, a full account should be rendered: 
 whilst in those branches in which other counties of the Stale are in advance of this, a cursory notice 
 only, from this county, will be required. And overburdened with matter as the present volume of 
 Transactions is, the following articles only are now submitted; the sections being numbered onwards 
 from last year’s volume, for the purpose of more convenient reference in a final index ] 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 SHEEP HUSBANDRY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. 
 
 106. Adaptedness of this county to fine wooled sheep. —No section of 
 our country can be better adapted for the convenient and profitable keep¬ 
 ing of fine wooled sheep than the eastern half of Washington county. 
 From the Bald mountain range of hills on the west to the state line on 
 the east, almost every farm contains a portion of interval or permanent 
 meadow from which hay for winter consumption is gathered ; and the 
 remainder consists of hilly upland, yielding a short, sweet nutritious 
 grass for summer pasturage. To the west of this tract, the level lands 
 towards the Hudson river furnish no such pasturage ; and to the east of 
 it, in Vermont, the lands become more broken and mountainous, with 
 no intervening valleys supplying the requisite amount of meadow lands. 
 
 Most of our hills it is true are susceptible of cultivation to their sum¬ 
 mits, and at the present period, would be more profitable if given up to 
 tillage. But although the prices of wool render its production little lu¬ 
 crative, it can here be grown to such advantage, that these hills now 
 are covered with flocks, and it is probable they will so continue in all 
 coming time. 
 
 107. Wool statistics of this and other counties. —Eminently adapted 
 as this county is for the keeping of sheep and the growth of wool, this 
 has been during the past twenty years the leading and prominent busi¬ 
 ness of the county. And the quantity and quality of this staple here 
 produced, is probably unrivalled in any other section of our land. 
 
 Of thirty-six million pounds of wool grown in the United States, ac¬ 
 cording to the returns of the last national census, 9,845,295 were pro¬ 
 duced in the state of New-York, and next to us stands Vermont, yield¬ 
 ing 3,699,235 pounds. 
 
 [Assembly, No. 175.] 48 
 
754 
 
 | Assembly 
 
 The state census of 1845 furnishes us with the following statistics of 
 the sheep husbandry in the five counties of this state that rank highest 
 in this branch, and also in the counties of Dutchess, Rensselaer and 
 Columbia, whose local situation, and whose reputation in the wool market 
 associates them with Washington county. In addition to the returns 
 given by the census, a column is appended, showing the average weight 
 of the fleeces in each county, this being a pretty accurate indication of 
 the fineness of the wool; and also a column showing the average num¬ 
 ber of sheep to every hundred acres of cleared land in the county. 
 
 ^COUNTIES. 
 
 No. of sheep 
 over one 
 
 No. of 
 
 No. of 
 
 Pounds 
 
 Av’ge wt. 
 of fleeces. 
 
 Sheep 
 to 100 
 
 year old. 
 
 lambs. 
 
 fleeces. 
 
 of wool. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 oz. 
 
 acres. 
 
 Washington, 
 
 ... 199,311 
 
 66,746 
 
 202,848 
 
 679,056 
 
 e 
 
 14 
 
 64 
 
 ['Madison,.... 
 
 
 78,278 
 
 187,840 
 
 671,274 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 71 
 
 Ontario,. 
 
 
 70,326 
 
 193,557 
 
 630,739 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 61 
 
 Otsego,. 
 
 .. 182,122 
 
 75,542 
 
 187,782 
 
 548,868 
 
 2 
 
 16 
 
 46 
 
 Chautauque,.. 
 
 ... 163,495 
 
 69,220 
 
 160,255 
 
 485,826 
 
 3 
 
 i 
 
 64 
 
 Dutchess,.... 
 
 ,. 139,797 
 
 61,693 
 
 147,928 
 
 471,096 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 37 
 
 Rensselaer, ■. 
 
 .. 118,884 
 
 45,608 
 
 122,021 
 
 375,902 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 42 
 
 Columbia. 
 
 
 62,660 
 
 117,580 
 
 352,739 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 32 
 
 State of N. York, 4,505,369 
 
 1,870,728 
 
 4,607,012 
 
 13,864,828 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 38 
 
 108. Relative fineness of the wool. —It appears from these statistics 
 that the reputation which this county has so long enjoyed in the wool 
 market, justly belongs to it. In the fineness of its wool it surpasses all 
 the other large wool-growing counties of the state. And one county 
 only, produces a greater amount of wool than Washington, namely, On¬ 
 tario ; and the wool of that county is evidently of a coarser quality than 
 that which is here grown, a3 is clearly indicated by the fact that the 
 fleeces there are on an average six ounces heavier than they are with us. 
 
 These returns make the average weight of the fleeces of this county 
 to be two pounds and fourteen ounces. But this, it is quite probable, is 
 somewhat heavier than they actually are. Almost every man is prone 
 to over-estimate the amount of his clip, and is annually disappointed 
 when it comes to be weighed, to find the fleeces so light as the scales 
 declare them to be. Those who have been extensively engaged in pur¬ 
 chasing the wool of this county for several years, and have thus become 
 familiar with its weight, think that two pounds and three quarters is 
 about as high as the fleeces will average. 
 
 109. Discrepancy between the number of sheep and of fleeces. —There 
 is quite a discrepancy in the census returns above cited, between the 
 anmber of sheep reported and the number of fleeces. Thus, in this 
 county, thirty-five hundred more fleeces are reported, than the number 
 of sheep which we had; and a similar excess is shown in several of 
 Ae other oounties. This I suppose has been caused by tho unsold clip 
 
No. 175.] 
 
 795 
 
 gratify their vicious propensity, and return home ere daylight. It is 
 thus often difficult, for a time, to detect the real culprits. 
 
 DISEASES OF SHEEP. 
 
 156. Scab .—We proceed next to adduce such facts with regard to the 
 diseases with which sheep in this district are affected, as are within our 
 knowledge. These diseases are chiefly cutaneous affections and mala¬ 
 dies which result from the attacks of insects. Of the former, one of 
 the most common is the Scab, as it is termed. This has prevailed much 
 more with the Vermont flocks than it has with us. It is a contagious 
 disease, analogous to the itch, and is the worst when the fleece is most 
 heavy, namely, in the spring and fore part of summer. To appease its 
 torment the sheep bites and scratches and rubs itself, starting out the 
 wool; and if not attended to, it eventually dies, the disease in the 
 meantime spreading through the whole flock. The skin is inflamed 
 and rough, and is covered here and there with pimples which discharge 
 a fluid, and become crusted over with a scab. It is cured by thorough 
 washings with decoction of tobacco. 
 
 157. Johnsworl poison .—It is a common opinion that the green and 
 growing leaves and stalks of Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum , Linn.) 
 a weed which fortunately is much less common in our fields now, than 
 it was fifteen years ago, by their acridity produce a soreness and inflam¬ 
 mation of the noses of sheep in consequence of rubbing against them. 
 But some experienced observers say they have never seen such an ef¬ 
 fect, except perhaps in lambs. The most serious injury of this poison¬ 
 ous weed is that which it produces upon the skin of the body. When 
 sheep in spring are turned into a field where the dry dead stalks of the 
 last year’s growth are still standing the seeds often get into the wool 
 and work down through it to the skin, there producing sores similar to 
 those of the scab. These should be dressed with an ointment made of 
 lard mixed with about one-sixth part of tar. Where sheep are begin¬ 
 ning to be poisoned by running in Johnswort pastures, the wool of each 
 should be parted along the back and a streak of this ointment rubbed 
 on the whole length. It will then work down over the body and pre¬ 
 serve the sheep from becoming affected^by the poison. 
 
 158. Sun-burnt backs .—Among other objections to the finest wooled, 
 delicate, Saxony sheep, that were brought into the country twenty-five 
 years ago, was this—their lambs when first yeaned had such thin wool 
 and a skin so tender that they were unable to withstand the rays of 
 the sun, even in this high latitude. Within a few days after birth if 
 it was clear weather, their ears would become enormously swollen and 
 red, hanging down by the sides of their heads, blistered as it were, and 
 
796 [ Assembly 
 
 translucent; and the whole back would become highly inflamed and 
 sore, scabbing over and peeling off, bringing the wool wiih it and leav¬ 
 ing the surface bare. Greasing the backs with lard was the practice 
 to mitigate and cure this ; but the better plan was to prevent it, which 
 was effected by blanketing the lambs. A little experience enabled one 
 readily to recognise these peculiar thin wools and tender skins as soon 
 as they were born, and it was the practice of some, into whose flocks 
 they became introduced, to sew on to them a piece of woolen or cotton 
 cloth so securely that it would remain about a fortnight, by which lime 
 the back would become sufficiently tough to withstand the rays of the 
 sun. Full grown thin-wooled Saxons after shearing are also liable to 
 have their backs become burnt and excoriated by the sun in a similar 
 manner ; and to prevent this it is necessary that they should be anoint¬ 
 ed in the same mode at shearing time. 
 
 159. The sheep-tick. By some popular writers this insect has been 
 supposed to be a true lick, of the old genus Acarus, and we hence meet 
 with it in books, referred to as being the Acarus reduvius of naturalists, 
 a tick which infests cattle and dogs. It is probable that by the common 
 name of this insect and by the circumstance that it does not possess 
 wings, these writers have been misled to refer it to a place very far 
 from where it really belongs. This mistake requires correction. The 
 true ticks and mites have eight legs, like the spiders, with which they 
 are accordingly classed in systematic works. This insect, however, has 
 six legs only, and consequently belongs among the true insects. 
 
 At the close of the two-winged flies which constitute the order Dip- 
 tera, is placed by naturalists, a small group named HippobosciDjE, the 
 subjects of which constitute a connecting link between the true insects 
 and the spiders, i hey have such a striking resemblance to spiders, 
 that they are known in some countries by the name of “ spider-flies.” 
 They differ from all other flies, notably, in some points of their organi¬ 
 zation, and in their habits. Though furnished with wings, it is seldom 
 if ever, that they use them, for they do not fly abroad like the other in¬ 
 sects of this order, but are parasites, passing their lives upon particular 
 quadrupeds and birds. By means of the forked claws with which their 
 feet are furnished, they are able to cling securely to the hair or feathers 
 of these animals, and to run about among them with rapidity, and also, 
 to fasten themselves to the skin, piercing £it with a sucker, through 
 which they receive their nourishment. 
 
 several of these flies are found upon the animals belonging to this 
 continent. If an owl is killed in mid-winter, there will sometimes be 
 discovered wandering about upon its feathers, or in the vicinity where 
 its body is laid, a fly, which is the more observed from its being- abroad 
 
797 
 
 No. 175.| 
 
 at this inclement reason of the year. It is of a lurid-yellow color, the 
 legs and under side of its body paler, and its wrings of a slight smoky 
 tinge expanding to the width of eighty-five hundredths of an inch when 
 spread apart. It seems to differ in no very obvious particular from the 
 Omithomyia avicularia of Europe. Whoever has observed one of 
 these flies, will have been struck with the resemblance which exists 
 between them and the well-known sheep-tick, except that they are fur¬ 
 nished with wings. 
 
 A larger species of these spider-flies, the Hippobosca Equi, of Lin- 
 neus, is of a yellow color, with wings of a slightly russet tinge. It in¬ 
 fests the horse ; but I am not aware that it has ever been discovered on 
 this side of the Atlantic. 
 
 Remarkable in this family, on account of its not possessing any 
 wings, is the sheep-ticks, Melophagus Ovinus. It is less than a quarter 
 of an inch long, and varies in the shade of its color, from rusty brown', 
 to dull yellow, the hooks of its feet being black. Its body and legs are 
 studded with short bristle-like hairs of a blackish color. In addition to 
 its being wingless, another remarkable anomaly is presented to us in 
 the history of this insect, as well as that of other members of this family. 
 It does not undergo those several changes of form which take place in 
 other insects. It has no larva or maggot state. It is a pupa, and not 
 an egg that is deposited by the parent, and the perfectly formed insect 
 comes directly from this pupa. It resembles a smooth, glossy seed, of 
 a chesnut-brown color, and a regular oval form, slightly flattened, and 
 is scarcely fifteen hundredths of an inch. At the head end, a slight de¬ 
 pression is observable, in which are two punctured indentations. These 
 pupse are always observed* scattered around in the fleece, when the 
 sheep are being sheared. 
 
 Ticks multiply on poor sheep, like lice on a sickly child or cow. 
 They find a secure abode among the long dense wool of this animal, in 
 which they ramble about with agility. They are always found in plenty at 
 shearing-time. Many of them remain upon the fleece when it is carried 
 to the store-room, and the shearer often finds one or more of them upon 
 his clothes, or in his hair, sometimes several days afterwards, where, 
 pressed by hunger, they in some instances attempt to pierce and ob¬ 
 tain nourishment from his skin. Others remain upon the sheep after 
 it is sheared, but by the removal of the fleece, their haunts are so broken 
 up, that they forsake their old abode for the longer wool, which they 
 now find upon the lambs. Hence, two or three days after shearing, the 
 lambs will be found to be overrun with ticks, to their excessive annoy¬ 
 ance, whilst the old sheep have became nearly or quite free from them. 
 This affords the most convenient opportunity for destroy ing these parasites. 
 
798 [Assembly 
 
 The lambs should nowbe got up, and be dipped in or washed with a decoc¬ 
 tion of tobacco—acheaj), inferior kind of which is on sale inmost of our 
 stores for this purpose. Some are in the habit of washing their entire 
 flock in this decoction, on the days of shearing, and this is a more effectual, 
 but also a more laborious practice. This narcotic at once destroys the ticks, 
 and has never been observed to nauseate the sheep, in the least degree. 
 
 160. Grub in the head .—This is an affection which is caused by the 
 larva or maggot, of an insect belonging to the family of gad-flies (CEs- 
 tridje) which is another group pertaining to the same order of two¬ 
 winged flies (Diptera.) The OEstrides resemble bees more than flies, 
 in some respects, being large insects covered with hairs which often 
 form bright colored bands. They are among the most singular and 
 anomalous insects that are known. All the other two-winged flies pos¬ 
 sess a trunk or proboscis through which they imbibe their nourishment. 
 But the (Estrides are not only destitute of this trunk, but several of 
 them have not the slightest vestige of a mouth—no opening whatever in 
 the face by which to take in sustenance. It is in their larva state only 
 that they receive nutriment ; and in this state each species lives within 
 and draws its nourishment from some particular quadruped of the her¬ 
 bivorous kind, none of them occurring upon the carnivorous. These 
 larvae have three kinds of domicils in the animals which they infest. 
 Some are cutaneous, living in tumors in the skin of the ox, the deer, 
 the rabbit, &c. Others are gastric, subsisting in the stomach of the 
 horse. Others are cervical, living in the frontal sinuses of the sheep 
 and the reindeer. No one can contemplate the habits of these insects 
 without being overwhelmed with surprise, they are so truly wonderful. 
 In each instance the parent fly selects for its eggs a nest appropriate for 
 the wants of the young insects that are to hatch from them. And as is 
 well observed by the celebrated French entomologist, Macquart, in this 
 selection is shown a foresight and sometimes a chain of reasoning 
 which excites our profound admiration, not for the insect, for to it it is im¬ 
 possible to attribute such forethought, but for that Supreme Intelligence 
 by which it is prompted in its proceedings. How, for instance, can it be 
 admitted that the bot-fly of the horse, an hour or two after it is hatched 
 from the earth, knows all that it is doing, when after hovering some 
 time in the air by the side of its victim, it deposits an egg upon his 
 shoulder or else upon the inner side of his legs. Surely its own intel¬ 
 ligence cannot inform it that that egg ought to be placed there so that 
 the tongue of the horse in licking that spot will take off the young 
 larva and draw it into his mouth and swallow it thence into his stomach, 
 where its life must be passed. 
 
799 
 
 No. 175.1 
 
 As this group of insects is so deeply interesting, particularly to the 
 farmer, some account of those species which most annoy our domestic 
 animals may be given in this place. 
 
 The bot-fly of the horse being regarded as the type on which Lin- 
 nasus founded his genus CEstrus, that name is retained for it by the 
 latest naturalists, instead of the name Gasterophilus proposed by Dr. 
 Leach. The most common species, CEstrus equi, Linn., is from a half to 
 three-fourths of an inch long. Several specimens before me exhibit 
 considerable differences in the details of their coloring. The thorax or 
 middle segment of the body is black, the head and abdomen varied 
 with brown, dull yellow and sometimes black, which last is the preva¬ 
 lent color of the exserted tip of the female abdomen. The body is cov¬ 
 ered with yellow hairs. But the mgst constant character by which to 
 distinguish this species is the markings upon its wings, these being 
 transparent, with a brown, smoky-like band across the middle and two 
 spots of the same color at the tip. The pupa, as it has occurred to my 
 notice, is half an inch long and a quarter of an inch broad, nearly oval 
 but somewhat smaller anteriorly. It is of a black color, encircled with 
 rows of short sharp spines or thorn-like points directed backwards, there 
 being one such row upon each segment. On the anterior end are two 
 little processes like horns. I have sometimes met with this pupa in the 
 dung of the horse, the larva in these instances probably having been 
 so far matured towards its pupa state when it was voided from the ani¬ 
 mal that it was unable to crawl into the ground as it usually does. 
 
 The CEstrus nasalis, Linn., is the name applied by the latest author¬ 
 ities to the species which has been current in books under the name of 
 veterinus. This is of nearly the same size with the preceding, and has 
 the head yellow, the remainder of the body being black. Hairs orange 
 yellow ; those of the abdomen whitish except on the third segment, 
 where they are black ; wings, hyaline. This and the preceding are the 
 only species of bot-fly that infest the horse, that I have met with in this 
 country, though it is not improbable that others exist. There is per¬ 
 haps no part of the science of entomology where so great confusion has 
 prevailed in the names and descriptions of the species as here, and the 
 authorities are so discordant that it is difficult to determine which names 
 are to be sanctioned as the correct ones. 
 
 The Hypodcrma Bovis, Linn., or gad fly which produces the war¬ 
 bles on the backs of cattle, is of a size corresponding with that of the 
 common bot-fly of the horse. It is of a black color and clothed with yel¬ 
 lowish-white hairs, except on the third segment of the abdomen, where 
 they are biack. The wings have a brownish tinge. 
 
800 [ Assembly 
 
 The sheep gad-fly, Cephalemyia Ovis, Linn., is somewhat smaller 
 than the species above noticed. Its thorax is grayish and is covered 
 with little black tubercles, each of which bears a hair. The abdomen 
 is white and in particular reflections of the light exhibits irregular black 
 spots. The legs are yellow and the wings hyaline. This fly common¬ 
 ly lurks about the vicinity of woods, in the months of June and July. 
 According to the accounts of it that we meet with in authors, it aims 
 to get its eggs within the nostril of the sheep, and for this purpose darts 
 upon it with the quickness of lightning, depositing an egg in the act. 
 The warmth and moisture of the part speedily hatch this egg, and the 
 little worm that comes from it crawls up the nostril until it reaches 
 some of the cavities connected with the nose. It is said that this worm 
 occasions great irritation as it crawls upwards, causing the poor animal 
 to gallop furiously about, snorting violently, as if almost maddened by 
 the annoyance. The worm commonly takes up its abode in the frontal 
 sinuses. These are two large shallow cavities in the forehead, one on 
 each side, directly above the eyes and the root of the nose. It here 
 fastens itself, by means of two hooks with which it is provided, to the 
 skin which lines these cavities, and there remains until April or May 
 in the following year, the sheep experiencing no further annoyance 
 from it after it attaches itself. Being at length fully grown, it loosens 
 itself from its hold upon the skin and crawls out the same way by 
 which it entered, again giving much annoyance to the animal, which 
 makes most violent efforts to sneeze it out. Dropping to the ground, it 
 burrows beneath the surface, and becomes an oval, motionless pupa, in 
 which state it remains six or eight weeks, when, breaking asunder its 
 its shell, it comes forth a perfect fly. Being destitute of a mouth it 
 takes no food, and only exists a short time, depositing its eggs for an¬ 
 other generation being its sole employment. 
 
 I am informed by my neighbor, John McDonald, that some years 
 since a number of his sheep were observed in the month of April to be 
 affected with a discharge of mucus from the nose. They lost their ap¬ 
 petite, pined away and became quite emaciated, and about a half dozen 
 of them died. On opening the heads of these, from one to six grubs 
 were found in the frontal sinuses of each. I have never examined the 
 heads of deceased sheep to find the larva of this insect, but have, in 
 some instances, observed it dead in the mucus that oozed from the nos¬ 
 trils of the sheep, a day or two after it had died. And from this fact 
 I infer that like other parasites, it leaves the body on which it has 
 preyed when life has become extinct, and those larvaj that are suffi- 
 
No. 175. | 
 
 801 
 
 eiently matured, thereupon crawl into the ground and complete their 
 transformations, whilst those that are immature perish. 
 
 That this fly is a most annoying pest there can be little doubt. A 
 sheep will sometimes be observed to suddenly stamp and kick up both 
 with its fore and its hind feet, as if stung by some insect, and will 
 thereupon suddenly dart off at full speed towards another part of the 
 field, as if to escape from its tormentor. But whether this is in con¬ 
 sequence of its being assailed by the gad-fly is not certain. But to 
 avoid the assaults of this insect the whole flock is often seen crowded 
 together upon some bare, dusty or sandy spot, in the pasture, with their 
 heads turned inwards towards the center of the group and held close 
 down to the ground, one and another continually stamping with their 
 feet as if to frighten away their enemy. 
 
 It is obvious that human instrumentality can be of little avail in pro¬ 
 tecting the sheep from this scourge. The inner side of the nostril 
 being a secreting surface, it is impossible to coat it with tar or any other 
 substance to shield it and prevent its being a suitable nidus for the eggs 
 of the gad-fly. And to have the sod broken in some dry, dusty part of 
 the pasture, and thus aid the animal in those efforts to which its instinct 
 prompts it to resort seems about all that can be done for it. 
 
 161. Maggots. —The most deplorable casualties to which this inno¬ 
 cent and valuable animal is subject, it may truly be said that it expe¬ 
 riences from its insect enemies. In addition to the injuries which we 
 have already considered, another still more calamitous and horrible re¬ 
 mains to be treated of—that of being infested and consumed by mag¬ 
 gots. These disgusting vermin, which rarely riot upon other animals 
 until after life is extinct, not unfrequently make their assault upon this 
 defenceless creature, as it were, before their time. Whilst it is yet in 
 full health and vigor, they form a lodgment upon it, and rapidly multi¬ 
 plying, overrun its body, literally devouring it alive. 
 
 These maggots are the larvae of several species of flies. That which 
 is the most common one among them, is named by naturalists Lucilia 
 Casar. This is about the same size with the common house fly, but 
 of a brilliant brassy-green or blue-green color, and the legs black. It 
 may always be observed abundant upon the bodies of dead animals 
 in the fields in the summer season. And associated with it in such sit¬ 
 uations, is another species, Lucilia Cadaverina , which scarcely differs 
 from it, except that it is a third smaller, with wings, exhibiting a slight 
 degree of duskiness. 
 
 [Assembly No. 175.| 
 
 51 
 
802 
 
 | Assembly 
 
 Another species is the blue-bottle-fly, Calliphora Vomitnria, Linn. 
 This is much larger than either of the preceding, an 1 is often seen 
 buzzing about in situations where fresh meat is exposed. Its thorax is 
 of a black or blue-black color, and the abdomen or hind-body deep shin¬ 
 ing blue. And a second species of the same genus, named Fulvtbarbis 
 by Robineau Desvoidy, closely resembles it, but is readily distinguished 
 by the color of the bristle-like hairs at the base of the head below the 
 eyes, which are here of an orange yellow instead of a black color. 
 
 These are the most common and best known European species of 
 these carrion-maggot flies, but there are quite a number of others very 
 closely allied to them, yet regarded as distinct by the naturalists of the 
 present day. Our American species seem to differ scarcely, if at all, 
 from those of Europe. A careful study, however, and comparison of 
 foreign specimens with those of our own country, is necessary to deter¬ 
 mine accurately the number of our species, and whether they are really 
 identical with those of the old world. 
 
 One of the most interesting traits in the habits of all the maggot- 
 flies, is the unerring accuracy which the parent fly displays in selecting 
 the appropriate nest for her offspring. Thus the egg of some genera 
 are always placed upon decaying animal matter; others upon decaying 
 vegetables, particularly mushrooms; and others still upon the dung of 
 the cow-yard ; the parent in each case choosing out the spot where her 
 young will find that kind of nourishment on which alone it can subsist. 
 From the eggs thus deposited, and which are commonly called fly¬ 
 blows, the larv* hatch. These are denominated maggots, in common 
 parlance ; and they accelerate the decomposition of the substances on 
 which they live, so rapidly, that they seem to have been designed by 
 the Author of Nature expressly for consuming such substances, and 
 thus preventing them from tainting and poisoning the atmosphere by 
 their effluvia, to the extent that they would be liable to do if left to de¬ 
 cay gradually, and exhale all the gases that would be formed by their 
 decomposition. When the maggots have arrived to maturity, they 
 leave the substance on which they have been living, and crawl slightly 
 into the ground, where they change into pupa of a chestnut brown or 
 black color, and of a form resembling that of a barrel. Here in the 
 earth they lie dormant during the winter, and on the return of warm 
 weather the perfectly formed and fully grown flies hatch from them. 
 
 It is the species of the genera Lucilia and Calliphora more particularly 
 whose larvae subsist upon cadaverous matter ; whilst those of the genus 
 Musca live in dung-hills. In this last situation is cradled during its 
 infancy that best known of all insects, our common house-fly, which 
 Dr. Harris supposes may be distinct from the analogous species ofEu- 
 
No 175.1 
 
 803 
 
 rope (Musca domes!tea) and which he therefore names Musca harpyia. 
 
 It is truly a harpy, appearing in swarms in the hottest period of the 
 year, particularly in dwellings where the utmost neatness is not observed; 
 impudently obtruding without invitation, and making itself the fiist 
 seated guest at the dinner table, and ere grace is said, freely regaling 
 itself from every dish upon the board. And the pertinacity with which 
 a particular individual will often persist in travelling about our faces, or 
 other parts of our bodies which are not covered with clothing, in order 
 to drink up the perspiration which exudes from the skin, is often most 
 annoying. Another species, also bred in the dung-hill, the Stomoxys 
 Calcilrans, Linn., though it so exactly resembles the common house¬ 
 fly, as to be popularly regarded as identical with it, is too voracious to 
 thus content itself with the sanies that perspires from our bodies, but 
 sucks the very blood of both man and beast, inflicting in this act a 
 piercing bite that is most tormenting, particularly to the horse. 
 
 Though nature has assigned decaying animal matter to the Lucilian 
 nnd Calliphorian flies as the domain in which their young are to be 
 reared, ns already intimated, they sometimes overleap their appropriate 
 bounds and deposit their eggs in the ulcers of living animals, thereby 
 causing these to swarm with maggots. And of all animals, the sheep, 
 inoffensive and defenceless, is the greatest sufferer in this particular; 
 nnd this is the case, alas, too commonly in consequence of the negli¬ 
 gence and inattention of its inhuman owner. In warm weather, where 
 ever upon a sheep the skin is fretted and abraded so that moisture ex¬ 
 udes from it and a running sore is formed, it is sure to become the re¬ 
 pository of the eggs of these flies. The following may be specified as 
 the common causes of such sores and the consequent foundation of this 
 malady. 
 
 1st. Bucks when kept together in the same field (as they necessarily 
 are in most instances) become addicted to the habit of bunting each oth¬ 
 er ; and an instance is related to me in which a valuable animal got his 
 neck broken whilst indulging in this pastime as many are inclined to 
 regard it. Frequently, hereby, blood or sanious matter is made to start 
 out, moistening the wool around the roots of the horns. This wet 
 wool becomes fly-blowed and the maggots thus obtain a lodgment here. 
 Esq. Livingston who has had forty years experience, generally with a 
 large flock, informs me that during all that time this casualty among 
 his bucks has been the only thing of the nature of a disease, for which 
 he has had occasion to resort to a medicinal application. 
 
 2d. Instances occur, though they are very rare, in which one of the 
 horns at the end of its first volution grows almost in contact with the 
 head, hereby pressing and matting together the wool between it and the 
 
804 
 
 skin, causing it to become foul and to remain wet for sometime after a 
 drenching rain. Thus the spot becomes adapted for the purposes of the 
 fly. which thereupon makes it the repository of its eggs. 
 
 3d. When tagging the sheep is neglected, at time of turning them to 
 grass, the filthiness that accumulates around the tail becomes such a 
 source of irritation that some abrasion of the skin at length results 
 from it and the sore is speedily discovered by the fly and appropriated to 
 its use. So sure is this to take place among some of the flock that we 
 have no sheep owners that I am aware of who neglect this most impor¬ 
 tant operation. 
 
 4th. Maggots are an invariable sequel and the common cause of 
 death in the foot-rot, as will be more particularly related under that dis¬ 
 ease. 
 
 In fine, whatever produces any sore from which moisture exudes is 
 liable to result in this affection. Nay, one instance is related in which 
 it was supposed to have originated without any abrasion of the skin. 
 Some years since, Ebenezer McAllister, late of Salem, discovered that 
 a number of his flock were infested with maggots. It was in the latter 
 part of the season, just after a protracted period of rainy weather, and 
 as the sheep had all been sound to appearance, it was supposed that the 
 wool in consequence of having been so long wet, had become adapted 
 for receiving the fly-blows. At all events there could only have been 
 one or two of the sheep with slight and unobserved wounds in which 
 these eggs were deposited in the first instance and the fleeces of the 
 others being saturated with moisture the maggots freely crawled from 
 one sheep to another when they were lying or standing in contact, so 
 as to become extensively spread through the flock. 
 
 With regard to the treatment of this affection a few words will suffice. 
 Removing the wool from around the ulcerated surface so that it shall 
 no longer afford a covert for the worms, and pouring spirits of turpen¬ 
 tine (oil of pine,) freely into the sore is the practice here universally re¬ 
 sorted to. A few applications are effectual, in all cases where the mal¬ 
 ady is seasonably discovered. Where bucks are running together in 
 warm weather their heads should be frequently examined and if there 
 is any soreness or bloodiness about the base of the horns, spirits of tur¬ 
 pentine should be applied. So watchful in this respect was the late 
 Isaac Bishop that he made it a practice during warm weather to get his 
 bucks up regularly once in every month and apply this medicine around 
 the horns of all, indiscriminately, whether they were thus affected or 
 not. Wherever this pungent oil penetrates, if maggots are there lurk¬ 
 ing, it instantly starts them out in evident agony—they hurry forth in- 
 
No. 175. j 
 
 805 
 
 to the ends of the wool, many dropping themselves to the ground, and 
 others exposing themselves so that they are readily brushed from the 
 fleece. 
 
 162. Foot-rot.—How introduced into this district .—The foot-rot is 
 altogether the most severe and the most dreaded of any disease preva¬ 
 lent among the flocks of this district. Though it is now so common 
 and wide-spread, it was unknown upon this continent, until it was in¬ 
 troduced by the Saxon sheep. All the many cases of it that now exist 
 in this section of the country, are believed to have been derived from a 
 single diseased sheep, the history of which is therefore too important to 
 be here omitted. 
 
 In the Autumn of 1827, Judge Campbell obtained a buck from the 
 newly-arrived flock of Mr. Grove. It was a fine animal, and cost the 
 purchaser a hundred dollars. A slight lameness was observed in one 
 of its feet at the time of its purchase. This, Mr. Grove assured Esq, 
 Campbell, was caused by a sliver or stub which had got into the foot. 
 That Mr. Grove supposed the anipial was wholly free from the foot-rot, 
 no one who knew him, will doubt; and yet, it is difficult to conceive 
 how a person so experienced in this disease, as Mr. Grove had been, 
 came to be mistaken upon a point susceptible of being ascertained with 
 such readiness and certainty. 
 
 The buck was turned with Esq. Campbell’s flock, and ere long other 
 sheep began to show the same lameness, and on the coming on of 
 warm weather, the following spring, it fully developed its character, 
 and raged with a virulence similar to the plague or yellow-fever when 
 introduced into a populous city. Profoundly ignorant as our communi¬ 
 ty was of the disease, and its mode of treatment, it advanced, uncheck¬ 
 ed, until it had pervaded the whole flock, and destroyed a number of 
 its members. A youth living with Esq. Campbell at this time, going 
 bare-footed into the field got some of the virus into a slight scratch that 
 was upon his foot. It produced a most painful and malignant ulcera¬ 
 tion in the wound, and was at length cured by a resort to the same 
 caustic application that was used upon the sheep. 
 
 Other flocks in the neighborhood, from being drove to the same pen 
 ' to be washed, where Esq. Campbell’s flock had been, and in other anal¬ 
 ogous ways, received the disease, and for a time it excited such con¬ 
 sternation in Quassacoolc, and its vicinity, that the proprietors of sound 
 flocks, scarcely dared to venture on to the public highway with their 
 sheep, lest they should acquire the contagion. None of the other 
 sheep obtained from Mr. Grove, communicated the disease to the flockB 
 into which they were taken. Though it was known to be among his 
 flock at the same time, he was careful to dispose of none but sound in. 
 
806 
 
 [ Assembly 
 
 dividuals. Judge Campbell commenced a suit at law against him for 
 he damages he had sustained. The ablest counsel were employed 
 upon both sides. Our whole community was excited, and took a deep 
 interest in the subject. But the pnrties were men of too much discre¬ 
 tion and good sense, to become involved in a course of litigation, from 
 which both would probably be pecuniary sufferers in the end. The 
 matter was therefore compromised ere it came to trial, Esq. Campbell 
 receiving one hundred and fifty dollars from the defendant, and with¬ 
 drawing his suit. 
 
 163. The disease little cared about by some .—From the single case 
 above recited, the foot-rot has spread extensively through this district, 
 and has been common since that time, though there are some neighbor¬ 
 hoods to which it has never been communicated. Some of our farmers 
 suffer it to linger for years in their flocks, and do not regard it as by 
 any means, so serious a calamity as it is currently deemed to be. When 
 at any time their sheep become badly affected by it, they resort tem¬ 
 porarily to medication, which checks it; but they do not feel it to 
 be worth their while to persevere in that medication until the disease is 
 entirely eradicated. The owners of sound flocks, however, are always 
 sedulous in guarding them from any communication with this disease. 
 Little of it exists at the present time in those of our towns where the 
 greatest numbers of sheep are owned. It is much more common to the 
 east of us, in Vermont; and several who in former years were accus¬ 
 tomed to hire pasturage upon the mountain-sides there, have abandoned 
 the practice, in consequence of finding that their flocks were so liable 
 to contract this disease when sent hither. 
 
 164. Its predisposing cause .—That this a contagious disease, com¬ 
 municated by contact with the matter that has discharged from the 
 sores of affected sheep, there can be no doubt; and it is surprising that 
 there has been a disagreement among writers upon this subject. The 
 opinion advanced by Mr. Dick, in a communication to the Edinburgh 
 Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, and copied without note or comment, 
 into some of our popular treatises on sheep, that the foot rot proceeds 
 from sand and dirt, which insinuates itself between the crust and sole 
 of the hoof, until it reaches the quick, and there excites the inflamma¬ 
 tion and ulceration, which constitutes this disease, we cannot but regard 
 as purely hypothetical. Why did not the sand and dirt of the Ameri¬ 
 can continent sometimes insinuate itself into the soles of the native 
 sheep, or the Merinos, which were so extensively introduced, fifteen 
 years anterior to the arrival of the Saxons? Assuredly, if this disease 
 is produced by the causes assigned by Mr. Dick, it would have been as 
 
807 
 
 No. 175.] 
 
 common in this country before the Saxon sheep were imported, as it 
 has since been. But it is unnecessary to enter upon a discussion of 
 this topic, inasmuch as there is but one opinion prevailing in this country 
 re-pertinc it. Facts in abundance might be adduced to show that this 
 prevailing opinion is correct. 
 
 The predisposing, that is, the essential cause of this disease, is a 
 virus, or poisonous matter, which i3 generated in, and issues from the 
 sores upon the feet of diseased sheep, which virus, by coming in con¬ 
 tact with the feet of sound sheep communicates the same disease to 
 them. It is therefore a disease of identically the same class with the 
 itch, the small-pox, &c., in the human race, the kine-pox in the cow, 
 and the “grease,” in the horse. In the foot-rot of sheep, it is the com¬ 
 mon, and no doubt the correct opinion, that this virus is communicated 
 not immediately from the feet of the diseased to those of the sound 
 sheep, but is discharged upon the grass, haulm, stones, &c., of the 
 sheep-walks, from whence it comes in contact with the feet of sound 
 sheep. How long this virus, after it is discharged from the sores in 
 which it has been generated, will retain its energy, is an important 
 •question, upon which we possess no authentic inhumation. It would 
 seem, that exposed as it is to the atmosphere, to the light and heat of 
 the sun, the rains and the night dews, it would be soon decomposed 
 and rendered inert. But no one deems it safe to turn his sheep into 
 a field where diseased sheep have been, the same season; and some, 
 are even of the opinion, that the fronts of winter do not destroy the 
 taint, and that there is therefore some risk in pasturing sheep where a 
 disorded (lock has had its abode the preceding summer. 
 
 165. Its exciting causes .—It is in the summer season that this disease 
 mostly affects the sheep. During cold weather, except a slight degree 
 of lameness, it commonly discommodes them but little. As warm 
 weather advances, the lameness increases, and the ulceration and dis¬ 
 charge of matter then becomes more active. 
 
 The foot-rot is most inveterate among flocks that are pastured upon 
 low, wet grounds. Hence it prevails to a much more considerable ex¬ 
 tent upon the clay lands upon the west side of this county, and is there 
 more obstinate and less readily cured than upon the gravel lands on 
 the east side of the county. And in Easton, large and valuable flocks 
 have sometimes been so badly affected, that their proprietors have been 
 induced to sell them out entirely, and remain a year or mors without 
 any sheep, regarding this ns the only course by which they could hope 
 to obliterate the virus of this disease from their premises. 
 
808 [Assemble 
 
 In dry summers, among flocks pastured upon mountain lands, this 
 disease does not occasion much annoyance. But even here, it will 
 spread and rage in a virulent manner, in damp, hot seasons. It con¬ 
 sequently affects our flocks, much more seriously in some years 
 than it does in others, warmth and moisture being the circumstances 
 that have been observed as contributing to promote it in a notable man¬ 
 ner. 
 
 166. Its symptoms. —Dr. James Kice, of Fort Ann, in whose flockthe 
 foot-rot has prevailed of late years in a slight degree, informs me that 
 it is not a constitutional, but purely a local disease, in the medical 
 sense of these terms. In other words, it is not attended with any 
 fever, loss of appetite, or other disturbance of the system at large— 
 that except a slight preternatural warmth, perhaps, in the leg, on the 
 access of the disease, all its symptoms are confined to the foot alone. 
 One foot only is commonly affected at the first, and it is rare that all the 
 feet are diseased even in the severest and fatal cases. 
 
 The disease consists in an inflammation and ulceration in the sole of 
 the foot, at the junction of the hoof with the soft parts, eating like a 
 cancer and destroying the connection of the hoof with the foot. It 
 commences upon the posterior or heel side of the foot and works for¬ 
 ward towards the toe, the heel portion of the hoof becoming entirely 
 sundered from the soft parts, so that it may be readily raised up, whilst 
 the attachment anteriorly still remains sound; but eventually the whole 
 hoof becomes severed and drops off! The ulceration is of a highly ma¬ 
 lignant character ; fungous granulations, popularly called “proud flesh,” 
 shoot up, and it is what is commonly termed “an angry-looking sore.” 
 The matter which is discharged from it has a peculiar and most offen¬ 
 sive smell, which, in doctoring this disease, is imparted to the fingers 
 and remains upon them for two or three days notwithstanding the most 
 thorough washing. This peculiar fetor is one of the surest diagnostic 
 marks of the disease. A person who has once become acquainted wilh 
 it will readily determine thereafter whether lameness in a sheep is caus¬ 
 ed by foot-rot by the sense of smell; nor does the organ of this sense 
 require to be very near the affected member to perceive this odor, if it 
 is present. 
 
 167. Its termination .—This disease is probably quite painful to the 
 unfortunate subjects of it in all stages of its progress. At its first com¬ 
 mencement it causes lameness, and this continues to increase, until 
 with the advance of the malady the sheep is no longer able to endure 
 the agony produced by standing erect. It lays itself down, never to 
 rise more. Partly upon its knees, for two or three days it creeps around 
 
809 
 
 No. I75.J 
 
 a limited space to glean the few mouthsful of sustenance within^its 
 reach, and having gnawed this to the very roots, unable to stretch itself 
 farther, the miserable object dies from starvation, 
 
 Much more commonly, however, its life is terminated in a different, 
 but not less pitiable mode. The fetor of the sores upon its^feet attract 
 to them numbers of flies. These deposit their eggs in the sores. From 
 these fly-blows, maggots are hatched which throng the sores as thick as 
 they can be crowded. Moreover when the sheep lies down for repose, 
 its feet are naturally placed under it, in contact with its body and al¬ 
 ways touching the same spot. The wool growing upon this spot be¬ 
 comes hereby impregnated with the matter which issues from the dis¬ 
 eased foot; and after a time a portion of the maggots forsake the foot 
 and make a lodgment upon this spot, nestling in contact with the skin 
 and sheltered and concealed amid the wool. Their abode here at length 
 becomes obvious by a spot, it may be the size of a man’s hand, appear¬ 
 ing externally as if the fleece was there wet or saturated with grease, 
 and on examination it is found that the wool here is loosened from the 
 skin and is pervaded by myriads of maggots. This spot rapidly in¬ 
 creases in size, and the maggots at length become so excessively mul¬ 
 tiplied that numbers scatter themselves abroad, crawling through all 
 parts of the fleece, producing a degree of irritation and torment that 
 soon puts a period to the life of the animal. 
 
 168. Its treatment .—It is surprising that farmers, and even good far¬ 
 mers, that are humane and choice of their flocks, can tolerate a disease 
 that is liable to produce such results, when by suitable care it is well 
 known it can be perfectly eradicated. W as every flock owner to do 
 what duty and humanity calls for in this raatteT, this disease would soon 
 become extinct in our country. 
 
 A number of receipts for the cure of this disease have been given in 
 agricultural publications, most of them there is little doubt depending 
 for their efficacy upon a single ingredient, which enters largely into 
 their composition. This ingredient is blue vitriol (sulphate of copper,) 
 and there seems to be no good reason for combining this with a half 
 dozen other substances and making a complicated recipe, the virtue of 
 which depends after all upon this one article. Other caustics are per¬ 
 haps as good as this ; but this having been amply tested and its efficacy 
 clearly ascertained, there is no occasion for searching further, or trying 
 to find out with how many other articles this can be combined and still 
 retain its power. Every intelligent physician endeavors to make his 
 prescriptions as simple as possible, and when he has one article that he 
 knows will answer his design effectually, be avoids lumbering that arti- 
 
810 
 
 | Assembly 
 
 cle with others thnt can in no wise increase the certainty or speed of its 
 operation. It is the empiric only, that, ignorant of diseases and their 
 true remedies and firing at random, puts a handful of shot into his gun 
 with the hope that some one of them will hit the marie. 
 
 The best time to extirpa'e this disease from a flock is the fore part of 
 the season. When the sheep are got up to be tagged, their feet should 
 be carefully examined. Every one that exhibits the slightest ulceration 
 at the root of the hoof, giving olf that offensive fetor peculiar to the foot- 
 rot, should then be separated from the rest of the flock. A person ac¬ 
 quainted with this disease can tell with certainty every sheep that is af¬ 
 fected by it. As this examination is making, spirits of turpentine should 
 be poured into the clefts of the feet of all the sheep ascertained to be 
 sound, in order to wash out and destroy any particles of the virus that 
 may be lodged there. This will secure the unaffected members of the 
 flock from having the disease break out among them. The diseased 
 sheep must henceforth be kept by themselves, until the whole are cured. 
 To effect this cure the hoof must be cut away so as to freely expose all 
 of the diseased part. This is an indispensable part of the treatment. 
 It can commonly be performed without putting the sheep to any severe 
 suffering. But sometimes the affected parts are sore and tender, and if 
 the point of the knife accidentally touches the quick, the sheep may get 
 to struggling so violently that it will be necessary to tie its feet to com¬ 
 plete the work in hand. Apparent cruelty here, is mercy to the animal 
 in the er.d. The foot, moreover, in some cases gets to bleeding so pro¬ 
 fusely that it is impossible to see whether the whole of the hoof over the 
 sore is removed; the timid operator often hopes he has exposed the 
 whole of the diseased part, and desists when his object is but partially 
 accomplished ; and he hereby is under the necessity of renewing it at a 
 subsequent day. 
 
 The hoof being pared away so as to expose the whole extent of the 
 ulcer, blue vitrol alone or in combination with other substances is to be 
 applied to its surface. G. Campbell informs me that the dry powder, 
 formed by pulverising this salt, freely dusted over the sore, is all that is 
 necessary, and is as efficacious as any application can be; the sore be¬ 
 ing hereby entirely healed over in a majority of cases, within about five 
 days, and a perfect cure accomplished. Others, in addition to dusting 
 with vitriol powder, pour spirits of turpentine upon the sore, but I doubt 
 whether this contributes anything towards the cure. It will, it is true, 
 repel the flies from depositing their eggs here; but if the vitriol ulone 
 excites a healthy action, causing the sore to heal so speedily, there can 
 be little danger of the exposed part becoming the nidus of maggots in 
 the interim. If it is preferred to have this medicine in the form of a 
 
811 
 
 No. 175. J 
 
 wash instead of a dry powder, the formula of the late Mr. Grove, which 
 has been used by many in this vicinity and is known to be perfectly ef¬ 
 ficacious, may be followed. It is this. Blue vitriol, four ounces, ver¬ 
 digris (Acetate of copper) two ounces, dissolved in a junk bottle of urine. 
 No one, however, who is conversant with the materia medica, will be in¬ 
 clined to regard the verdigris or the solvent as imparting anything to 
 the value of this prescription. A saturated solution of blue vitriol in 
 water, that is, about four ounces to a pint, there is scarcely a doubt will 
 be equally efficacious, if not more so, in consequence of being free from 
 any extraneous matter. 
 
 The essential feature in the treatment of this disease is, that every 
 part of the sore be touched with blue vitriol or some caustic analagous 
 to it. In order to insure its application to the whole extent of the dis¬ 
 eased surface, it is indispensable that the hoof should be cut away so 
 far that this surface will be fully exposed and can be got at with facili¬ 
 ty. A single application of the caustic in most instances, cures the dis¬ 
 ease. After a week has elapsed, however, some of the sheep will be 
 observed to be still lame. The worst cases are so inveterate, with the 
 fungous granulations of the sore so exuberant, that a second and in in¬ 
 stances a third application of the remedy is required. And it is not un¬ 
 likely that the feet of some of the lame sheep when they come to be 
 examined the second time will be found to be entirely healed and per¬ 
 fectly well to appearance ; but on carefully paring off more of the hoof, 
 the operator finds some of the old sore still existing, which had not been 
 reached by the knife and the caustic in the first instance. He thereup¬ 
 on proceeds again to cut away the hoof sufficiently to expose all the re¬ 
 maining extent of the sore, and applies the vitriol to it as at first. 
 
 This course of treatment must be perseveringly followed up so long 
 as the slightest indication of lameness is perceptible in any individual 
 of this diseased lot. And they should thereafter be continued apart from 
 the other sheep until the proprietor is perfectly sure that there is no vestige 
 of the disease lurking among them to again break forth and spread 
 through the flock. Thus the disease may be infallibly eradicated. 
 
 A person thoroughly experienced in this disease, but now out of the 
 wool growing business and therefore disinterested in this matter soys, 
 if he was purchasing a flock of sheep, he would be willing to take dis¬ 
 eased ones for twenty-five cents per head less than what sound ones are 
 worth, so certain is he that every one can be cured, at an amount of 
 care and expense equivalent to that sum. 
 
 159. Black-foot or fouls .—There is an opinion somewhat current 
 among us, that there is in addition to the foot-rot nnolher species of 
 
812 [Assembly 
 
 lameness to which sheep are subject. This is here named the “ black- 
 foot” and is probably the same affection which is designated the “ fouls” 
 in Mr. Morrell’s valuable work, (The American Shepherd,) and which 
 is also briefly alluded to in Blacldock’s Treatise, without any name. 
 Nothing very definite respecting this disease is given in books, and the 
 information I am able to gather in this district is far from being full and 
 satisfactory. According to the current accounts it is a lameness similar 
 to and frequently confounded with the foot-rot although it is entirely 
 distinct. It is sometimes so severe that the sheep does not attempt 
 to stand upon its feet, but hobbles about upon its knees and feeds in a re¬ 
 cumbent posture. It is caused by pasturing on lowlands and disappears 
 spontaneously and without any medication on removing the flock to dry, 
 mountain lands. It is said that instances have occurred in which shar¬ 
 pers acquainted with this disease have taken shameful advantages of 
 those who were ignorant of it, and have obtained valuable flocks at a 
 great discount, the owners supposing them to be dangerously diseased 
 with the foot-rot, whereas the more knowing purchasers by merely dri¬ 
 ving these sheep to a mountain pasturage in Vermont, have at once re¬ 
 stored them to perfect soundness. 
 
 CONSUMPTION OF WOOL IN THE COUNTY. 
 
 170. Woolen manufactories .—A few statistics showing the extent of 
 the manufacture and consumption of wool within the county, remain to 
 be given, to complete the history of this branch of our industrial pursuits. 
 
 There are thirteen woolen manufactories in operation in the county 
 at the present time ; one at Union village, and another on Indian river 
 in Granville, having been burned within a fewjjyears past, and not yet 
 re-built. An establishment intended for a larger business than any of 
 those now in the county, has been erected the past season (1849) at 
 Fort Miller, but is not yet in operation. The location of those factories 
 now in operation, and the amount of wool annually consumed by each 
 is about as follows: 
 
 On White Creek, at White Creek village, consuming 9,000 pounds. 
 
 On Owl Kill, near North White Creek village, 
 
 do 
 
 4,000 
 
 do 
 
 On Batten Kill, at Eagieville, in Salem, 
 
 do 
 
 20,000 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Shushan, in Salem, 
 
 do 
 
 15,000 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Clapp’s Mills, in Salem, 
 
 do 
 
 10,000 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 East Greenwich, in Jackson, 
 
 do 
 
 35,000 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 Galesville, in Easton, 
 
 do 
 
 30,000 
 
 do 
 
 On Moses Hill, at 
 
 Argyle village, 
 
 do 
 
 10-,000 
 
 do 
 
 On Hudson river, 
 
 at Sandy Hill, in Kingsbury, 
 
 do 
 
 10,000 
 
 do 
 
 On East Creek, at South Hartford village, 
 
 do 
 
 10,000 
 
 do 
 
No. 151.J 
 
 /n 
 
 -a. 
 
 177 
 
 
 cess, and am now enabled to producte a winter seed crop, which 
 furnishes a splendid flax, more silk-like than any other, as the 
 sample No. 1 shows. 
 
 a. Besides it has the advantages to be sown in the fall, not sub¬ 
 ject to be sown either too early or too late, as this is often the 
 case with the spring seed, and has always a failure of the crop in 
 its train. 
 
 b. That the winter seed shoot# sooner, yet before the weeds 
 come out, which latter are kept back by it j it is earlier ripe, and 
 can be brought in before the hands are wanted for other agricul¬ 
 tural operations. 
 
 c. In order to prevent the shooting in the fall, the seed must 
 be worked in by the plow as late as possible, and then the seed 
 is not damaged neither by twenty degrees of cold (Reaumur.) 
 In the spring, as soon as the field is dry, it must be lightly har¬ 
 rowed. It shoots with the .first rays of the warm sun, and is 
 already in flower when other spring seed is sown, and before the 
 insects can do it any harm. 
 
 d. This wdnter seed is glossy, but dark and mixed with black 
 grains, yet all shoot. It is a great deal more oily than the com¬ 
 mon seed. 
 
 If you will indicate the means by which to forward it, I am 
 ready to send you a sufficient quantity of this seed, of course 
 without payment. I would be happy to enter in connexion and 
 correspondence with you. Your answer you can send me by 
 means of the Ambassador, by the Imp. Agricultural Society at Pe- 
 tersburgh, or direct by mail, addressed “ Kurland, Liebau a Pa- 
 perboff.” I should like to have some seed of the Maclura auran- 
 tiaca; and also, at due time, some notices about your exhibition. 
 I am at any time ready to serve you also with the seed whose 
 weed furnishes the persiese powder for killing insects of all kinds. 
 
 LOON FALKERSABORF, 
 
 Member of the Scientific Committee in the Ministerial Domain of the 
 Imperial Geographical, Natural, Philosophical, Historical, Hor- 
 ticolar and Ag. Son. at St. Petersburgh , Moskowa, Finland, Cau¬ 
 casus, fyc. 8fc. fyc., and real, corresponding or honorary member 
 in almost all the Europmn States. 
 
 [ag. te. ’54.] 12 
 
178 
 
 | Assembly 
 
 APPLE TREE PESTll 
 
 Sohonherr’s Weevil aml tlie Orchard Moth.—Asa Fitoh, M. D., Salem, N. T. 
 
 Salem , JY. Y., June 30, 1853. 
 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson: My Dear Sir—The Michigan insects 
 reached me in safety. They pertain to the weevil family (Cur- 
 culionidje), and are one of the largest of that kind of insects 
 which we have in this country. They are the Pachyrhynchus 
 Schonherri, so named by the late Rev. Mr. Kirby, in honor of the 
 Swedish entomologist Schonherr, who has devoted a great deal 
 of attention to this family of beetles, so noted for the injuries 
 which they inflict, and who has published several volumes upon 
 them. Mr. Kirby’s description of this species may be found in 
 the Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America, vol. iv> 
 page 103. It also appears, from the short description given in 
 Turton’s System of Nature, vol. 2, page 264, to be the species 
 named Curculio JYoveboracensis , or the New-York weevil, by Fors¬ 
 ter ; but not having Forster’s work at hand, I am unable to speak 
 decidedly. It is rather a rare insect, I should judge, for I have 
 never seen but three specimens of it heretofore. One of these I 
 captured in this (Washington) county, twenty years ago. The 
 others were sent to me, one from Long Island, and the other from 
 Rhode Island. Mr. Kirby’s specimens were taken in Canada. 
 
 This weevil, though variable in size, is commonly over half an 
 inch in length, and is about two and a half lines broad. It is of 
 a gray color, produced by short whitish hairs upon a black ground. 
 Upon the thorax are three white stripes, more or less distinct, and 
 upon each wing-cover are four white stripes which are interrupted 
 by small black spots. These marks will suffice to distinguish 
 this from other insects. We have a long-horned beetle, the grub 
 of which lives in pine timber—the Rhagium lineatum —which is 
 much more common, and strikingly resembles this weevil in size, 
 color and form, but is readily distinguished from it, by having a 
 projecting spine, or tooth, on each side of the thorax. 
 
 Hitherto, so far as I am aware, nothing has been known respect¬ 
 ing the habits of this weevil; and the facts mentioned by Mr. 
 Wetmore, that it eats the young buds and tender twigs of the 
 
179 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 apple tree, causing them to wilt and die, passing from one bud to 
 another, and, when satisfied, concealing itself under a leaf, until 
 prompted by hunger, it crawls forth to take another repast, are 
 very interesting, and will not fail to attract! the notice of the fruit 
 culturist. When these insects are present in numbers upon a 
 tree, perhaps the best mode to get rid of them will be to spread 
 sheets under the tree, and then shake the tree, or beat upon it 
 with a pole. The insects, thus disturbed, will drop upon the 
 sheets, and may be gathered up and killed by throwing them 
 into a kettle of boiling water. They may then, be fed to the 
 hens. 
 
 Should a favorable season, or any other cause, lead to its be¬ 
 coming greatly multiplied at any time, it is easy to perceive that 
 this weevil would be a great pest in our orchards. And that it 
 will become thus multiplied, now and then, in particular dis¬ 
 tricts, I do not doubt, history will show—this being the case 
 with nearly all of our injurious insects. Commonly, their num¬ 
 bers are so few, that no notice is taken of their depredations. 
 But, at times, they become so excessively'numerous, as to commit 
 great havoc and prove themselves a terrible scourge. An instance 
 of this has recently been communicated to me. The common 
 May beetle of our country, Phyllophaga quercina , as it is named 
 in Dr. Harris’s Treatise oii Injurious Insects, (a work by the by, 
 which should be in the hands of every farmer, gardener and 
 fruit grower, now that a new edition has rendered it attainable 
 to all,) is seldom noticed as being a depredator at least in this 
 section of the State. Milo Ingalsbe, Esq., President of our coun¬ 
 ty Agricultural Society, informs me that upon his place at South 
 Hartford, he has about seventy plum trees, which were splendid¬ 
 ly in bloom on the 15th of May last, together with a number of 
 cherry trees of several of the improved varieties. In the course 
 of two nights afterwards, however, this May beetle suddenly 
 hatched out in such astonishing numbers as to wholly strip these 
 trees ot their leaves, buds and blossoms, leaving many of them as 
 naked as in mid-winter, and destroying all hopes of any fruit the 
 present year. 
 
 
180 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 But a still more remarkable instance of the excessive multipli¬ 
 cation and consequent havoc caused by an insect not previously 
 noticed, has occurred in this vicinity, since I received your letter. 
 Indeed it surpasses every thing of the kind that has been hitherto 
 ' experienced in this county since the date of its settlement. On 
 the 19th instant, a man from Cambridge inquired of me whether 
 I had observed the worms upon the apple trees, saying that all 
 the orchards in that town were being stripped of their leaves. 
 Next day, on going to my apple trees, I found the worm alluded 
 to, upon all of them, committing great havoc; and a gentleman 
 from Argyle informed me that within two and three days past 
 they had been observed, overrunning all the apple trees there. 
 Upon the 23d instant, the circuit court being in session in the 
 village of Salem, I saw persons from most towns of the county, 
 and learned that this worm was ravaging every orchard within 
 our borders, without exception. Some idea of the value of our 
 orchards and the amount of damage which this pest threatens to 
 do utf, maybe formed from the fact, that two years ago, to supply 
 the vacancies produced, by trees that had perished, and to plant 
 new orchards upon some farms, an agent from one single nursery 
 disposed of young trees in this county, to the amount of $10,000. 
 As it well may, therefore, this worm at present forms the leading 
 topic of conversation in every circle, and our newspapers are 
 giving notices of it in their columns. And the crude and errone¬ 
 ous notions that are being formed and circulated respecting it ? 
 show, in a most humiliating manner, the gross ignorance which 
 pervades our country, upon topics of this kind. One gentleman 
 tells me, that in a conversation with the most noted and experi¬ 
 enced nurseryman in our county, they had mutually come to the 
 conclusion that this worm had been bred by what in his neigh¬ 
 borhood is termed “ the little green insect.” On inquiry, I ascer¬ 
 tained that this little green insect, so called because they know no 
 other name for it, was nothing more nor less than the Aphis malt, 
 or Apple-leaf Louse. And the idea that this louse breeds these 
 worms, is rather more wild than it would be to conjecture that 
 fleas breed bed-bugs. One of our most intelligent and successful 
 farmers, who sometimes wields his pen as well as his scythe and 
 hoe, favored me with the recherche information, that this is the 
 
181 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 “ canker-worm at least, said he, it is the very same worm 
 which was called the canker-worm in Connecticut, when I was a 
 boy. Had my good friend asseverated that the moon was made o t 
 greeh- cheese, he would scarcely have surprised me more. I over¬ 
 heard another gentleman, a graduate of one of our best colleges, 
 recommending to another similarly educated citizen, to bore his 
 apple trees, fill the hole with sulphur, and close it by inserting a 
 plug “made from the wood of the same tree.” Methought he 
 ought to have added, that the hole should be made with “ a sil¬ 
 ver bullet,” or at least that this operation should be done “ in the 
 old o’ the moon.” 
 
 Friend Johnson, posterity will only need what I have above 
 stated, to show them that mauger all our vaunted light and intel¬ 
 ligence, in this, one of the most important branches of natural 
 science to the farmer, and one of the most interesting departments 
 of nature’s works to every studious and inquiring, mind, our 
 country, at the present day, is sunk in Egyptian darkness. In 
 diffusive information, so far as respects Entomology, we are lag¬ 
 ging far behind the subjects of several of the monarchical and 
 despotic governments of the old world. In Germany and Prus¬ 
 sia, countries which are regarded as much less enlightened than 
 our own, not merely is a professor of this science deemed indis- 
 pensible in every university, and every agricultural seminarj r , 
 but its rudiments are taught in all their primary schools. In this 
 country, on the other hand, such a thing as a course of lectures 
 upon this science, has never yet been delivered, except perhaps 
 in one or two of our universities. Indeed much of the very 
 foundation of this science, upon this side of the Atlantic, is yet to 
 be laid. Whole groups and families of our insects have never 
 yet been examined. We have not even names by which to desig¬ 
 nate a considerable portion of our species. Take this apple tree 
 worm, for instance. It belongs to a family of insects, of which, 
 in Great Britain, there are upwards of 300 species. Our own 
 country, we may safely assume, contains at least double this num¬ 
 ber. And of our 600 American insects of this family, how many, 
 think you, have been examined and described! So far as I am 
 able to ascertain, there are three species only ! In juo other de- 
 
182 
 
 f Assembly 
 
 partment of science is an exploration so urgently required, so 
 loudly called for, as in this. Scarcely a week passes, but that 
 one and another within the circle of my acquaintance, is coming 
 to me with some insect which he has detected, preying upon some 
 article of property ; of which insect he is anxious to know the 
 name, habits and remedies. Within the past forty-eight hours, 
 one has brought me a worm which is infesting the roots of his 
 squashes, melons and cucumbers, and has killed a large part of 
 these plants in his and his neighbors’ gardens; another has shown 
 me some pea-pods, containing a worm which is devouring the 
 young peas; a third has brought in some tomato plants, wilted 
 and destroyed by a grub that has perforated- the stalk; and a 
 young lady has submitted to my notice some caterpillars, which 
 she finds devouring her roses. Such facts forcibly show how ' 
 much, how very much we need a thorough investigation of the 
 Entomology of our country. It is indeed surprising that this 
 branch of natural science, in an economical aspect second to no 
 other in its importance, should have remained to this day so la¬ 
 mentably neglected. In that valuable series ot volumes, the 
 Natural History of the State of*New-York, we are presented with 
 a full description of every object in the animal, vegetable and 
 mineral kingdoms, that exists within our borders—save only our 
 insects. This most important hiatus remains to be filled, to com¬ 
 plete that great work, and render it full and entire as it was de¬ 
 signed to be. Each succeeding year is showing how urgently we 
 need the information which this part of that work would furnish 
 us. Why should its completion be longer delayed 1 The pecu¬ 
 niary loss which we shall sustain the present year, from this one 
 insect which is now devastating our orchards, is probably greater 
 than will be the whole cost of a survey of the insects of the 
 State. 
 
 I have only space left to give you a short description of this 
 apple tree worm, reserving a more extended account of it for .a 
 future occasion, when I shall have had opportunities for studying 
 its entire history. 
 
 It is a cylindrical caterpillar, somewhat resembling a span 
 worm. It has sixteen feet, and is scarcely half an inch long 
 
183 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 when full grown. It varies considerably in its colors and marks, 
 but is commonly of a pale yellowish or greenish hue, with a dusky 
 stripe on each side of the back, running the whole length of its 
 body. Above this, a narrower whitish stripe is more or less dis¬ 
 tinct, and along the middle of the back is a slender dusky stripe, 
 between the whitish ones. With a magnifying glass some black 
 dots, regularly arranged, may be seen along the back and sides, 
 each dot having a short hair growing from it. The, head is pol¬ 
 ished, and of the yellow color of bees-wax. Some worms are met 
 with, however, having black heads. Whether these are a dif¬ 
 ferent species or not, can only be determined when the insect has 
 attained its perfect state. They subsist upon the leaves, eating 
 holes in them, and often devouring all except the coarse veins of 
 the leaf. They also gnaw the young apples, causing them to wilt 
 and fall from the tree. Our crop of apples for the present year 
 is totally destroyed, and it is probable that many of the trees will 
 die also, their foilage being wholly consumed, so that the trees 
 look brown, as though they had been scorched by fire. When 
 the tree is shook or jarred, many of the worms let themselves 
 suddenly down from it, some to the ground, others suspended in 
 the air by a fine thread like gossamer, which they spin. If it is 
 menaced or annoyed when on the ground, with a wriggling mo¬ 
 tion it runs backwards and forwards with surprising agility. 
 This worm evidently belongs to the family of leaf-rolling moths, 
 (Tortricid;e) ; and some of these worms may be seen hid in a 
 slight covert which they form by folding the edge of the leaf, or 
 folding it in a cylinder, or drawing two leaves together with their 
 cobweb like threads. Most of the worms, however, do not at¬ 
 tempt to form any such covering for their concealment. 
 
 When the worm gets its growth, it crawls away from the tree, 
 and under some leaf or other slight shelter on the surface of the 
 ground, spins a little, oval, paper-like cocoon, of a gray color, 
 about 18-1 OOths of an inch long, and a third as broad, within 
 which it changes to a pupa. Analogy teaches ns that from this 
 pupa will come a winged moth or miller, such as often llutters 
 about our candles in the evening. This moth will lay its eggs 
 upon the leaves or in the chinks of the bark of the apple tree; 
 
184 
 
 | Assembly 
 
 from which eggs another generation of these worms will be hatch¬ 
 ed. Dry, hot weather, in the month of June, it is certain, favors 
 the multiplication of these worms. Before they were observed, 
 it was currently remarked that such a spell of sultry, dry weather 
 as we then had, was never before known so early in the season. 
 On the night of June 23d we had heavy thunder showers, and the 
 next day few of these worms could be found upon the trees. And 
 though they are still present (June 30th) their numbers are now 
 greatly reduced. Query—will not drenching the trees with wa¬ 
 ter from a garden or fire engine prove to be the most effectual 
 way of ridding them of these worms. 
 
 On beating and shaking the apple trees, I have repeatedly seen 
 a moth fly from among the leaves, which I have little doubt is 
 the parent of these worms. It is a delicate, pretty little insect, 
 measuring six-tenths of an inch across its wings when they are 
 spread. Its fore wings are of a shining pale yellow color, coarsely 
 freckled with darker orange-yellow spots. The hind ends of its 
 wings are occupied with a broad band of a purple color, blended 
 with orange, and towards the outer or costal edge with a pale 
 yellow. This band is double the width upon the costal that it is 
 upon the inner side of the wing, and its anterior margin is slightly 
 hollowed or concave; and running parallel with the ariterior 
 margin is a curved stripe, of ,an orange color, often tinged with 
 purple, extending across the wing, slightly forward of its middle. 
 The hind wings are grayish-brown, and white anteriorly on the 
 outer side. This moth pertains to the genius Argyro-lapia, and 
 the sub-genius Lozopera of the distinguished British Entomologist, 
 Mr. Stephens; and as this species'does not appear to have been 
 hitherto described, I propose to call it the Argyrolepia pomariana , 
 the specific name being derived from the Latin, pomarium, which, 
 translated, will give us for the common name of this insect, the 
 Orchard Moth , or, if we wish to be more definite, the Orchard Ar- 
 gyrolepia. 
 
 Our forests at present are infested to an unusual extent with a 
 worm so exactly like that in the orchards, that every body regards 
 them as being identical; nor have I been able to detect any marks 
 by which they can be told the one from the other. Still, it is 
 
185 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 probable that they are distinct species. I have hitherto, in July 
 and August, in different years, captured a moth in our forests, 
 very like the Orchard Moth above described, and which I am in¬ 
 clined to regard as the parent of these forest worms. It is very 
 slightly larger than the Orchard Moth; its fore wings are bright 
 ochre-yellow, many of the scales sparkling with the lustre of bur¬ 
 nished gold, and instead of being freckled, they are covered with 
 crinkled, irregular, transverse lines of an orange color; the pur¬ 
 plish stripe forward of the middle of the wings, is widened as it 
 approaches the costal edge, and is prolonged upon this edge to 
 the base of the wing; and posteriorly, instead of the broad band, 
 there is only a spot of purple blended with orange, situated on the 
 costal edge forward of the apex ; the hind wings are white. In 
 my collection, I have named this species rfrgorolepia sylvadcana 
 or the Forest Moth. We also have, in this State, two or three 
 other species closely resembling those described, but I know 
 nothing of their habits. 
 
 Yours truly, ASA FITCH. 
 
 P. S. July 23 d .—Informed that the number of the Journal of 
 the New-York State Agricultural Society for August, had gone to 
 press when the above communication reached you, and that it 
 could not, therefore, appear until the issue of the succeeding num¬ 
 ber, as it was a topic in which our community was much inter¬ 
 ested, and erroneous views were being imbibed, I handed a copy 
 of it to the Salem Press, in which newspaper it was published on 
 the 12th inst., and copies were mailed upon the following day, to 
 my several agricultural and scientific friends throughout the 
 country. A few days after it was written, from the cocoons allu¬ 
 ded to, I obtained the winged moth, from which it was evident 
 that the species of Jlrgyrolepia y which I had described, was pro¬ 
 duced by some other worm, as yet unknown, which probably in¬ 
 fests our apple trees; whilst the worm which has done so much 
 havoc this season, instead of pertaining to the family Tortricioje, 
 as all its habits so strongly indicated, in reality belongs to the 
 Tineid;e, the family which includes the clothes moths and other 
 species which subsist upon fur, grease, and various other articles 
 of household stuff, and which make cylindrical burrows through 
 
186 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 the substances on which they feed, and have other habits, in the 
 main very unlike those of this apple tree worm. The winged 
 moths which this apple tree worm produces, belong to the genus 
 named Chcetochilus, by Stephens and Westwood, Rhinosia , by 
 Treitschke, Ypsolop/ius, by Curtis, and Aneychia , (probably), by 
 Hubrrer. Which of these several names was first published, and 
 therefore has the right to be retained for our insect, I have not at 
 hand the means for ascertaining; the name of Treitschke, how¬ 
 ever, must be rejected, Mr. Kirby having long since given the 
 name R/iinosia, to a genus of weevils. The insects of this genus 
 are chiefly distinguished by having their feelers clothed at base 
 with very long scales, which project horizontally forward from 
 the head, resembling a beak, and from the middle of the upper 
 side of these scales, the last joint of the feelers is protruded up¬ 
 wards like a spur. 
 
 I had prepared a description of this moth, to be appended to 
 the account which I had already given, but have to-day received 
 from Dr. Harris a slip of a newspaper communication, dated the 
 19th inst., in which he names and describes it, from specimens 
 w'hich he has recently reared from some of the worms sent t.o 
 him. He names it Rhinosia pomdella (from the Latin pometum , 
 a synonym of pometariun i) or “The little Rhinosia ot the or¬ 
 chard.” But, for the reason above stated, I think we must adopt 
 Mr. Stephens’s generic name, and call our insect Chatochilus po- 
 mefellus. Dr. Harris describes the species, as follows: “ Fore¬ 
 wings ash-gray, sprinkled with blackish dots, three of which, 
 larger than the rest, are placed triangularly near the middle , a 
 dusky, transverse band near the tips, and a curved row of seven 
 black dots at the origin of the terminal fringe. Hind-wings, dus¬ 
 ky, with a leaden lustre, black veins, and very long black fringes. 
 Body and legs beneath, yellowish-white, with the lustre of satin. 
 Expansion of the tvings, five-eighths of an inch.” 
 
 This description applies with sufficient exactness to the insect, 
 which, however, is subject to great variety. I have a host of 
 specimens before me, reared from the worms, and captured upon 
 the wipg every where in our orchards and forests, since the first 
 week ot the present month. On the 8th inst., a large white oak 
 
No 151.] 
 
 187 
 
 tree was observed, wholly stripped of its leaves, save merely a 
 few fragments upon some of the lowest limbs; and at every step 
 taken among the weeds and grass growing beneath this tree, a 
 swarm of these moths would arise. An inspection of the several 
 specimens in my possession shows that no two individuals are ex¬ 
 actly alike in all their details. The general color of the fore¬ 
 wings varies from tarnished cream-white to dark ash-gray, often 
 with a pale purplish-red reflection, and mottled more or less 
 with darker cloud-like spots of tawny yellowish-brown, which 
 spots sometimes form four equidistant transverse bands There 
 are often two larger black dots slightly forward of the middle 
 of the wing, and two others half way from these to the tip; 
 but these dots are sometimes indistinct or wholly wanting. The 
 seven black dots in a semicircular row, at the base of the termi¬ 
 nal fringe, are almost always present. The veins of the hind- 
 wings are commonly darker than the general surface; the fringe 
 is of the same color or sometimes lighter. 
 
 Associated with this species, both in our orchards and forests, 
 may frequently be met with another moth of the same size and 
 general appearance, and with its bodyand wings similarly colored 
 and dotted, but having only the outer or costal half of the fore¬ 
 wings of a dull cream-white or ash-gray color, whilst the inner 
 half, the whole length of the wing, is of a brownish-black, the 
 one color not shaded gradually into the other, but the transition 
 being abrupt. I have named this the Comrade Moth, Chcetochilus 
 contubemalellus, from the latin contubernalis, a comrade. The 
 worms which this moth breeds, doubtless infest the apple and 
 other trees the same as those of the other species. As already 
 intimated, I propose preparing a full account of these insects, at 
 an early day. A. F. 
 
 Note. —A gentleman of Albany, who has a farm a short dis¬ 
 tance from town, discovered these worms upon his apple trees, 
 having destroyed the leaves upon two trees. He procured some 
 whale oil soap, diluted it with water, and with a garden engine 
 thoroughly drenched the remainder of his trees, and they were 
 entirely preserved from the ravages of the worms. J. 
 
188 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 [Letter from Dr. Thaddeua William Harris.] 
 
 Cambridge, Mass., July 23, 1853. 
 
 Hon. E. P. Johnson: Dear Sir—I have read, with some inter¬ 
 est, your communication, on some insects that are injurious to the 
 buds and young twigs of the apple tree in Michigan, contained in 
 the Journal of the New-York State Agricultural Society, for July, 
 and also the reply of Dr. Fitch, and his account of other destruc¬ 
 tive insects, priuted in the Salem Press, of the 12th instant. 
 
 \ 
 
 On the 22d of June, P. Barry, Esq., the editor of “ the Horti¬ 
 culturist,” sent to me a beetle and an apple tree twig, with the 
 following remarks: “A gentleman in Wisconsin encloses me the 
 weevil and piece of apple tree which accompany this. He says 
 they are very destructive to his apple and pear trees, and occa¬ 
 sionally to his plum and cherry trees. They attack the branch, 
 generally, at the base of a young shoot, and eat it to the pith. 
 He thinks it must operate in the night, as he can not find it in 
 the day. Have you seen it in Massachusetts ?” 
 
 This large weevil is the Ithycerus JVoveboracensis of my cata¬ 
 logue of the insects of Massachusetts, printed in 1835, or the 
 Curculio JVoveboracensis of Forster’s Centuria, printed in 1771. It 
 is, undoubtedly, the same species that is referred to in your com¬ 
 munication, and in Dr. Fitch’s reply. Though not a very abun¬ 
 dant species here, it is by no means rare, and it seems to have a 
 wide range through the country, being found in most of the New- 
 England States, inthe Middle and in the Western States, in Cana¬ 
 da and in Newfoundland. I have taken it in Massachusetts, on 
 forest trees, particularly oaks, in June and July; but never met 
 with it on fruit trees. Nothing is known to me of the habits of 
 the insect in its early stages. 
 
 John Reinhold Forster, the first describer of^this fine species, 
 found it, as we learn from his “ Catalogue,” in “a most select and 
 numerous collection of American animals, belonging to a lady in 
 Lancashire.” This lady was the celebrated Anne Blackburne, 
 eldest daughter of John Blackburne, Esq., of Warrington, Eng¬ 
 land. She received it, with other insects, from New-York, whence 
 it was probably sent by one of her brothers, who resided in this 
 
189 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 country. The specific name Noveboracensis, given to it by Fors¬ 
 ter, commemorates the place whence it came, and, having priori¬ 
 ty in point of time over other names subsequently given to the 
 same species, must Be retained. Gmelin, in 1788, and Olivier, 
 in 1790, redescribed it under the same name.* It is the Ryn- 
 chites curculionoides, of Herbst, who figured and described it in 
 1797, from specimens in a museum, rich in North American in¬ 
 sects, belonging to Mr. Herschel, the court musician at Hanover, 
 in Germany, a near relative of Sir William Herschel, the astrono¬ 
 mer. In 1833, the Chevalier Schonherr, the author of an exten¬ 
 sive work on the weevil tribe, gave it the name of Ithycerus cur¬ 
 culionoidest, unfortunately adopting the specific appellation be¬ 
 stowed upon it by Herbst, rather than the earlier one of Forster. 
 Lastly, in 1837, Mr. Kirby, apparently not aware that the insect 
 had already been made known, described it under the new name 
 of Pachyrhynckus Schonherri, which must give place, as a syno¬ 
 nym, to Ithycerus Jfoveboracensis. 
 
 By Monday’s mail, I propose sending to you the Cambridge 
 Chronicle of this date. You will find therein an account of the 
 Palmer worm of New-England, which has lately done much dam¬ 
 age to orchards in various parts of the country. I hear of it 
 throughout the valley of the Connecticut, and nearly to the White 
 mountains of New-Hampshire. It also prevails in the valley of 
 the Housatonic, and as stated by my friend, Dr. Plumb, of Salis¬ 
 bury, and by Dr. Fitch, to a considerable extent in the valley of 
 the Hudson. Should we have a second visitation of the insect 
 during the present summer, orchards must suffer severely from its 
 ravages. From the scientific name and description, which is 
 given in the Chronicle, of the moth produced from it, you will 
 peroeive that the latter is a very different insect from the two 
 moths described by Dr. Fitch. 
 
 Respectfully, your friend and serv’t, 
 
 THADDEUS WILLIAM HARRIS. 
 
 • In 1781, the Danish Naturalist, Fabricius, having met with a specimen from Newfound., 
 land, in the collection of Sir Joseph Banks, described it under the name of Curculio puncta- 
 tulus. 
 
190 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 THE PALMER WORM. 
 
 By Dr. Thaddrds William Harris. 
 
 During the month of June, a small worm, or naked caterpillar, 
 has been observed on apple treeSj in large numbers, throughout 
 the greater part of New-England, and in the valley of the Hud¬ 
 son, in New-York. By some persons it was thought to be a new 
 comer; and by others was mistaken for a second generation of 
 the canker worm, which disappeared about the time that these 
 smaller insects began their ravages. This, however, is by no 
 means the first visitation of the insect in such unwelcome and 
 destructive profusion. As long ago as the year 1791, it prevailed 
 through many parts of New-England, during the month of June, 
 and at that time received the name of the Palmer worm. Some 
 account of its ravages in orchards, and even among forest trees, 
 at that date, may be found under the head of insects, in the second 
 edition of Dr. Deane’s “New-England Farmer and Georgical 
 Dictionary.” 
 
 Communications concerning this insect, several of them accom¬ 
 panied by specimens, have been sent to me from Bradford, Ando¬ 
 ver, and Westford, Mass.; from New Boston and Keene, New- 
 Hampshire; from New Haven and Salisbury, Conn.; and from 
 Providence, R. L Apple, cherry and plum trees in my own gar¬ 
 den, also afforded me a few of the same insects, which were first 
 observed there about the 10th of June. Within the past three 
 weeks, numerous accounts of this supposed new or hitherto un¬ 
 noticed depredator, have been published in all our agricultural 
 newspapers. In some places, orchards have suffered from these 
 insects in the same way and to as great an extent as from the 
 ravages of canker worms; and in some cases, not only the leaves, 
 but the young fruit has been destroyed by them. 
 
 These worms, or caterpillars, grow to the length of about half 
 an inch. Though varying somewhat in hue, they are mostly of a 
 pale yellowish green color, with two blackish lines along the top 
 of the back, and a brownish head. Under a magnifier, a few 
 short hairs can be seen on the body, arising singly from little 
 black points, arranged in threes on each side of every ring; and 
 there are usually two, more or less conspicuous, semicircular, 
 
191 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 blackish spots on the top of the first ring. They have sixteen 
 feet; the first three pairs being jointed, and ending with a point 
 or claw, the others, fleshy tubercles without proper joints. They 
 are very impatient of being touched, and on being taken into the 
 hand, move with great agility, and by jerks, both forwards and 
 backwards. When the trees are shaken, the insects spin down, 
 and hang suspended by threads. Probably most of them leave 
 the trees in the same way, when their course is finished. In some 
 places, it was observed, that they all took their departure during 
 heavy showers, towards the end of June. My official engage¬ 
 ments, at that time, prevented my observing their progress 
 abroad. 
 
 All the specimens sent to me, that remained alive, together 
 with a few from my trees, were put into a wide-mouthed bottle, 
 and were supplied with leaves. About the 28th of June, some 
 of these worms began to cover themselves with a transparent 
 web, formed of a few delicate silken threads. One of them was 
 transformed to a chrysalis, within its web, on the 5th of July, and 
 became a winged moth on the 9th ; having remained in the chry¬ 
 salis state only four days. Others were more tardy in their trans¬ 
 formations; and one still remains a chrysalis. More than half 
 of the whole were unable to take this form, having perished in 
 the worm state, from the attacks Of an internal parasite, a minute 
 grub, which, after preying on the vitals of its victim, left the 
 body and spun itself a little oval whitish cocoon or pod, from 
 which it emerged soon afterwards as a tiny four-winged ichneu¬ 
 mon fly. 
 
 The chrysalis of the palmer worm is only one quarter of an 
 inch long. It is of a pale brown color, and differs from that of 
 the common bud worm, in not having any transverse rows of teeth 
 around the body. The moth is of an ashen gray color above, 
 whitish, and lustrous like satin beneath. The fore wings are 
 very narrow, and are sprinkled with a few black dots, three of 
 which, near the middle, are larger than the rest. The hind wings 
 are also narrow, blackish, and surrounded by very broad fringes. 
 The antennae are bristle-formed. The palpi, or feelers, project 
 horizontally from the head, in the form of a brush-like snout, and 
 
192 
 
 [Assembly 
 
 from the middle of the upper side of each of them, arises the 
 curved and pointed terminal joint, like a little spur. The tongue 
 is spirally rolled, and when extended, measures about half the 
 length of the antennse. This little moth rests with the fore part 
 of the body slightly elevated, the narrow wings horizontally in¬ 
 cumbent upon the body, and the antennae turned backwards, and 
 lying straight upon the wings. The insect may uow be seen on 
 the wing, in the evening, soon after sunset; and it may also be 
 found in considerable numbers, among the grass, at a somewhat 
 earlier hour. 
 
 A scientific name and character, with the classification of this 
 moth, remain to be given. It belongs to a group or tribe called 
 Tineadje, and to the genus Rhinosia of Treitschke, or Chcetcchilvs 
 of Stephens. Most of the insects belonging to the above named 
 tribe, are of small size, and have diminutive specific names, end¬ 
 ing in ella. As this insect frequents the orchard (in latin powie- 
 tum) it may be called Rhinosia pometella, the little Rhinosia, or 
 the little Snout-moth of the orchard. From other species of the 
 same genus, it may be distinguished by the following characters: 
 Fore-wings, ash-gray, sprinkled with blackish dots, three of 
 which, larger than the rest, are placed triangularly near the mid¬ 
 dle; a dusky transverse band near the tips, and a curved row of 
 seven black dots at the origin of the terminal fringe. Hind- 
 wings, dusky, with a leaden lustre, black veins, and very long 
 black fringes. Body and legs beneath, yellowish white, with the 
 lustre of satin. Length, from the forehead to the ends of the 
 closed wings, five sixteenths of an inch. Expansion of the wings, 
 five eighths of an inch. 
 
 Some hope may be entertained that the little parasites, alluded 
 to in the foregoing account, may tend greatly to check the future 
 undue increase of the palmer worms. Should a second genera¬ 
 tion of the latter appear during the present summer, or should we 
 have another visitation of them next year, or at any future time, 
 some means for arresting their depredations may become neces¬ 
 sary. Showering the trees with soap-suds, or a solution of whale- 
 oil soap, or with lime-water,dusting ashes or air-slacked lime on 
 the leaves, when wet with dew or rain, or casting dry sand upon 
 the trees, may be found serviceable. T. W. HARRIS. 
 
 Cambridge, Mass., July 19, 1853. 
 
//r 3 
 
 INSECTS OF ALGIERS, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY OF PARIS. 
 
 (Confided to Asa Fitch, M. D., for the Agricultural Society of New-York.) 
 
 Through Mons. A. Vattemare’s International Exchange, we 
 
 have received insects, hurtful to agriculture, from Algiers _ 136 
 
 species—correctly named, from^lne-Edwards, Esq., Senior of 
 the Faculty of Sciences, Administrator and Curator of the Col¬ 
 lection of Entomology, Museum d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris. 
 When in Paris, in 1851, we had an interview with Mr. Edwards, 
 and received most cordial assurances, that he would with great 
 pleasure exchange with us any thing which related to insects, 
 injurious to vegetation, that might be desirable. We communi¬ 
 cated to Dr. Asa Fitch, of Salem, Washington county, the pro¬ 
 posal made, and he very kindly consented to prepare a case of 
 insects, injurious to vegetation, in this country, and forward it 
 to Mr. Edwards, for the Museum of Natural History. This we 
 communicated to Mr. Edwards, through Mons. Vattemare, and 
 we are greatly gratified at receiving this case of insects. 
 
 LETTERS FROM M. VATTEMARE AND MILNE-EDWARDS, ESQ. 
 
 (Extract of a letter from A. Vattemare to Prof. T. Romeyn Beck, dated Paris, Feb. 9, 1854.) 
 
 “ A collection of insects from Algiers, hurtful to vegetation, 
 &c., presented by Prof. Milne Edwards, in the name of the pro¬ 
 fessors and regents of the Museum of Natural History of Paris. 
 This collection, destined to the Cabinet of Natural History, is to 
 be submitted to the Agricultural Society, and to the particular 
 attention of Asa Fitch, Esq., whose important labors, concerning 
 [ag. tr. ’54. | 24 
 
370 [Assembly 
 
 insects hurtful to vegetation, are most highly appreciated in 
 Europe. The professors of the Museum of Natural History here, 
 would be very thankful for a collection of the same nature from 
 North America and particularly from New-York—specimens of 
 the Hessian Fly, &c. The following is a translation of Prof. 
 Milne Edwards’ letter, transmitting this collection : 
 
 “ ‘ Sir —In accordance with your request to the administrator 
 of the Museum, I have the honor to transmit to you a collection 
 of insects, from Algiers, comprising 136 species, the description 
 of which was published by Mr. Lucas, in his great work on Al¬ 
 giers, executed by order of the Government. I think this col¬ 
 lection would be usefully placed in the hands of Mr. Asa Fitch. 
 I therefore beg of you to submit it to the. State Agricultural So¬ 
 ciety, (N. Y.), of which this able Entomologist is a member. I 
 would likewise beg of you to obtain from your American corres¬ 
 pondents, for the Gallery of the Museum, some specimens of the 
 Hessian Fly, and other insects hurtful to Agriculture, in the 
 United States: 
 
 I trust, sir, that you will consider this collection as another 
 token of the interest felt by us, for your mission, relative to Inter¬ 
 national Exchanges, and of the gratitude of the Administration 
 of the Museum, for the services you have rendered to this esta¬ 
 blishment. 
 
 “ 1 1 have the honor to be, 
 
 MILNE EDWARDS, 
 
 Senior of the Faculty of Sciences', Administrator 
 and Curator of the Collection of Entomology.' 1 ” 
 
 1 . 
 
 Cicindela maura Fabricius. 
 
 9. Drypta emarginata Fab. 
 
 2. 
 
 a 
 
 moroccana Fab. 
 
 10. Brachinus psophia Fab. 
 
 3. 
 
 u 
 
 littoralis Fab. 
 
 11. “ scolpeta Fab. 
 
 4. 
 
 u 
 
 barbara Lep. 
 
 12. Graphipterus luctuosus Dej. 
 
 5. 
 
 a 
 
 sardea Dcjean. 
 
 13. “ exclamationis. 
 
 6. 
 
 u 
 
 flexuosa Fab. 
 
 Fab. 
 
 7. 
 
 a 
 
 littorea Fischer, 
 
 14. Siagona rufipes Fab. 
 
 
 
 Goudoli Dej. 
 
 15 fji “ europsea Dej. 
 
 8. 
 
 u 
 
 trisignata Uliger. 
 
 16. Scarites laevigatus Fab. 
 
371 
 
 No. 151. 
 
 16. bis, Scarites arenarius Bonelli. 
 
 17. Ditomus capito Ill. 
 
 18. 
 
 u 
 
 clypeatus Rossi. 
 
 19. 
 
 a 
 
 spbaerocephalus 
 
 
 
 Olivier. 
 
 20. 
 
 « 
 
 barbarusLatreille. 
 
 21. 
 
 u 
 
 cornutus Dej. 
 
 22. Carabus morbillosus Fab. 
 
 23. “ Varvasii Solier. 
 
 24. Scarites Pyracmon Bon. 
 
 25. NebriacomplanataLinnseus. 
 
 26. “ andalousiacaRambur. 
 
 27. “ rubicunda Schcenherr. 
 
 28. Apatomus rufus Rossi. 
 
 29. Licinus brevicollis Dej. 
 
 30. Calathus circumcinctus Ger- 
 
 mar. 
 
 31. Anchomenus pallipes Fab. 
 
 32. Agonum marginatum Lin. 
 
 33. l< lugens Ziegler. 
 
 34. Pcecilus quadricollis Dej. 
 
 u bis, “ numidicus Lucas. 
 
 35. Feronia hispanica Dej. 
 
 |>“ bis, “ Abax barbaricusLin. 
 
 36. Broscus cephalotes Lin. 
 
 37. Acinopus giganteus Dej. 
 
 38. “ picipes 01. mega- 
 
 cephalus Dej. 
 
 39. “ sabulosus 01. obe- 
 
 sus Schcen. 
 
 40. Ophonus obscurus Fab. 
 
 41. “ meridionalis. 
 
 42. Amara bifrons Ill. 
 
 43. Harpalus punctatastriatus 
 
 Dej. 
 
 44. Onthophagus taurus Lin. 
 
 45. “ punctulatuslll. 
 
 46. Onthophagus Maki Ill. 
 
 47. Ateuchus sacer Lin. 
 
 48. “ variolosus Fab. 
 
 49. Gymnopleurus pilularius 
 
 Fab. 
 
 50. “ flagellatus 
 
 Fab. 
 
 51. Copris hispanicus Poiret. 
 
 52. Geotrupes daucei Gory. 
 
 53. Thorectes hemispbseiicus 01 
 
 54. “ rotundatus Luc. 
 
 55. Oryctes grypus Ill. 
 
 56. Phyllognathus Silenus Fab. 
 
 57. Anomala Julii (yitis Fab ) 
 
 58. Anisoplia floricola Fab. 
 
 59. Bubas bison Fab. 
 
 60. Onitis strigatus Erichson. 
 
 61. “ furcifer Rossi. 
 
 “ bis, Oniticellusflavipes Fab. 
 
 62. Trox perlatus Scriba. 
 
 63. Rhizotrogus dispar Buquet. 
 
 64. Hoplia bilineata Fab. 
 
 “ bis, Amphicoma bombilius 
 Fab. 
 
 65. “ melisFab. 
 
 66. Glaphyrus cardui Fab. 
 
 67. Cetouiasquamosa Gory, Mul- 
 
 sant. 
 
 68. “ morio Fab. 
 
 69. squalida Lin. 
 
 70. Dorcus musimon Gene. 
 
 71. Pimelia scabrosa Erich. 
 
 72. “ barbara Sol. 
 
 “ bis, “ Boyeri Sol. 
 
 “ ter, “ Duponti Sol. 
 
 73. Adesmia microcepbala Sol. 
 
 74. Akis algeriana Sol. 
 
 i 
 
372 
 
 “75. Akis italica Sol. 
 
 tM 
 
 76. Jalodis fidelissima Hofl'm. 
 
 77. Aurigena tarsata Fab. 
 
 78. Csecalus Buqueti Gory. 
 
 79. Sphenoptera rauca Fab. 
 
 80- Acmseoderaacuminipennis 
 
 Luc. 
 
 81. Agrilus amethystinus 01. 
 
 82. Anthaxia inculta Germ. 
 
 83. Scaurus dubius Sol. 
 
 84. “ atratus Fab. 
 
 85. Tentyria insequalis Dej. 
 
 excavata Sol. 
 
 86. “ bipunctata Sol. 
 
 87. Asida laevigata Fab. male. 
 
 88. « “ female. 
 
 89. u silphoides 01. male. 
 
 90. 11 “ female. 
 
 91. Isocerus ferrugineus Lat., 
 
 Fab. 
 
 92. Blaps magica Erich. 
 
 93. “ caudata Sol. 
 
 94. “ gigas Fab. Gages 01. 
 
 95. Opatrum granulatum Luc. 
 
 96. “ emarginatum Luc. 
 
 97. Cleonus oculatus Fab. 
 
 98. “ excoriatus Ill. 
 
 99. Phytonomus circumvagus 
 
 Chevrolat. 
 
 100. Sitones griseusFab. 
 
 101. PurpuricenusDesfontainsei 
 
 Fab. 
 
 102. Stroraatium strepens Fab. 
 
 103. Hesperophanes sericeus 01. 
 101. Cartallum ruficolle Fab. 
 
 105. Clytus Boblayi Brulle. 
 
 106. Stenopterus mauritanicus 
 
 Luc. 
 
 [Assemble 
 
 107. Stenopterus praeustus, var. 
 
 Fab. 
 
 108. Niphona picticornis Muls. 
 
 109. Agapanthia, irrorata Fab. 
 
 110. “ annularis 01. 
 
 111. “ cynarreGerm. 
 
 112. u suturalisFab. 
 
 113. Phytsecia virescensPanzer. 
 
 114. Odynerus stigmaticus Fab. 
 
 115. Anthophora atro-alba St. 
 
 Fargeau. 
 
 116. “ pennata St. 
 
 Farg. male. 
 
 117. Colpa aurea Fab. St. Farg. 
 
 118. Campsomeris collaris Fab. 
 
 St. Farg. 
 
 119. Anthocharis Doucei Poir. 
 
 120. Chlmnius spoliatus. 
 
 121. 
 
 u 
 
 vestitus. 
 
 122. 
 
 u 
 
 auricollis. 
 
 123. 
 
 a 
 
 aratus Guerin. 
 
 124. 
 
 u 
 
 varvasii. 
 
 125. 
 
 u 
 
 agrorum. 
 
 126. 
 
 u 
 
 chrysocephalus. 
 
 127. Stenelophus vaporariorum 
 
 Fab. 
 
 128. Thais hypsipyle Fab. 
 
 129. Pieris rapte Lin. 
 
 130. Anthocharis cursoria Och- 
 
 senheimer. 
 
 131. Colias edusa Lin. 
 
 132. Lycaena alexis Lin. 
 
 133. Polyommatus Phlseas Lin. 
 
 134. Thecla rubi Lin. 
 
 135. Polyommatus ballus Fab. 
 
 136. Arge ines Dupouchel. 
 
373 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 Remarks upon the Insects named in the above list. 
 
 Whatever may be the future political destiny of Algiers, St 
 may truly be said that in science France has there achieved caw- 
 quests which will endure, and will contribute to the glory of lifer 
 name in all coming time. Whilst the subjugation of that province 
 was in progress, the specimens of natural history gathered and 
 sent home by some of the officers of her armies, served to indicate 
 the rich field for research which there existed; and immediately 
 upon its becoming annexed to the French empire, a number of 
 her men of science were commissioned and sent hither to make a 
 full examination of its natural productions, and thus ascertain its 
 resources. The results of this survey are embodied in the great 
 work of M. Lucas, published by order of the government; and 
 of the specimens collected, a portion of the insects have, through 
 Prof. Milne-Edwards, been presented to the museum of our State 
 Agricultural Society. These are enumerated in the above cata¬ 
 logue, and I am requested to furnish such a notice of them as will 
 give visitors to the museum, and others, some acquaintance with 
 their character and habits. As no copy of the work of M. Lucas, 
 in which the history of these insects is given, is accessible to pe, 
 we are only able to speak of their habits generally, from our ac¬ 
 quaintance with other insects to which these are related. A refer¬ 
 ence to that work, moreover, wmuld show whether, as we suspect, 
 a mistake may not inadvertently have been made, in some in¬ 
 stances, in the above list. Thus, No 57, the Anomala Juld of 
 Fabricius has all along been regarded as a different species from 
 his Vitis , though they have been entered as being synonymous. 
 Specimens of Vitis in my cabinet, from the island of Corfu, would 
 appear to be quite distinct from this Algiers insect; still, the vine- 
 chafer of our own country (Anomala atrata Fab., Calebs Germ., 
 etc.) illustrates how very widely in this group individuals of the 
 same species may vary from each other. Of No. 118 also, we ob¬ 
 serve that the Campsomeris collaris is described as a new species 
 from the island of Java, by St. Fargeau ( Ilymenopteres , vol. iii, p. 
 498), nor does the insect before us correspond with the description 
 of Scolia collaris given by Fabricius (Ent. Syst. vol. ii, p. 233). 
 Of course all such doubts an these will instantly be resolved hy a 
 reference to the work of M. Lucas. 
 
374 [Assembly 
 
 The eight first species named in the above list pertain to the 
 family of Tiger Beetles (Cicindelidje), and are quite similar in 
 their size, colors and marks to our American species, considerably 
 numerous, belonging to the same genus. 
 
 The thirty-eight succeeding species (No. 9 to 43) and the eight 
 near the close of the list (No. 120—127), belong to the family 
 Carabidje, one of the most extensive groups in this department 
 of nature’s works. Of these, we look with the most interest upon 
 the two species of Graphipterus, this being a genus of insects pecu¬ 
 liar to the African continent; and the white spots and stripes 
 with which they are ornamented, are marks so unusual among 
 the larger Carabidce , that at first glance one would not suspect 
 them to pertain to this family. With the still larger species of 
 the allied genus Anthia (for specimens of which, my cabinet is 
 indebted to Rev. David Irvine, late a missionary of the Presbyte¬ 
 rian Board, in India), these insects show, in the marks alluded to, 
 a relationship to the preceding family, and the gradual transition 
 by which nature passes from one group to another of her works. 
 Several of these Carabidce are very like our American insects of 
 the same genera; but it is rather remarkable that of the genus 
 Ditomus, of whieh about two dozen species occur in the several 
 countries bordering upon the Mediterranean and Black seas, we 
 have no representative in corresponding latitudes upon this side 
 of the Atlantic. 
 
 All the insects of these two families are carnivorous, attacking 
 and devouring other insects. But though this is their general 
 habit, it is now well settled that some of the species are injurious 
 to fields of wheat, feeding upon the young plants and upon the 
 grain in the ear. No. 3G of the above list, Broscus cephalotes, is 
 one of these species. Though these two families have probably 
 been more studied than any other insects, it is to be regretted that 
 so little attention has been bestowed upon the habits of the seve¬ 
 ral species in their larva and perfect states. 
 
 The twenty-eight next species (No. 44 — 69) pertain to the old 
 Linnsean genus Scarubeeus, which forms several families in system¬ 
 atic works at the present day. Of these insects, a portion feed 
 
375 
 
 No. 151.] 
 
 upon leaves, others upon flowers, and others upon dung. Those 
 pertaining to the genus Jimp/dcoma, of which we here have two 
 species, frequent flowers, it is supposed for the purpose of ex¬ 
 tracting their honey, whilst the hairiness of their bodies serves 
 greatly to aic] in conveying the pollen to the stigma, and thus ren¬ 
 dering the flowers fertile. To the same family with Hoplia, 
 Jlnisoplia, &c., pertains the cockchafer of Europe, the most com¬ 
 mon and destructive of all insects belonging to the order of the 
 Beetles, and the compeer of which, we have in our American 
 May-beetle. Experiments go to show that whilst the most power¬ 
 ful poisons have no effect upon these insects, they are readily de¬ 
 stroyed by alkaline preparations, which at the same time promote 
 the growth of the plants to which they are applied. 
 
 No. 70 belongs to the family of Stag Beetles (Lucanid^e), the 
 larvae of which mostly reside in rotten wood. 
 
 No. 71—75, and also 83—86, pertain to the family Pimeliid2e, 
 of which we have very few' species upon this continent, whilst 
 they are numerous upon the borders of the Mediterranean 
 and in the deserts of Africa. Little is known of their habits. 
 
 The seven next species (No. 76—82) belong to the Buprestid^:, 
 one of the families-of the Snapping Beetle, which is noted for 
 the brilliancy of its colors. The larvae of these insects live in 
 the solid wood of trees, doing much injury to timber by the holes 
 which they perforate in it. The mature insects are frequently 
 found in lumber yards and in newly built houses, Jiaving made 
 their escape from the wood in which their larvae had resided. 
 They are sometimes many years in attaining maturity and making 
 their escape from their burrows. A white pine plank in the stepa 
 at one of the doors of my residence shows a hole perforated from 
 within by a larva in the year 1838, these steps having been built 
 twelve years before. In the tenth volume of the Linnaean Trans¬ 
 actions, Mr. Marsham records the exit of a Buprestis splendent 
 from the wood of a desk which had stood in one of the oflices in 
 the Guildhall, London, upwards of twenty years. A still more 
 remarkable case has been reported in this country: an apple tree, 
 transplanted from the farm of Gen. Putnam, by his son, to Wil- 
 
376 [Assembly 
 
 liarnstown, Mass., was out down wheu sixty-five years old, and a 
 portion of it was manufactured into a table, from one of the 
 leaves of which table “ a strong and beautiful bug ” ate its way 
 out twenty years afterwards, a second made its appearance subse¬ 
 quently, and finally, at the end of twenty-eight years, a third 
 made its appearance. 
 
 The six succeeding species, (87—94,) pertain to the family 
 Blapsidje, numerous genera and species ef which inhabit the 
 African deserts, whilst in this country there are very few. Their 
 habits have been but slightly investigated. One of the most com¬ 
 mon species in Egypt, Forskahl relates, is cooked in butter and 
 ate by the women of that country, from the idea that it will make 
 them become fat. Of the Blaps morlisaga, or Churchyard beetle, 
 Dr. Pickells reports, (Trans, of Assoc. Pkysioians of Ireland, 
 1824—1828,) that at different times, as many as two thousand 
 larvse were discharged from the stomach of a woman, who was 
 addicted to the superstitious practice of drinking daily a quantity 
 of water, mixed with clay taken from the graves of two Catholic 
 priests. 
 
 The species of Opatrum, (No. 95, 96,) reside in sandy situations, 
 whilst most of the Tenebrionid.®, the family to which they per¬ 
 tain, dwell in fungi and rotten wood, and others in flour, bran, 
 meal &c. These last are the well known Meal-worms, (larvse of 
 tenebrio, molitor, obscurus, curvipes. etc.) of our granaries, flouring- 
 mills and bake-houses. They are equally common in this country 
 as in Europe: Nor are their ravages limited to the farinaceous 
 grains. A small quantity of timothy and clover seed which re¬ 
 mained in a pail after sowing, I found a twelvemonth afterwards, 
 pervaded with and destroyed by larvse and insects of T. molitor. 
 
 The four next species, (No. 97 — 100,) belong to the weevil fam¬ 
 ily (Curculionidje) so well known from the great mischief some 
 of them do in stored wheat, rice, and other valuable seeds. Other 
 species subsist upon the leaves, flowers and stems of vegetables. 
 These are beetles, commonly of minute size, and with long slender 
 snouts, which the insect employs to form a hole in which to de- 
 
377 
 
 No 151.] 
 
 posit its eggs. It is very unfortunate, and tends greatly to mislead 
 and confuse those who are not conversant with this branch of 
 science, that in this country, the name weevil, which belongs to 
 these long-snouted beetles only, is currently applied to insects so 
 widely different from them as are the wheat midge or wheat fly 
 and the Angoumois moth. Two of these Algiers weevils, it will 
 be seen, pertain to the genus cleonus, one of the species of which 
 (C. Linarice) forms gall-like excrescences upon the roots of the 
 Linaria vulgaris, the snap-dragon or “butter and eggs,” as it is 
 most commonly designated in this section of the country. This 
 plant was introduced into flower-gardens in this vicinity about 
 twenty-five years ago, and ha3 now become by far the most formi¬ 
 dable weed with which we have to contend—taking entire posses¬ 
 sion of acres of our best fields and setting at defiance all except the 
 most persevering and laborious attempts to exterminate it. We 
 have often thought that if some of the insects of Europe which prey 
 upon this plant, could be here introduced, it might prove by far 
 the most economical and effectual mode of reducing this “ officious 
 foreigner” to its appropriate limits. 
 
 The thirteen succeeding species, (No. 101-113,) pertain to the 
 family of long horned beetles, (Cerambysid.e,) insects generally 
 of a slender, elegant form and beautifully ornamented in their 
 colors. The larvae of most of them, however, are pernicious to 
 timber and fruit-trees, boring holes in the solid wood. Examples 
 of this family of insects are tolerably well known in this country 
 being the borers in our apple, locust, maple and other trees. 
 
 The wasps and bees (No. 114-118,) are insects udiose habits are 
 so well known as to call for no remarks in this hasty review. 
 
 The remaining species (No. 119,128-136,) pertain to different 
 families of the group of butteiflies, each species of which, in its 
 larvae state, feeds upon the leaves of some one or more plants. 
 Of these, the Colias edusa will be noticed as very.like the common 
 yellow butterfly of our meadows and which gathers in such num¬ 
 bers upon the muddy margins of pools of water. Its larvae in 
 common with those of the other species of this genus, subsists 
 
378 [Assembly 
 
 upon clover and other leguminous plants. And as this same 
 species inhabits a district adjacent to us, it is a little remarkable 
 that we never meet with it in Eastern New-York. Here all our 
 specimens are of a pale yellow color, the tint of sulphur or of the 
 canary bird, and pertain to the species named Phiiodice by Godart, 
 which upon our side of the Atlantic occupies the place of the 
 similarly colored Hyale, which is spread over the Old World, 
 even to its easternmost confines, specimens of it having been sent 
 me from Ningpo, China, by my friend Rev. M. S. Culbertson. 
 Common with the Phiiodice, are individuals having the black 
 border of both pairs of wings cut nearly or quite across by slender 
 yellow lines which are the apices of the veins. These appear to 
 be the Colias Chrysothome , var. A. of Boisduval, ( Lepidopteres, 
 vol. i, p. 643,) which he intimates may be a distinct species, but 
 which we are more inclined to regard as a variety of Phiiodice. 
 Occasionally also, specimens are found with us, having the whole 
 upper surface of the wings dusted over with black grains though 
 less abundantly on the disk of the upper pair, and with the black 
 border wider and somewhat gradually shaded into the yellow 
 color of the disk. These appear to coincide with Boisduval’s 
 description of C. phicomone, a species credited to the alpine dis¬ 
 tricts of Europe and Siberia. Other- specimens, very similar to 
 these, are a trifle smaller and have the knob of the antennae of a 
 paler yellow, and brown on its upper side instead of black, and 
 the yellow spots in the black border of the wings elliptic or oval 
 instead of round. These I regard as the C. nastes of Boisduval, 
 who received his specimens from Lapland and Labrador. In my 
 collection is another New-York specimen much smaller than either 
 of the foregoing, the wings expanding only one inch and a quarter. 
 It is colored like Phiiodice , but the black border of the wings is much 
 narrower, there is but a single silvery dot beneath in the centre 
 of the lower pair, and the knob of the antennae is pale fulvous, 
 somewhat mottled with browm on its upper side. This I have 
 ticketed Colias santes in my collection. We thus have in addition 
 to the Edusa, what some will regard as five species of the geuus 
 colias, inhabiting the state of New-York. But these are all so very 
 similar, and the several marks by which they are distinguished 
 vary and gradually pass into each other to such an extent that it 
 
No. 151.] 
 
 379 
 
 is very doubtful -whether they can with propriety be regarded as 
 anything more than varieties of two species, the P/iilodice and 
 Phicomone of Godart, the latter having a row of yellow spots in 
 the black border of the upper wings in both sexes, whilst the 
 former has these spots in the females only. 
 
 Salem, N. Y. August , 1854. 
 
 ASA FITCH. 
 
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS. 
 
 The returns which are herewith presented from the county 
 associations show a most gratifying advance in the agriculture of 
 the State. More systmatic efforts are being made in every 
 branch of farm husbandry, and the farmers are devoting their 
 energies to the advancement of this great interest in a manner 
 most creditable to them. The reports from several of the coun¬ 
 ties coutain many valuable experiments, all showing that a spirit 
 of inquiry is abroad, and that farmers are not unwilling to adopt 
 suggestions which experience and science have proved most ad¬ 
 vantageous to their best interests. 
 
 Th« increased attention paid to drainage is producing most 
 gratifying results. Better crops are produced, less liability to 
 damage from insects and from the winter; and in almost every 
 instance the returns show that the outlay is greatly overbalanced 
 by easier tillage and more abundant crops. 
 
 The improvement in dairy products is most marked, as well as 
 a very considerable increase in the yearly products per cow, both 
 of butter and cheese. The inquiry as to the breed of cattle best 
 adapted to the dairy is receiving attention; and the general opin¬ 
 ion is, that our best native cows, which are superior as milkers, 
 with a cross from a Short Horn, Ayrshire or Devon bull, produce 
 the best cows for the dairy. While the milking qualities are 
 generally retained, their aptitude to fatten more readily, when no 
 longer useful for the dairy, is a decided advantage, and will, 
 eventually, it is believed, be generally adopted in our best dairies. 
 Care should be had in selecting the male animal, as one descended 
 
7a » \‘j/i 7 fZEL * 
 
 a/iT?b 
 
 c■ / 
 
 WHEAT MIDGE, HESSIAN FLY. &c. 
 
 We issued the annexed circular to upwards of one hundred gen¬ 
 tlemen, engaged in farming, in May, 1858, in order, if practica¬ 
 ble, to obtain some reliable information in relation to the history 
 and ravages of these insects in our wheat crops. We regret to 
 say that the annexed eight letters are all we have received in 
 answer to this circular. We the more regret this from the facts 
 which are given in the letters received ; as we feel assured, if a 
 general response had been given, we should have had materials 
 from which some valuable results would have been secured. We 
 have some facts which are of value in these communications; and 
 we are greatly indebted to the gentlemen who have answered our 
 inquiries. Wo intend to re-issue the circular, hoping to secure 
 a much more extended reply, and thus be enabled to ascertain 
 more fully the appearance and ravages of the insect, as well as 
 the means by which their ravages may be ameliorated, if not 
 entirely prevented. 
 
 The Hon. Gamaliel H. Barstow , of Tioga county, states that the 
 wheat midge appeared in that section of the state about 1848; and 
 that they came from the east, having been seen in Columbia Co., 
 in 1838 ; that its ravages have been continued, mare or less in 
 Tioga, since 1848; but much less for the past two years, and 
 hopes are entertained that it may be passing away. The best 
 remedy that has been found, is to have the lands well cultivated, 
 good seed sown, so as to secure a healthy crop ; all other things 
 being equal, the damage is much less. 
 
 John Johnston , of Seneca county, says the midge appeared in 
 that county in 1848—same year as in Tioga — coming from the 
 east. It has continued its ravages more or less since. The best 
 means of mitigating its ravages, have been thorough drainage and 
 better farming—giving earlier crops. Crops on dry lands and 
 uplands less liable to injury than low, sheltered lands. Mr. John¬ 
 ston has usually grown good crops of wheat; since the midge 
 appeared, his crops have not been under twenty-five bush, per acre, 
 
288 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 except in 1857, when he had a little over twelve bushels per acre; 
 that owing mainly, however, to the great drouth of the previous 
 autumn, and the cold and late spring of 1857. 
 
 lion. Joshua B. Smith , of Suffolk county, says that the wheat 
 midge is unknown in his neighborhood. The Hessian fly has 
 done some injury. 
 
 Hon. Samuel L. Fuller , of Livingston county, says a circular 
 was issued by the agricultural society of his county, but few an¬ 
 swers were received. The ravages of the fly have been very des¬ 
 tructive ; dry lands escaped if any; Mediterranean wheat has suf¬ 
 fered the least. 
 
 Hon. James S. Wadsworth, of Livingston, writes that the midge 
 appeared in Monroe and Livingston counties in 1854, to a limited 
 extent; came from the east. In 1856, one-half to two-thirds of 
 the crops of wheat on upland were destroyed, and nearly all on 
 the flats. Worse in 1857; over two-thirds of the crop ; and in 
 1858, very little to harvest of white wheat. 
 
 Mediterranean wheat escaped generally, (from its being earlier 
 as it is supposed,) perhaps one-fifth destroyed. There is no evi¬ 
 dence that the midge was seen in the Genesee Valley before 1852, 
 when it was seen in small numbers, in Monroe. The ravages of 
 the midge has reduced the value of all the wheat lands in Wes¬ 
 tern N. Y., at least forty per cent. Lands which sold readily at 
 seventy dollars per acre, are now bought for forty dollars per 
 acre. Mr. Wadsworth states that a respectable farmer, Mr. Cov- 
 erdale, in Livingston county, lived, in 1828, on the St. Lawrence, 
 forty miles above Quebec; saw the midge there that year, and 
 had previously seen it in England, so that it is probable the midge 
 was introduced there from England. 
 
 Hon. Stephen Haight, of Dutchess county, writes that the midge 
 appeared in that county about 1828, and steadily increased from 
 year to year, being more and more destructive, for twelve to fifteen 
 years, when the growing of wheat was mainly given up. In past 
 two years, both spring and winter wheat have been grown to 6ome 
 extent. Crops good, and no trouble with the midge. Uplands 
 were invariably less injured by the insects than low lands. Mr. 
 Haight is of the opinion that since abandoning' wheat, and turn¬ 
 ing attention to other crops and grass, the farmers have secured 
 a better profit from their farms than they ever did by growing 
 wheat. 
 
 Joseph Watson, of Wayne county, writes that the midge appear¬ 
 ed in 1850 and 1851, and increased up to 1858. It has not en- 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 289 
 
 tirely disappeared. Mr. Watson further says, that in Schoharie 
 county, in 1835 and 1836, an injury by a worm, in the heads of 
 wheat, similar to the larva of the wheat midge, appeared in the 
 wheat. Dry uplands are very perceptibly less affected than low 
 lands. Since 1852, the wheat crop is one-quarter short of a full 
 crop; that is, less than one-quarter as much wheat has been pro¬ 
 duced, caused indirectly by the appearance of the midge. Early 
 sowing on dry lands, and early varieties most successful, but no 
 effectual remedy. 
 
 Hon. G. Denniston , Steuben county, writes that about 1854, 
 some indications of the presence of the midge were discovered. 
 The crop of 1858 was mostly destroyed. Estimates the damages 
 by the wheat midge, at seventy-five per cent of the whole crop. 
 No remedy has been found against its ravages. No satisfactory 
 answer is given as to where the insect came from; but the fact 
 stated by Mr. Coverdale, of the insects being seen near Quebec, 
 would render it probable that in that section of the country, it 
 may have been introduced from England. Mr. Haight states 
 that about 1828, the same year mentioned by Mr. Coverdale, the 
 insect made its appearance in Dutchess county. In England, the 
 midge prevails to some extent. A parasite insect is known there, 
 that mitigates its ravages. No evidence has been procured here 
 that any parasite has been seen in this State. In England, it is 
 believed that the thorough culture and preparation of their lands, 
 and the use of good seed, have tended, as yet, to prevent the rav¬ 
 ages of the wheat midge to any very considerable extent. 
 
 The insect has not left any section of which we have an account 
 in these answers, since its first appearance, except as stated by Mr. 
 Haight, in Dutchess. The entire abandonment, however, of the 
 crops there, may have been the reason ; and if the raising of wheat 
 which has been lately commenced there, should progress, we may 
 find that the enemy is still in that region, ready for its destruc- 
 structive work. 
 
 We think that there is sufficient evidence, given to show that 
 good farming, thorough drainage when needed, will at least very 
 materially mitigate the ravages of insects. The experience of Mr. 
 Barstow, and Mr. John Johnston, show that this has been the 
 case in their experience, and it certainly will prove advantageous to 
 our farmers, to make their efforts in this direction, if they intend 
 to continue the wheat culture. Good farming will probably ena¬ 
 ble them to raise at least moderate crops, and without this, it is 
 
 [Ag. Trans.] 10 
 
290 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 quite certain that the culture of wheat will, while the insect re¬ 
 mains, prove a very unprofitable business. 
 
 We would earnestly urge upon gentlemen to whom our circu¬ 
 lars shall be sent the coming season, to give us all the informa¬ 
 tion in their power ; and should there be a response from every 
 county, we shall probably be able to compile a table, showing 
 the appearance of the insect, the progress made, the time of its 
 disappearance, and the extent of its ravages. Surely this would 
 prove of great value to us hereafter, and facts may be collected 
 which will enable us to adopt some system by which we may 
 again be enabled to raise wheat to advantage. J. 
 
 CIRCULAR. 
 
 New York State Agricultural Rooms, ? 
 
 Albany, May , 1858. i 
 
 RAVAGES OF THE “ WHEAT MIDGE,” “ HESSIAN FLY,” AND OTHER 
 DEPREDATORS ON WHEAT. 
 
 Wheat Midge. 
 
 The ravages of the wheat midge in this country, so severe and 
 continued year after year, forms one of the most important inci¬ 
 dents in the history of wheat culture, which has ever occurred. 
 And the State of New York is prominent as the scene of the 
 depredations of the insect. The statistics returned to the State 
 Agricultural society in the year 1854, showed that the farmers of 
 this State had that year experienced a loss of several millions of 
 dollars from this pest; and in 1857 one of our citizens was injured 
 to the amount of several thousand dollars by it; and in some sec¬ 
 tions of our State the wheat crop was almost entirely destroyed. 
 These facts will serve to indicate to what an extent the wealth 
 and prosperity of our State are at present affected from this cause. 
 And the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society 
 feel it to be a duty which they owe to their constituents and pos¬ 
 terity, now, when the whole history of this insect and its ravages 
 are fresh in recollection, to gather up full information upon these 
 topics, and embody the same in a report, which will give a clear 
 view of the remarkable career of this insect, its habits and econ¬ 
 omy, and will form an authentic record of these important facts 
 for reference in all coming time. They therefore issue this cir¬ 
 cular, with the earnest hope of hereby obtaining the requisite 
 information from each particular district, in all the wheat growing 
 sections of the State, not doubting but that the persons to whom 
 this circular is directed, will be able, from their own knowledge, 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 291 
 
 or by conferring with a few of their neighbors, to give in answer 
 to it every fact of value relating to this subject which has occurred 
 in their vicinity. Replies more particularly to the following 
 queries are desired: 
 
 1. In what year was the wheat midge (weevil as frequently 
 called) first noticed in your neighborhood ? Prom what direction 
 did it appear to come to you ? Was it very destructive for a few 
 years after its first arrival ? Was the growing of wheat aban¬ 
 doned, and for how long a time? 
 
 2. What has been its history since ? In ■what years has it been 
 most destructive, and when has it been least injurious? 
 
 3. Has it wholly disappeared at any time ; so that on examiiv 
 ing the wheat heads in many different fields not one of the yellow 
 maggots could be found ? 
 
 4. Before the midge came in your vicinity, is any instance re¬ 
 membered thirty years ago or more, in which a field of wheat was 
 badly injured in the same manner it now is by this insect—with 
 the heads rough and ragged, and the kernels shriveled ? If so, 
 state the year and the particulars, so far as remembered. 
 
 5. What other grains have been infested by this insect ? 
 
 6. Have any varieties of wheat escaped injury? 
 
 7. Are crops upon dry, hilly uplands less injured than those 
 upon lowland intervales ? 
 
 8. What has been the amount of damage in your vicinity the 
 past year, and the probable yearly damage since the midge came 
 into your neighborhood ? 
 
 9. What remedies have been tried and with what success ? Has 
 any remedy proved effectuaL 
 
 10. Has any parasite insect been seen which destroys the midge? 
 If so, describe it. 
 
 11. Has any damage to wheat been made by the “ Hessian fly" 
 or other insect than the wheat midge? If so, describe the same. 
 
 Finally, state any other facts of interest within your knowledge 
 relating to this insect. 
 
 It is recommended that specimens of the wheat midge or any 
 other insect supposed to be injurious, which may be observed, or 
 any parasite insect which is supposed to destroy the wheat midge, 
 be sent to the Agricultural Rooms. They can be sent in a quill, 
 enclosed in a letter, and an examination will be made by Dr. Pitch, 
 Entomologist of the society, of all that may be received. The 
 replies which may be received will be delivered to Dr. Pitch, and 
 a carefully prepared statement will be published, embodying all 
 
292 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 \ 
 
 that may be ascertained in relation to the insects, which may he 
 described, and copies will he sent to all persons answering these 
 inquiries. Returns are requested to the Secretary, Agricultural 
 Rooms, Albany, as soon as the questions proposed can he satisfac¬ 
 torily answered. B. P. JOHNSON, Secretary . 
 
 HON. G. BARSTOW— Nichols, Tioga Co. 
 
 March 9 th, 1858. 
 
 B. P. Johnson, Esq. 
 
 My Dear Sir—In the journal of the State Agricultural Society 
 for December, I noticed a circular of the Executive Committee of 
 the Society, making some inquiries in relation to the history of 
 the wheat midge (or weevil), as it is sometimes called. I have 
 been a small farmer in the valley of the Susquehanna, for about 
 forty years, and have grown wheat in a small way during that 
 time. Since my residence here, the Hessian fly has made us two 
 visits, and the midge one. 
 
 I shall endeavor to answer all the questions of the Committee 
 though perhaps not exactly in the order in which they stand. I 
 should think it was about ten years since the midge first appeared 
 in this part of the Susquehanna valley. I presume they came 
 from the east, as I well recollect seeing them in Columbia county, 
 in this State, in 1838. 
 
 Their progress westerly seems, therefore, to have been very 
 slow; but I believe they have traveled west with more rapidity 
 within the last few years. Like Young America—they seem now 
 to be rapidly going in the direction of Kansas and California. 
 
 The midge was not so destructive at its first appearance as after¬ 
 wards. Its ravages very soon discouraged our farmers, and less 
 and less wheat was sown till about 1855. Very little was sown 
 in 1855. The harvests of 1855 and 1856 were the smallest we 
 have had here. We have not wholly discontinued sowing wheat 
 here at any time. In my own small way, I have continued to sow 
 wheat every year, and never had less than half a crop, except 
 once. In 1855, very little was sown; but, of that little, most of 
 it escaped the midge; more was sown in 1856, and the crop in a 
 great measure escaped; particular pieces on low ground suf¬ 
 fered some ; the harvest of last year having generally escaped 
 injury. We sowed last fall about as usual. I never saw or heard 
 of the midge in this valley until about ten years ago. I have 
 resided here since 1812. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 293 
 
 It lias appeared in rye and oats, but in those grains but little 
 injury has been done. The rye crop ripens too early for them, 
 the oat crop too late in the season. They seem to commit their 
 depredations upon the grains immediately after the blossom falls 
 off; and there seems to be but a few days in which they do the 
 injury. I should think about the second and third weeks in July 
 is their time of visitation. If wheat is ripe by the middle of 
 July, in our climate, it is a little too forward for the insect, it 
 being out of the milk before the insect appears. No variety of 
 wheat has wholly escaped the midge; but from my experience 
 and froip information from others, it is well settled with us that 
 the Mediterranean wheat is the best. It ripens a week earlier than 
 any other I have tried; I have begun ray harvest of that kind of 
 wheat the 12th of July; other wheat sown in the same field, and 
 alongside, I have often known to be a week later. On the low 
 flats or bottom lands on this river, the midge has been the most 
 destructive. On the high grounds back from the river they have 
 done less injury. No remedies have proved successful against the 
 ravages of the midge; lime has been sown in the morning, when 
 the dew was on, when the midge first appears; but I believe the 
 injury to the sower has been greater than to the midge. No para¬ 
 site insect has been seen here, to my knowledge, which destroys 
 the midge, 
 
 I believe it is pretty well ascertained that all the insects and 
 blights, which attack the industry of man through his crops, after 
 a time disappear. The Hessian Jly has appeared at various times, 
 since I have had some knowledge of farming. My recollection now 
 extends back more than sixty years ; within that time the visits of 
 the Hessian fly have not been very frequent, perhaps once in fif¬ 
 teen or twenty years. By changing the time of seeding, and sow¬ 
 ing very late, the Hessian fly soon disappears. The Hessian fly 
 attacks the early sown wheat, and the midge the late sowed. 
 Luckily, the two insects do not both appear at once; coming singly 
 we must cheat the midge by sowing early , aud the Hessian fly by 
 sowing late. 
 
 For the last two years I have sowed the Mediterranean wheat, 
 and sowed the first week in September, and have seen nothing of 
 the midge in my fields. The last time the Hessiau fly paid us a 
 visit, I changed my seeding time to the last week in September, 
 and first week in October, and I saw uo more of the fly. 
 
 Should the Hessian fly and midge combine their forces and 
 attack the farmer at the same time, I suppose we should own beat, 
 
294 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 and stop raising wheat till we starved them out. From the small 
 amount of damage done here by the midge, within the last two 
 years, our farmers begin to take courage that the midge is about 
 to leave us. 
 
 In relation to the midge, as well as the Hessian fly, I have found 
 that crops of wheat of a healthy growth , where the land is properly culti¬ 
 vated , all other things being equal, the damage from either of those in¬ 
 sects much less than where the crop is but half put in, and the wheat 
 of a poor and sickly growth. Let the indolent half farmer mend his 
 way, and prepare and cultivate his land so as to get a healthy 
 growth of wheat, and sow it so as to get an early harvest. In 
 that case he will be beforehand with his enemy ; but on the other 
 hand, if he neglects the proper cultivation of his land, and puts 
 off the proper time of sowing his seed, he may expect what he 
 calls bad luck in crops, when his bad luck is nothing but the neces¬ 
 sary consequence of bad conduct. 
 
 Yours, respectfully, 
 
 G. H. BARSTOW. 
 
 JOHN JOHNSTON — Near Geneva. 
 
 May 26, 1858. 
 
 B. P. Johnson, Esq., 
 
 Secretary Mew York State Agricultural Society: 
 
 Dear Sir — I have received your circular respecting the wheat 
 midge. The first season we noticed it in this county (Seneca) 
 was in 1848, but I have no doubt we had some for two or three 
 years previous. It came from the east to U3. It had destroyed 
 the crops of wheat in the eastern counties of this State a number 
 of years before we knew anything about it but what we read in 
 the papers, and fifty miles east of here it had ruined their wheat 
 crops before it injured us. In 1848 it was not very destructive 
 here, but in the following year it ruined the greater part of the 
 crop on many farms, and on some totally. In every late season 
 since, it has been very destructive, but in early seasons when 
 wheat was ripe (or nearly so) by 10th of July, the damages have 
 been greatly lessened. My own farm being underdrained, I have 
 been able to obtain fair crops of wheat since the weevil or rather 
 midge made its appearance. My crop has not been under twenty- 
 five bushels per acre, with the exception of last year which was 
 only a little over twelve bushels per acre. The failure last year 
 was owing to the great drouth of the previous autumn and the 
 unprecedented cold and late spring of last year. My wheat never 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 295 
 
 covered the ground until sometime in June, and was not ready to 
 cut until 29th of July, later than I ever knew it in thirty-seven 
 years, the remarkable season of 1836 excepted. I commenced on 
 the 29th of July that year also, but had a good crop, which was 
 the only full crop I ever had that was not fully ripe by 17th 
 of July. 
 
 I sow salt liberally on my wheat which generally hastens the 
 maturity about four days, and that may almost save the crop from 
 the midge. I would state that my wheat crop during the time 
 of midge has been from fifty to eighty acres; this season only 
 forty-four, but this autumn I will sow sixty acres. Wore my land 
 not underdravied I could not raise wheat any better than many in 
 this county who have abandoned wheat as a crop. If wheat 
 could be got nearly ripe by the 10th of July the loss from midge, 
 I think, would not be great, and nothing but underdraining and a 
 higher grade of farming to bring the wheat earlier forward, is the 
 only way I can see for continuing the wheat culture in this State. 
 We have never been one year free of the midge since 1848. In 
 1855 I found only a little and that only around the fences or on 
 some spot not throughly drained. 
 
 A number of years ago, perhaps about thirty, the heads of 
 wheat were injured, resembling the heads injured by midge, but 
 it was not midge, but a small white worm which did considerable 
 damage. The following year we still had a few, but since I have 
 never seen them. 
 
 Barley, I am told, is often injured by midge. I seldom grow 
 that crop; when I have, I have not seen any midge in it. 
 
 The Mediterranean wheat is least hurt by midge, but no wheat 
 escapes it. Crops on dry land and on hilly land are less liable to be 
 injured than in sheltered places. I have heard of many remedies, 
 such as sowing lime as the wheat comes in ear, going through the 
 field with torches during the time of midge ; but I have been only 
 using preventives, and not cures. I have not known of any parasite 
 insect destroying the midge. A small bird picks a great many of 
 the larvae out of the heads of the wheat and I am told they have 
 been killed and their crops found full of it. 
 
 , There has been very little damage by Hessian fly. In 1831 it 
 was very destructive to me, and again in 1844, being the only 
 times in thirty-seven crops. But we have in this neighborhood 
 some loss this year by a clear white worm in the root. It has 
 taken, almost totally, some of the best looking wheat I ever saw 
 at the same season of the year; it commenced its depredations 
 
296 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 perhaps six weeks ago and spread rapidly in some fields, while in 
 others there may be a few yards or even only a few feet ruined, 
 and in others again to a considerable extent. On one field of thirty- 
 five acres in this neighborhood there is considerable of it ruined, 
 and although it looked the best I ever saw last fall and early this 
 spring, I am afraid there will little of it make a crop. It is a 
 very small, active, white worm; when looked at through a glass it 
 appears to have two feet at each end ; it is exceedingly bad to find, 
 especially now; I have a friend trying to find some of them to 
 send you in this letter. He tried yesterday without success, and is 
 trying again to-day. I am well aware the same worm damaged 
 my crop in 1844 more than the Hessian fly. I noticed some 
 worms of the same kind in 1844, and from the appearance of the 
 wheat they have destroyed now, I know it was these that half 
 ruined my crop in 1844. They have now quit their depredations 
 for this season. The roots of the wheat have sent out new shoots 
 but it will never come to much (some of it, much of it to nothing). 
 A great deal of mine, in 1844 never headed out. I sowed very 
 early in 1843 and I have no doubt that was the cause of failure 
 by that worm then and also now. I never began sowing before 
 the 20th of September from 1831, until within a few years past, 
 1S43 excepted, hoping to get my wheat to ripen early, and I 
 notice it is all the earliest sown wheat that is affected by the 
 worm, or at least that most forward in the fall. In 1843 I sowed 
 early so as to have done before going to the State Fair at Roches¬ 
 ter, which was the cause of reducing my wheat crop about 1,000 
 bushels. I have no doubt it is very unsafe, this sowing in the end 
 of August or first of September; at least I know it is so here¬ 
 abouts. 
 
 I have only a few very small spots taken by worm in my wheat. 
 It did not come up until the 20th day of September, or at least 
 not much of it. On fourteen acres on which I sowed a barrel of salt 
 to the acre, there is none, while eleven acres adjoining and in the 
 same field, has several spots taken by the worm, and even up to 
 the division furrow, between the salted and unsalted. The 
 fourteen and eleven acres were both sown at the same time, and 
 both early, but dry weather set in and it was long in vegetating, 
 which I think saved the crop. I have very little doubt but many 
 crops have been destroyed by the same worm and the blame laid 
 to Hessian fly. They are exceedingly bad to find, and as there is 
 almost every year some little Ilessian fly, if we find a few we aro 
 apt to think they do the deed or do all the mischief. I am now 
 
state agricultural SOCIETY. 
 
 297 
 
 fully convinced it was so with me in 1844. I go back to 16th day 
 of September, before commencing sowing. If one of the worms 
 can be found I will enclose it in this letter and mention I have 
 done so. Yours truly, 
 
 JOHN JOHNSTON. 
 
 Hon. JOSHUA B. SMITH— Hauppauge, Suffolk Co., L. I. 
 
 June 17 th, 1858. 
 
 B. P. Johnson, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir—Your circular of May directed to me, proposing sev¬ 
 eral inquiries in relation to the destructive ravages of the wheat 
 midge, has been duly received. In answer to inquiry, first in 
 what year was the wheat midge first noticed in your neighbor¬ 
 hood ? From what direction did it appear to come to you ? Was 
 it very destructive for a few years after its first arrival ? Was 
 the growing of wheat abandoned, and for how long a time ? An¬ 
 swer.—The wheat midge is unknown in my neighborhood, and so 
 far as I have been able to ascertain, in my town and county. The 
 answer to the first, renders one to the nine following needless. In 
 answer to the eleventh inquiry, whether any damage to the wheat 
 has been made by the Hessian fly. The wheat crop, until the 
 past and present year, have generally escaped serious injury by 
 the fly, for the past ten or twelve years. Last year it was again 
 visible; and the present one the complaint is more general of its 
 destructiveness ; some crops will be injured by it. To what ex¬ 
 tent, I am now unable to say. I have sown the Mediterranean 
 for the last twelve years, and have never seen any signs of the 
 fly until the last and present years. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 JOSHUA B. SMITH. 
 
 SAMUEL L. FULLER' — Conesus, Livingston Co., JVov. 12, 1858. 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson, Secretary , fyc. : 
 
 Dear Sir — In October, a son of Mr. J. S. Wadsworth handed 
 me your circular in relation to the “ wheat midge,” “ Hessian fly,” 
 and other depredators on wheat. 
 
 The Livingston County Agricultural Society issued the enclosed 
 circular, and circulated about one thousand among the farmers of 
 this county. In reply, I have received six communications, elicit¬ 
 ing no valuable information further than this: the early ripened, 
 and quickly ripened wheat, escaped the best. 
 
298 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OP NEW YORK 
 
 The summers of 1856 and 185T, I spent in Seneca county, and 
 only know by report, that the wheat was injured over a large sec¬ 
 tion of the county in 1856; I had heard it was in Ontario county 
 the year before, but it was a rumor; still I always supposed it 
 came from the east. The growing of white wheat has ceased to 
 be the crop of the Genesee Valley. The Mediterranean wheat is 
 said to be much improved for the last year or two, and many sup¬ 
 pose it may be made a partial substitute; we shall probably raise 
 enough for our bread of Mediterranean. 
 
 1857 and 1858, the white wheat was destroyed, with now and 
 then an exception. It has not disappeared at. any time. 
 
 I have never heard of the wheat being injured years ago by the 
 midge. Some of my friends have complained of the midge in their 
 barley; and I have heard rumors of clover seed being injured also; 
 but this latter not sufficiently reliable for me to state it as a fact. 
 
 The Mediterranean has been injured the least. 
 
 The dry land escapes if any does. 
 
 The damage is the entire profits of the wheat crop at least, and 
 the consequent depreciation in the value of lands of at least of 
 $20 per acre, in the wheat growing towns of this county. 
 
 We have tried good farming with partial success. 
 
 Know of no parasite which destroys the midge. 
 
 In 1856 there was considerable damage by what was called 
 Hessian fly in this neighborhood. The stalk was eaten into near 
 the lower joint, and the straw would break off, many small worms 
 being found in the stalk. 
 
 I have no knowledge in regard to the midge, other than most 
 of farmers—that we find a fly about the size of a musquito 
 in the fields, and soon the little red maggots in the head. 
 
 I have waited the answering of your circular, hoping some¬ 
 thing might turn up.” There are a few men in the county who 
 will act in this matter of the midge ; but the large majority 
 seem inclined to consider it a visitation of Providence, and sit 
 quietly down under it. Perhaps they are the wisest. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 SAMUEL L. FULLER. 
 
 Hon. STEPHEN HAIGHT — Washington, Dutchess Co. 
 
 June 1th, 1858. 
 
 Friend B. P. Johnson : 
 
 I am in receipt of a circular which purports to be issued by 
 the Executive Committee of the New York State Agricultural 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 299 
 
 Society, for the purpose of collecting information concerning the 
 ravages of the wheat midge. I am happy to render any service 
 which will assist in so important a matter. 
 
 To query 1. I answer to best information and recollection : 
 Their first appearance was about thirty years ago in my county. 
 They pretty steadily increased from year to year ; their ravages 
 more and more destructive for some twelve or fifteen years, when 
 our farmers were obliged to abandon wheat growing entirely. 
 Some few farmers, the two years past, have ventured to sow a 
 little wheat, both winter and spring wheat, and I have had good 
 crops; no trouble with the midge; we consider they were north¬ 
 ern emigrants. 
 
 2. I am not prepared to answer to a certainty. 
 
 3. The two years last past, I have heard no complaint of any 
 injury by them. 
 
 4. I have no recollection of anything of the kind, and presume 
 I may safely say no. 
 
 5. No other grains have been injured by them. 
 
 6. No varieties escaped, although it was always understood that 
 the bearded varieties were injured the least. 
 
 7. Wheat growing on uplands were invariably injured less than 
 upon lowlands. 
 
 8. It would be a difficult matter to get at the damages sustained 
 by the farmers of Dutchess, during the twelve or fifteen years 
 that they were trying to raise wheat — and getting straw instead 
 of wheat. It must be, however, a very large amount ; but after 
 abandoning the raising of wheat entirely, and giving their atten¬ 
 tion to other crops and grass, I am of the opinion their farms have 
 yielded a better profit than they ever did by growing wheat. 
 
 9. I don't know of any remedy, unless by refusing to raise 
 wheat to feed them. We have starved them out. 
 
 10. Don’t know of anything of the kind. 
 
 11. During the time that wheat was generally sown, it fre¬ 
 quently happened that it was much injured by the Hessian fly. 
 
 12. I hope we have got rid of them. 
 
 Yours, respectfully, 
 
 STEPHEN HAIGHT. 
 
 JAS. S. WADSWORTH, Esq., — Geneseo, Livingston Co. 
 
 My Dear Sir — I hope your other correspondents have been more 
 attentive than I have to your excellent wheat midge circular. I 
 
300 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 will answer your questions as well as I can—-premising that I am 
 not a close observer in such matters, but I have made a good 
 many inquiries in this matter. The midge was seen here in 1854; 
 a little in Monroe and Livingston counties; did no material dam¬ 
 age; more seen in 1855 ; did no material damage in this county ; 
 considerable in Monroe ; came from the east. In 1856, the midge 
 took from one-half to two r thirds of the crops in this county on up¬ 
 land, and nearly all on flats; at least 2000 acres on flats, which 
 would have yielded thirty bushels per acre, not harvested. 
 Worse in 1857, took over two-thirds of crops; 1858, very little 
 white wheat to harvest; a few fields escaped; generally destroyed. 
 Mediterranean wheat escaped generally (as it is supposed from 
 being earlier); perhaps one-fifth Mediterranean destroyed; spring 
 barley very much injured this year by midge. In some cases, one- 
 half to two-thirds crops taken. Winter barley too early for midge. 
 Very little white -wheat now sown in western New York. 
 
 No evidence that the midge was seen here (Genesee valley) be¬ 
 fore 1852, when it was perhaps seen in small numbers in some 
 localities in Monroe county. The midge has reduced the value of 
 all the wheat lands in western New York, at least forty per cent. 
 Lands which sold here readily for $70 per acre, can now be bought 
 for $40 per acre. 
 
 No remedies tried. No parasite insect seen; very little Hessian 
 fly of late years. The enclosed extract from the census returns 
 of 1855 are supposed to be tolerably accurate; not too high ; it 
 is not supposed that this county and Monroe, will have a supply 
 of wheat this year. 
 
 Mr. Coverdale, a respectable farmer in this county, lived in 1828, 
 on the St. Lawrence, about forty miles above Quebec; saw midge 
 there that year; had previously seen it in England. I do not 
 think of anjr other information I can give you. I hope you will 
 soon let us have what you have collected. Is this an English 
 insect? What is done for it there ? What of the parasite? Has 
 it left any region in which it was ever fairly established. 
 
 Truly yours, JAMES S. WADSWORTH. 
 
 August 30 th, 1858. 
 
 JOSEPH WATSON— Clyde, Wayne Co. 
 
 1. Midge appeared in 1850-51, from the east; growing wheat 
 never entirely abandoned. 
 
 2. The insect increased annually until 1858 ; then least destruc¬ 
 tive ; in cold wet seasons which were late the most. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY . 
 
 SOI 
 
 3. It has not totally disappeared at any time. 
 
 4. Before the midge came do not recollect in this section of any 
 injury to wheat similar to this, (but, in Schoharie county , my father 
 says, in about 1835-6, a worm a quarter inch long, white, brown 
 head, appeared in wheat heads and roughed them, or the birds did 
 it in catching the worms, but they have not appeared since. 
 Father died twenty years since in that county.) 
 
 5. Summer barley, red clover and mullen, have been infested by 
 this insect; most in 1854. 
 
 6. No variety of wheat has escaped. 
 
 *1. Dry hilly uplands very perceptibly less affected than lowlands. 
 
 8. As to damage, can't say very definite ; this year not much, 
 as no great breadth was sown; but it is safe to say that the 
 wheat crop product here, since 1852, is less than one-fourth of a 
 full crop annually, before or without the midge. I mean to say 
 in my answer to this, that probably less than one-fourth of the 
 wheat has been produced, that would have been, had there been 
 no midge ; but as to the damage itself, it would be hard to deter¬ 
 mine, as much of the land upon which wheat would have been 
 sown, has been put to other more sure crops ; besides, my expe¬ 
 rience is, that where I could get thirty bushels white wheat, I 
 could get only twenty to twenty-two bushels of Mediterranean. 
 The loss or damage to our county is hard to over estimate, caused by 
 this yellow mite. 
 
 9. As to remedies, early sowing on drylands and early varieties 
 most successful, but no effectual remedy. 
 
 10. I have no knowledge of any parasites; report says there 
 are such, but never have discovered any. 
 
 11. Too early sowing, to escape the midge, has the tendency to 
 encourage the Hessian fly, and in some instances has done so. 
 (First a white, changing to a flax seed form and color, near the 
 root.) This destroyed my spring wheat, June, 1855. 
 
 Yours, JOSEPH WATSON. 
 
 December 20, 1858. 
 
 HON. G. DENNISTON— Prattsburgh, Steuben Co. 
 
 January , 21, 1859. 
 
 B. P. Johnson, Esq : 
 
 Dear Sir — I received your circular soliciting information 
 respecting the ravages of the weevil or wheat midge, in Steuben 
 Co. I have delayed my reply until all the facts in relation to 
 the crop of 1858 could be collected. These, I can assure you, 
 
302 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 have presented a gloomy picture to the farmer of our section of 
 the State. 
 
 Some eight years aga we heard of the midge being seen and 
 felt in seme of the counties eastward. In Cayuga, then after¬ 
 wards in Ontario, and then, the next year, in Yates; but, as yet, 
 we knew nothing of the insect, except from report. It seemed to 
 us like some eastern plague traveling westward, with which, in 
 turn, we were doomed to be afflicted. 
 
 Our wheat crops grew luxuriant and productive, while our 
 neighbors of Ontario and Yates, complained of their being “ cut 
 off.” We had full garners of fine plump grain, while they reaped 
 little else but straw and chaff. 
 
 About five years ago, some of our farmers began to discover 
 appearances of the midge in their wheat. A corner of a field, 
 or the outer edges, were somewhat injured, but nothing very 
 material was developed for a year or two; but gradually the 
 ravages seemed to increase, particularly in the crops more back¬ 
 ward and late. It was then said “ you must sow your wheat so 
 that it will come to maturity early, in order to escape the (wee¬ 
 vil), midge.” Our farmers consequently sowed earlier than usual, 
 but the ivinged enemy , by some means, managed to make their 
 appearance just at the particular time they could commit the 
 greatest injury; as if to put to nought all our wisdom and pre¬ 
 caution, they totally destroyed all our earlier crops, and left the 
 later unscathed. 
 
 Then, to avoid the insect, our farmers sowed late, so that the 
 crop would come in after the period of its ravages. Some of our 
 spring wheat, by this, has escaped; but I know of no particular 
 rule that will guard us against its ravages, like 'all spoilers of 
 the property and substance of others, they are ever on the alert 
 for plunder. 
 
 The crop of 1858 was mostly destroyed by the (weevil) midge. 
 The winter wheat did not average more than five bushels per 
 acre throughout the county; whole fields were hardly worth 
 harvesting. The spring wheat, sowed late, fared better and pro¬ 
 duced a fair yield. I should calculate that, on the average, the 
 midge destroyed the crop of winter wheat in our county, to the 
 value of seventy-jive per cent of the whole crop. 
 
 I have heard of one or two fields, where the midge did not 
 make their appearance, and the yield was consequently from 
 twenty-five to thirty bushels per acre; these are now the excep¬ 
 tions to the general rule. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 303 
 
 If the midge continue as last year, we must leave off sowing 
 winter wheat, unless, perchance, we can hit upon some means to 
 prevent their depredations. Our farmers are “ experimenting 
 but as yet without avail. About the time our wheat crops are in 
 the blow , we can see myriads of pale yellow flies, with slim bodies, on 
 gossamer wings, flying swiftly from head to head, depositing their 
 “ova,” and as the crop matures we find the heads erect and empty, 
 or rather erect , because they are devoid of value. 
 
 We are nowin the midst of the plague; how long it will 
 remain we have no means of ascertaining; but like all others, 
 we hope for the period of its departure. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 G. DENNISTON. 
 
WHEAT AND CHESS. 
 
 Tn March, 1857, Benj. Hodge, Esq., of Buffalo, “offered a pre¬ 
 mium of $100 to the person who shall demonstrate that wheat 
 turns to chess. The premium to be awarded under the supervi¬ 
 sion of the New York State Agricultural Society, under such 
 rules and regulations as a committee appointed by the Society 
 shall prescribe.” 
 
 We received a letter, 20th July, from Samuel Davison, a 
 respectable farmer of Greece, Monroe Co., saying “ that on the 
 10th of March last, he commenced an experiment on wheat, to 
 produce chess therefrom; and the experiment has succeeded ; 
 and requesting to have a committee appointed to examine the 
 wheat growing, to test the truth that wheat turns to chess.” He 
 also requested that the committee for next year be appointed to 
 try the experiment under his direction, &c.; and he claims the 
 premium offered, &c. 
 
 As here was a direct offer and an acceptance, it was thought 
 advisable to have a committee selected, and an examination and 
 thorough trial had. J. J. Thomas, of Cayuga; Prof. C. Dewey and 
 L. B. Langworthy, Esq., of Rochester, were selected as the com¬ 
 mittee. 
 
 The committee met at the office of the Rural New Yorker, in 
 Rochester, on the 5th of August; and Mr. Davison was present 
 with the wheat and chess which he had grown. The committee, 
 after obtaining all the information from Mr. Davison, as to the 
 manner of preparing the ground and managing the same after 
 the wheat was sown, proceeded to separate and examine the 
 stalks presented; but after a careful examination under the 
 microscope, they were unable to find any chess growing from the 
 wheat; but as the grain and husks were so much decayed, noth¬ 
 ing satisfactory could be determined. A report will be presented 
 of the whole examination, by the committee. The committee, as 
 requested by Mr. Hodge, drew up regulations for a trial hereafter, 
 which was satisfactory to Mr. Davison; and persons will be 
 
319 
 
 ><tr7 
 
 \y 
 
 t (STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 useful and well adapted to our country. We hope to make this 
 interchange of value to the agricultural interest of our State 
 and country, and are satisfied the farmers will furnish us with 
 all the facilities necessary to continue the exchanges. 
 
 WHEAT MIDGE. 
 
 Everything relating to this destructive insect is interesting 
 at this time, when such serious ravages upon our crops are 
 chronicled from our State and the Canadas. We give an extract 
 from a letter from Dr. Fitch, Entomologist of the Society, in 
 reference to a parasitical insect in England, which is not known 
 in this country. The Doctor refers to his essay, published in 
 the Transactions of the Society for 1845, page 255. He says : 
 
 “ In that essay you will see I pronounced our insect to be 
 identical with the cecidomyia tritica of Europe. When that 
 publication reached Europe, one of the most eminent French 
 Entomologists of the present day, C. B. Amyot, at a meeting of 
 the Entomological Society of France, called attention to what I 
 had written, decidedly dissenting from the correctness of my 
 statement; that the insects of the two continents were one and 
 the same species. It was several years before I became aware 
 ot this—a letter which Mr. Amyot addressed to me having never 
 coino to hand. I immediately'forwarded to Dr. Signovet speci¬ 
 mens of the fly, to be handed to Mr. Amyot. He on receiving 
 them called to his aid one of the best judges upon subjects of 
 this kind in the city of Paris, and they gave these specimens a 
 most scrupulous examination and comparison with European 
 specimens. The result Mr. Amyot communicated in detail to the 
 Entomological Society, at its next meeting, as I learn from their 
 published proceedings. The specimens of the two continents 
 were found to be identical in every minute particular which the 
 microscope revealed, and Mr. Amyot gave his full assent to the 
 correctness of my statement. As this insect continued to be so 
 destructive to the wheat crop in this country, year after year, 
 the question presented itself forcibly to my mind, why is it that 
 this little creature is so vastly more injurious here than it is in 
 Europe — why does it not multiply there and destroy wheat 
 
320 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK 
 
 crops the same that it does ours ? and I was able to give but 
 one solution to this query. From all the foreign accounts, it 
 appears that whenever the midge becomes so numerous as to bo 
 perceptibly injurious, instead of continuing its ravage, it sud¬ 
 denly and totally disappears, and in place of it the fields next 
 year swarm with the little parasitic bees which have destroyed 
 it. But in this country no such parasitic destroyer appears to 
 quell it, and I have hence supposed that we have received this 
 insect from Europe, whilst its parasitic destroyer has not yet 
 reached our shores. Thus we are hence without nature’s 
 appointed means for preventing the undue multiplication of this 
 insect. We have received the evil without the remedy; and 
 hence it is that this little creature revels and riots in this 
 country without let or hindrance. As a result of this view, it 
 followed that if we could import the parasitic destroyer of this 
 insect from Europe, it would here multiply, and check the 
 ravage of this pest, the same that it does abroad. This being 
 a matter of such vast moment, involving a saving of many mil¬ 
 lions of dollars to this country, every year, as I was correspond¬ 
 ing with Mr. Curtis, President of the London Entomological 
 Society, I addressed him a letter upon this subject, a year ago 
 last spring. This letter he laid before the Society, and it formed 
 a prominent topic of discussion at one of their meetings, the 
 members being astonished to learn the ravage which this insect 
 was committing in this country, and they mutually agreed that 
 if the midge presented itself to the notice of any one of them, 
 so that they could obtain living specimens of its parasite to for¬ 
 ward to me, they would do so. In its larva state these parisites 
 might readily be sent to this country in a pot of moist earth; 
 but as they can only be obtained in season when' the midge is 
 abroad in considerable numbers, it may be several years beforo 
 we can get it.” 
 
 [We were informed by J. H. Klippart, Secretary of the Board 
 of Agriculture, Ohio, that a parasitic insect had been discovered 
 there which preyed on the wheat midge. If this should turn 
 out to be so, then we shall have an opportunity of testing the 
 value of this parasite. As we have not seen the parasite, we 
 shall look with interest to the investigations Mr. Klippart is 
 making in relation to the wheat midge.] 
 
v DR. FITCH’S SIXTH REPORT ON THE NOXIOUS 
 AND OTHER INSECTS OP THE STATE OF NEW 
 YORK. 
 
 The sixth report of Dr. Fitch, which was being prepared for this volume 
 of the Transactions, has been delayed by his illness, which has prevented 
 its completion in time for this volume. It will be given in the succeeding 
 volume, together with the seventh report. The delay will enable him to 
 prepare the report more fully than he would have been able to do, had his 
 sickness not prevented its completion. His health is now restored, and he 
 will prosecute his work with renewed energy in preparing the most impor¬ 
 tant reports of the investigations thus far. 
 
 We are gratified at the great interest manifested in these investigations. 
 The demands for the reports already published, come from every section of 
 our own country, and from every foreign country with which we are in cor¬ 
 respondence. The saving to many of our farmers and horticulturists, by 
 observing the directions given in the reports published, have already 
 amounted, we are confidently assured, to more, in a pecuniary point of 
 view, than tho entire expenditure made for the promotion of agriculture by 
 our State government. We are confident that each succeeding year will add 
 largely to this amount, as the number of intelligent farmers will be increased, 
 who will adopt the suggestions made in relation to the culture and preser¬ 
 vation of their trees, and the advice given in relation to the ravages of the 
 devastating insects upon their crops and fruit and forest trees. We trust the 
 Doctor’s health and strength will be preserved so that he shall be enabled 
 to complete his work, and leave to the farmers of our country a legacy 
 more rich than that which any hero has ever given the world. 
 
 We are gratified in presenting two addresses of Dr. Fitch before the 
 Society ; one giving a summary view of “ our most pernicious insects,” 
 the other “ on the curculio and the black knot on plum trees.” 
 
 These will be found of great value, and the latter, on the curculio, is one 
 of the fullest and most reliable publications on this destructive insect and 
 its ravages which has been published. The remedies which have proved the 
 most efficacious are here given, and we cannot doubt, that a careful exami¬ 
 nation of these, and strict attention to the suggestions given will prove of 
 incalculable advantage to our fruit growers. J. 
 
), .^1, -dst* C i J-t "“i 
 
 ADDRESS, ON OUR MOST PERNICIOUS INSECTS, 
 
 DELIVERED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, FEBRUARY, 1859. 
 
 By Asa Fi-rcn, M. D., Entomologist of the Society. 
 
 [Note. —The Society has done me the compliment, each year, of requesting for'insertion 
 in its Transactions, a copy of the Lectures I have delivered at its annual meetings since I was 
 honored with the appointment of its entomologist. But ns everything of value in those Lec¬ 
 tures has usually been embodied in a more full and definite form in my annual reports, I 
 could Dot regard it as cither necessary or judicious to thus encumber the Society's volumes 
 with repetitions of the same observations. As the following Lecture, however, in addition 
 to some general views of the subject, contains a succinct statement of the habits of several 
 of our most pernicious insects, with reference to specimens which are permanently remaining 
 open to public view in the Society’s Museum, it perhaps possesses sufficient value to entitle 
 it to the publicity here given it.] 
 
 Mr. President and Gentlemen—It was long ago remarked, and the saying 
 has often been repeated, that “America is the land of insects." It is not 
 difficult to perceive what has given rise and currency to this sentiment. 
 When this branch of science was in its infancy, Linnaeus, the great legisla¬ 
 tor of Natural History, gave to one of the large, beautiful moths, common 
 in the United States, a name, indicating it to be the head, the king, of the 
 whole insect race. Eighty and a hundred years ago, the specimens of 
 insects which were gathered in this country and taken to Europe, show r ed 
 to the men of science there, so many singularly formed objects of this class, 
 widely differing from anything which had been discovered in the old world, 
 that it naturally impressed them with the idea that this quarter of the 
 globe was peculiarly rich in curiosities of this kind. And about the same 
 period, the sweeping havoc in our wheat crops, which was made by the 
 Hessian fly, was a phenomenon unparalleled in the whole history of wheat 
 culture from the early ages of the world down to that time. That a minute 
 insect, nestling in the root aud stalk of the growing wheat, should be so 
 excessively numerous as to find every blade in the field, and totally destroy 
 this crop over a wide extent of country, excited the astonishment and also 
 the alarm of the whole civilized world. And from an occurrence so novel 
 and so remarkable, it might well be inferred that there must be something 
 in the climate, or some other physical peculiarity of this country, eminently 
 favorable to insect life, to cause these creatures to become thus excessively 
 multiplied. 
 
 And that America is the land of insects—that we are here sustaining 
 greater losses from this class of objects than are experienced in correspond¬ 
 ing parts of the old world—and that we shall be obliged to study their 
 habits in order to successfully combat them and prevent their ravages, 
 before our soil can possibly sustain so dense a population as exists there, 
 scarcely admits of a doubt. 
 
 In the researches in which I am occupied, I have constant occasion to 
 examine the statements which European writers give of their injurious 
 insects, and the depredations which they commit, in order to compare them 
 with our insects here. I thus come to know it as a fact, that the losses 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 589 
 
 which we sustain from these pests, immeasurably surpass everything of 
 this kind to which they are subject in Europe. Insects which attract much 
 public attention there, and are regarded as serious evils, would, in this 
 country, be deemed scarcely worthy of notice, the damage they occa¬ 
 sion is so trivial. There, if an insect appears in their wheat fields, by 
 which the crop is shortened an eighth or a tenth from its average yield, 
 whole communities become alarmed ; whilst here, so slight a loss would be 
 disregarded and would pass wholly unnoticed. The self same insects, 
 which there appear tame, and only occasionally show themselves as depre¬ 
 dators, now in one district and then in another—these same insects, on 
 passing across the Atlantic, appear to become armed with the club of Her¬ 
 cules. On reaching our shores, they multiply;—they advance over our 
 country like an invading army;—they utterly devastate the vegetation 
 which they attack;—they continue their destructive work season after sea¬ 
 son ;—and it is not till after a long series of years that they become per¬ 
 fectly naturalized in our midst, and sink back into their appropriate sphere, 
 so as afterwards to remain within the bounds which Nature appears to have 
 designed they should occupy. Such at least has been the history of the 
 Hessian fly, before mentioned—the insect with which we have had the most 
 extended and full experience. Originally introduced into the town of 
 Flatbush on the west end of Long Island, doubtless in some of tbe straw 
 which they had used for packing their goods, by the Hessian troops which 
 disembarked there the latter part of August, 1776, it two and three years 
 afterwards became so multiplied as to destroy the fields of wheat in that 
 town. And from thence as a central point it gradually spread, extending 
 itself in every direction, till it penetrated the farthest bounds of our terri¬ 
 tory where wheat was grown—inarching over our country like a triumphant 
 conqueror—for several years devestating the wheat crop wherever it ar¬ 
 rived, and afterwards repeatedly returning and renewing its ravages after 
 it was hoped it had disappeared. But now, for many years, we have heard 
 little of the Hessian fly, and it would scarcely be known that we had such 
 an insect in our country. A person engaged in collecting insects, however, 
 will every year meet with a few of these flies, in sweeping with his net in 
 almost any of our wheat fields. Why does it never multiply now, and cut 
 off our crops as it did formerly ? I doubt not it is because its insect ene¬ 
 mies have now become so w'ell acquainted with it and so skillful in com¬ 
 batting it, that if it begins to grow numerous in any district, they imme¬ 
 diately multiply also, and thus overpower and suppress it. 
 
 And what has been the European history of this same insect ? During 
 the half century that it was committing such havoc upon this side of the 
 Atlantic, no traces of any such insect were found in any part of Europe. 
 And notwithstanding the manner in which it first appeared here, and 
 gradually advanced over our country, plainly indicated that it had been 
 introduced, yet the world with one conseut adopted the opinion that it 
 was a native insect of this country, and that it did not exist elsewhere. It 
 was not till the year 1833 that we had any evidence that this insect was 
 
590 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 to be found in Europe. That year, in two of the German principalities, 
 the wheat crop was seriously injured by an insect so like the Hessian fly 
 that M. Kollar, in his Treatise on Insects, published four years afterwards, 
 pronounced it to be that insect, though others doubted his being correct 
 therein. And the following year, 1834, Prof. Dana, of New Haven, who, 
 in company with Mr. Herrick, had made the Hessian fly a subject of spe¬ 
 cial investigation, on going into the wheat fields along the shores of the 
 Mediterranean, at once detected this same insect there, both in Spain, 
 Italy, and on the Island of Minorca. This discovery he communicated to 
 Mr. Herrick, by whom an article on this subject was communicated to Sil- 
 liman’s Journal--this being the first dissent on record to the then universal 
 belief which had so long prevailed, that this insect did not exist in Europe. 
 
 And finally, in 1851, along the banks of the Volga in Russia, the wheat 
 crop was severely injured by an insect that we have quite conclusive evi¬ 
 dence was the Hessian fly. This Volga insect is described by Col. Mots- 
 chultsky, as a new species, like the Hessian fly of the United States in its 
 habits and appearance, except that it is paler colored, and not black as 
 Mr. Say represents the Hessian fly to be. Now when it first hatches from 
 its pupa state, our insect is of a tawny yellow color, and I cannot but 
 think that had the Russian entomologist kept his specimens alive, he would 
 have found them within two or three days changed to black. 
 
 These few facts, the appearance of this fly in Germany in 1833, along 
 the shores of the Mediterranean in 1834, and on the river Volga in 1851, 
 comprise all of the European history of this insect—an insect so rare in 
 its native haunts that it is scarcely known to exist there, but on being 
 brought to our shores has caused a loss to us of uncounted millions of dollars. 
 
 The wheat midge also, it is probable, is doing more damage at present, 
 in a single year, in the State of New York, than the total aggregate of 
 the losses which it has occasioned in Europe. Mr. Curtis, in his papers 
 on the insects affecting the grain crops of Great Britain, gives no intima¬ 
 tion that a wheat field has ever been known to be so badly devastated by 
 the midge or by any other insect, that it was not worth harvesting. But in 
 this country we at the present time, have the midge throughout the north¬ 
 ern and middle States ; at the south they have the joint worm ; at the 
 west the chinch bug ; three insects in the different sections of our country, 
 each destroying the wheat crop to an extent which appears to be unparal¬ 
 leled by anything known of this class of creatures in our father-land. 
 
 Nor is it in our grain crops merely—in our orchards, in our gardens, 
 everywhere in fact, wo see similar evidences that “ America is the land of 
 insects.” Look at the bark-louse of the apple tree, which, though common 
 throughout the continent of Europe, has never shown itself as a serious 
 evil there. But in this country, through a large district bordering on 
 Lake Michigan, every apple tree has of late years been overrun and almost 
 every tree has been killed by this very insect. 
 
 It is unnecessary to recite further facts, of which there are many bearing 
 upon the same point. Enough has already been advanced to show that 
 our country, although so favored of Heaven in most respects, is more in- 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 591 
 
 fested, and is sustaining greater losses from enemies of this kind, than 
 any of the other sections of the world the climate and productions of which 
 correspond with ours. 
 
 This being our situation, we readily perceive how important, how indis¬ 
 pensably necessary it is, that the habits of this class of objects should be 
 thoroughly investigated, and that full and correct information with respect 
 to them should be obtained and should be disseminated among the cultiva¬ 
 tors of our soil. For, with the meager knowledge which they at present 
 possess upon this subject, they are powerless, and these pests are allowed 
 to commit their depredations unchecked and unopposed. 
 
 As so little knowledge of these creatures is diffused through our commu¬ 
 nity, and so very few persons have ever seen the insects which are causing 
 such vast losses in our land—the parents which breed the different kinds 
 of worms and caterpillars which we see devastating our fields of grain and 
 our fruit trees—I have thought I could not render this audience a more 
 acceptable service, and occupy a portion of your time this evening more 
 profitably, than by exhibiting to you specimens of some of our most de¬ 
 structive insects ;—since a first and most important step towards a knowledge 
 of any object, is, to have a clear and accurate idea of the looks, the appear¬ 
 ance of that object; and it is impossible for the mind to gather from writ¬ 
 ten descriptions or from drawings, so vivid and satisfactory an impression 
 as is instantly obtained by a view of the thing itself. 
 
 Unfortunately however for an exhibition of this kind, several of the 
 most important of our injurious insects are so exceedingly minute, that 
 the eye, without the aid of glasses, is unable to discern anything more 
 than their general appearance, their size and color. We are obliged to 
 take them, however, just as nature has formed them. They will not ex¬ 
 pand themselves and become more distinctly visible, for our accommoda¬ 
 tion. And in order to see them at all, it is necessary that the specimens 
 be taken in the hand, and so held that the strongest light which we have 
 in the room, will fall directly upon them. Moreover, these minute objects, 
 when dried aud preserved, are so very fragile that a breath of air would 
 break them into fragments—so that were they openly exposed, they would 
 be destroyed before a dozen persons perhaps had looked at them. I have 
 therefore endeavored to make the best arrangements for presenting them 
 to your view, that their delicacy will admit of. They are placed in glazed 
 boxes, which can be passed from hand to hand through the audience. Aud 
 the several specimens in each of the boxes, are ticketed separately, and so 
 plainly, that every one will readily understand what it is that he is looking 
 at. All the specimens being thus distinctly explained by the labels at¬ 
 tached to them, I think everything contained in each box will be intelligi¬ 
 ble and perfectly understood by every person into whose hands they come. 
 
 And I would further state, that, as such minute objects can always be 
 seen so much better by daylight, than they can be by even the best artifi¬ 
 cial light, these same specimens will be on exhibition at the Agricultural 
 Itooras, through the day, to-morrow—after which they will be placed in the 
 Insect department of the Museum of tho State Agricultural Society. 
 
592 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 Preparatory to passing these specimens into the hands of the audience, 
 I may briefly state the contents of each box. I have selected for exhibi¬ 
 tion and for a few remarks on this occasion, nine of the most pernicious 
 and destructive insects which we have in our country. Five of these are 
 depredators upon the wheat crop, and to some extent upon our other grain 
 crops in districts where they do not find all the wheat they require for their 
 accommodation. These five insects are, 
 
 The wheat midge, the grain weevil, the Hessian fly, the joint-worm, and 
 the cliinch-bug. 
 
 All these are very small insects. Yet, notwithstanding their diminutive 
 size, and their seeming insignificance, some of them have done and are 
 doing a greater amount of damage by far, than any of our other noxious 
 insects. After looking at these pigmies, I presume it will be a relief to 
 your eyes to be presented with something larger, and more cognizable to 
 the senses ; and I have therefore selected four of the most important 
 depredators upon our fruit trees, namely, 
 
 The moth which produces the caterpillars upon our apple and cherry trees, 
 The apple tree borer, the peach tree borer, and the curculio or plum weevil. 
 Many persons in the audience, I doubt not, will inspect these specimens 
 more intelligently, and will recollect their appearance much better, if, as I 
 hand them out, I state the contents of each box, and say a few words ex¬ 
 plaining the particular habits of each of these insects. 
 
 First, then, the Wheat midge .—This is the insect which, of all others, 
 is doing us the most damage at the present time — causing a loss to the far¬ 
 mers of our State, amounting to millions of dollars annually. As already 
 stated, the midge is spread everywhere through the wheat-growing dis¬ 
 tricts of the Northern and Middle States, and also through Canada and 
 Ohio. This insect is an exceedingly small, bright yellow fly, not a quarter 
 the size of the common mosquito. And though there are countless myri¬ 
 ads of these flies in every part of our State, very few persons have ever 
 seen this fly, knowing it to be the midge. 
 
 It may add to the interest with which you will look upon one of the 
 specimens in this box, to be informed, that I suppose you are there view¬ 
 ing, what only two persons in the world have ever seen, before this eve¬ 
 ning— the male of the wheat midge. We learn from Mr. Curtis, that this 
 has never yet been found by any of the British entomologists, and only one 
 person in Europe is known to have discovered it — Mcigcn, a German 
 writer on insects, who has been dead many years. On coming to see what 
 a mere atom this male fly is, you will be little surprised that collectors have 
 so universally failed to detect it — for (if I may be allowed a Iliberuicism) 
 on looking at it, you will find it’s so small you can’t see it. The specimen 
 is so placed as to project from the point of a triangular piece of paper, to 
 which it is glued ; and all that the sharpest eyes will be able to perceive, 
 is an appearance like small fibres of gossamer adhering to the point of the 
 paper. But if the light in any part of the room throws a shadow, this 
 shadow, falling on the white paper under the specimen, will be much more 
 visible, and more like an insect than the object itself is. And the magni- 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 593 
 
 fy'mg glass shows this specimen to be quite perfect, the wings, the long 
 antennae, like strings of beads, the feet, every part in fact, being hereby 
 rendered beautifully distinct. 
 
 By the side of this invisible object, you will see the female fly of the 
 wheat midge, glued upon a square slip of paper with its wings extended— 
 whereby it is rendered much more distinct. 
 
 This fly, it will be remembered, deposits its eggs in the heads of the young 
 wheat, from which hatch minute worms or maggots of a bright yellow color, 
 which lie inside of the chaff, and in contact with the young soft kernels of 
 the wheat, from which they abstract the nourishment, so that these grains 
 or kernels become shrivelled and dwarfish. In addition to the male and 
 female flies of the wheat midge, I have placed in the box several of the 
 small yellow worms, taken from wheat heads, and glued to a slip of paper, 
 and also, glued to another slip of paper, several kernels of wheat, shriv¬ 
 elled by this insect. 
 
 This is the same insect which, in many neighborhoods, is called the 
 weevil — the most inappropriate name that could possibly be given to it, 
 for the midge is no more like a weevil , than an eagle or a hawk is like an 
 elephant. And to show how very dissimilar the two insects are, I have 
 placed in the same box 
 
 The grain weevil , an insect which infests the dry, stored wheat, in the 
 bins in granaries and warehouses, but never attacks it when it is growing 
 in the field. The grain weevil originated in Europe and is quite common 
 there, but is only occasionally met with in this country ; an American 
 insect very closely like it, named the rice weevil, being much oftener found 
 with us, in wheat, in Indian corn, and other grains which have been long 
 kept, as well as in rice. 
 
 In this second box you will sec a specimen of the Hessian fly , of which 
 I have already spoken somewhat fully; and also a specimen of the white 
 worms or larvae which hatch from the eggs of this fly, and several of the 
 brown pupm or flax seeds, as they are commonly called, into which the 
 worms change after they get their growth. These worms and flax seeds 
 are found at the roots of the young wheat plants in autumn and winter, 
 and after the stalks shoot up, the following spring, a second brood of them 
 appears, lying immediately above the lower joints, in the straw, weakening 
 the stalks so that they break and lop down. 
 
 You will also see in this box, a specimen of the straw, thus broken, and 
 showing several of the flax seeds imbedded in it. 
 
 In another box you will see specimens of the fly which produces the 
 joint-worm , which of late years has wholly destroyed the wheat fields in 
 some parts of Virginia—and instances have occurred both in our own 
 State and in Massachusetts, of a closely similar insect infesting fields of 
 barley, and greatly injuring them. But I have no knowledge of its ever 
 attacking the wheat crop with us. 
 
 This joint-worm is so similar in its appearance, and in its operations to 
 [Ag. Trans.] 88 
 
594 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 the Hessian fly, that we should expect it to be an insect of the same group, 
 a two-winged instead of a four-winged fly. Small white worms are found, 
 lodged in little cavities in the straw, mostly at the joints, causing the 
 straw to become swelled, uneven and knotty. In the same box you will 
 also see a specimen of the straw, shaved off so as to show the little cavi¬ 
 ties in which these joint-worms lie, and also another piece of straw with 
 one of these flies coming out of it—his black head protruding from the 
 side of the straw, but so minute you will have to’ look sharp to see it. 
 And on the upper side of this same straw are two small holes perforated, 
 like pin-holes, from which flies have also come out and escaped. 
 
 In this same box you will also see three specimens of the chinch-bug, 
 an insect which has of late years severely injured the growing wheat in 
 Illinois and the adjoining States, totally destroying it in some fields. This 
 insect is also common through the southern states. It punctures and sucks 
 the juices from the young wheat stalks; and in dry seasons it becomes so 
 multiplied that the stalks are crowded and black with them, entirely ex¬ 
 hausting the stalks of their juices, and causing them to wither and die. 
 And after the wheat is harvested they emigrate to the corn fields, bleeding 
 the cornstalks in the same manner. 
 
 The parent insects of two of the most pernicious borers of our fruit 
 trees, are placed in this fourth box—that of the apple and that of the 
 peach tree. 
 
 That of the apple tree you will see is a cylindrical beetle of a tawny 
 brown or butternut color, with two white stripes the whole length of its 
 body. This beetle drops its eggs in the crevices of the rough bark, near 
 the root, from which small worms hatch which bore through the bark, and 
 reside between it and the wood the first year, and the second year they 
 bore into the solid wood, greatly injuring and often killing young trees. 
 
 One or two facts may here be related serving to indicate the losses we 
 are sustaining from this insect. In the year 1851, an agent of one of the 
 nurseries in the central part of our State, canvassed the county of Wash¬ 
 ington, and disposed of trees to the amount of $10,000 ; nearly all of 
 them apple trees. The estimate will be a moderate one, to say that half 
 of the trees which were thus introduced have now been destroyed by 
 this borer; many persons have lost every tree or almost every one that 
 they planted. We thus have a loss of 85,000 from this insect in this one 
 county—without taking notice either of the expense of planting and nursing 
 the trees; or of the many trees in addition to these, which particular per¬ 
 sons obtained from other sources. 
 
 A person visiting me a few months since, remarked, he would himself 
 be willing to pay me a hundred dollars, if, by my researches, I would dis¬ 
 cover some effectual method of protecting apple trees from the borer; as 
 this insect had occasioned him losses far exceeding the sum he named. 
 Without claiming the reward he offered, I informed him I had already 
 experimented and would give him the very remedy he wished ; if ho would 
 rub the bark of his trees with soap, the latter part of May each year, I 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 595 
 
 would guarantee that not one of these borers would ever touch them. Some 
 of the present audience will probably recollect how forcibly one of the most 
 valued members of our State Society, the Hon. A. B. Dickinson, recom¬ 
 mended this same remedy, at one of our annual meetings a few years since. 
 Having had a favorable opportunity, I have since then tested this remedy to 
 some extent, applying it to a part of my trees, and omitting it from others ; 
 and the following spring I have found young borers in almost every tree where 
 the soap had not been applied—one tree only '6\ inches in diameter having 
 fifteen in it—whilst not one could be detected in any of the soaped trees. 
 
 In the same box is also a male and a female fly of the peach tree borer— 
 the two sexes being very unlike each other, as you will perceive. Like 
 the apple tree borer, this fly places its eggs on the bark low down, at or 
 near the surface of the ground, and the worms from them work downward 
 in the bark of the root, causing the gum to exude profusely. In numerous 
 instances poach trees are supposed to be winter-killed, when it is this borer 
 in the roots that has destroyed them. This same insect works in the root 
 of the plum tree also, when it cannot find all the peach trees it requires 
 for its accommodation. When the worm gets its growth, it crawls up to 
 the surface of the ground, and there surrounds itself with a kind of pod, 
 formed of its chips and castings mingled with gum. A specimen of one of 
 these pods you will see in the box. This pod is placed on the side of the 
 root in a groove of the bark, with its upper end projecting slightly above 
 the surface of the ground ; and when the pupa lying in this pod is ready 
 to give out the winged fly, it crowds itself upward out of the pod, its 
 outer shell cracks open, and the fly crawls out of it. 
 
 The apple and the peach borers in their larva state, i. e. the large white 
 grubs which are found under the bark of the apple and in the root of the 
 peach tree, are so much alike in their size and appearance, that many per¬ 
 sons believe them to be one and the same insect. But you will here see 
 that they are the progeny of insects which have no resemblance whatever 
 to each other. 
 
 Finally , in this box is the moth or miller of the apple tree caterpillar— 
 the insect which comes abroad in July, and places the rings of eggs near 
 the ends of the twigs of the apple and cherry trees, from which, the follow¬ 
 ing spring, the caterpillars hatch, which form the large cobweb-like nests 
 in the forks of the limbs of these trees. I exhibit these, chiefly, because 
 these caterpillars are so common, and yet so very few persons have ever 
 seen the moth by which they are producod. Also in this box you will see 
 the cocoon which the caterpillars spin after they disperse themselves and 
 wander away from the tree, out of which cocoon the moth afterwards 
 comes. 
 
 In this box I have also placed two specimens of the curculio —a beetle, 
 however, with tho looks of which all the owners of plum trees are already 
 familiar ; as they also are with the little crescent-shaped slit which it cuts 
 in the side of the young plum, dropping an egg into the wound, the worm 
 from which feeds internally upon the fruit, rendering it worthless. And 
 
596 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 so common has this insect become, that it is scarcely possible for us now 
 to grow a crop of plums in any part of our State. 
 
 Why is it—the devout mind is inclined to ask—why is it, that Providence 
 has inflicted upon us such numbers of these insect pests ? But, when we 
 come to take an enlarged, a philosophical view of this subjeet, we see 
 that it is only incidentally that these creatures become detrimental to man, 
 in subserving a most important work in the economy of nature. Their 
 true office is succinctly stated by Linnaeus, who styles insects—the dili¬ 
 gent and faithful servants of nature—perpetually engaged in destroying 
 all that is dead, and checking the increase of all that is living in the 
 vegetable world. When we look at the work which they perform, we at 
 once perceive its importance. Let us suppose a single one of our forest 
 trees to grow and propagate itself without any check from its insect depre¬ 
 dators. Schrank, an eminent German naturalist, in his work on the Fruit¬ 
 fulness of Plants, states that an elm, when twelve years old, produces 
 164,500 seeds in a single year. Now if none of these seeds were destroyed 
 and none of the young trees which sprout from them, in the course of 12 
 years we shall have this number of trees, (164,500) of the same size with 
 the parent, and almost two millions of smaller ones from the seeds of the 
 intervening years. And each tree of this vast number becoming equally 
 prolific, we sec how speedily the whole earth would be monopolized by 
 them. Incredible as it would at first thought appear, it requires but a 
 few moment’s calculation to show, that a person who in his youth saw but 
 one single tree of this kind in our world, before old age came upon him, 
 would see the progeny of this tree so vastly, so infinitely multiplied, that 
 every rod of earth upon our globe would be occupied by them. And we 
 thus see that we have need of every one of the insects which prey upon 
 the elm, to repress its vigorous growth, to destroy its seeds, and to cut 
 down the young trees which sprout from those seeds. None of them can 
 be spared. If only a single one of the many kinds of insects which prey 
 upon it were struck out of existence, we might well fear this tree would 
 thrive and usurp such a place as would disturb the balance and mar the 
 harmony which now exists in the domain of nature. We thus see that 
 should a single minute insect of the vast multitude which we have, become 
 extinct and disappear from our world—this one link being broken might 
 produce a commotion in the whole length of the chain, and convulse the 
 laws which regulate the natural world. 
 
 We at this time have in some parts of our country, an example of the 
 manner in which a plant will thrive and extend itself when released from 
 its insect enemies—a worthless weed which is rapidly overspreading whole 
 fields, crowding out every blade of grass and every other plant. I refer to 
 the Antirrhinum or Linaria vulgaris of botanists, known by the different 
 names of snap-dragon, butter-and-eggs, toad’s flax, &c. We have received 
 this weed from Europe, and several insects I see are specified by European 
 
 •The Calophasia Linaria, which wholly consumes the leaves from the stalks, tho Cli- 
 siocampa geographica, Cleophna Antirrliini, Eupithecia Linariata and pulchellata, Core- 
 mia ferrugata, eto. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 597 
 
 authors as subsisting upon it.* But in this country I cannot find a single 
 insect or worm feeding upon this plant. Seldom even can a grasshopper, 
 an insect which devours all kind of vegetation indiscriminately, be started 
 up in the midst of a patch of these weeds, although they may be plentiful 
 upon the surrounding herbage. And I am firmly persuaded that this weed 
 thrives and usurps the place which it does, because it here grows without 
 let or hindrance from any insect destroyers ; and that this evil will con¬ 
 tinue, until by accident, or by the hand of man, some of the insects which 
 prey upon this plant in Europe, are introduced upon this side of the Atlantic. 
 
 And we can now sec why it is that insects become such pests to the agri¬ 
 culturalist and the fruit grower. It is their office to preserve a due balance 
 in the vegetable world, and to check every tree and plant from extending 
 itself and usurping a place which does not belong to it. Now it is the 
 very aim of man to destroy this balance. It is the object of all his labors 
 and toils. He sweeps away the forest trees which nature planted upon his 
 lands; he exterminates the wild grasses and weeds which nature causes to 
 spring up; he sows his grounds to wheat; it is his object to make this one 
 plant occupy the land, to the complete exclusion of the hundred other 
 plants which nature designed should diversify the same spot. Nature, as 
 it were, resents this violence done to her arrangements, and seeks to re¬ 
 store the equilibrium and preserve the harmony which her laws require. 
 And thus it happens that those insects which live upon wheat, whose office 
 it is to check this plant from becoming too extended and occupying a 
 greater portion of the earth’s surface than belongs to it in the economy of 
 nature —these insects attack and destroy this crop. It is nature’s appointed 
 way for preserving the balance in her domain, and preventing one of her 
 subjects from overpowering others and crowding them out of existence. In 
 one word, it is an instance of that 
 
 4t partial evil, universal good,” 
 of which the poet sings. 
 
 And hence we see that the farmer’s vocation requires something more 
 than the plowing of his fields and sowing his seed. As he interferes with 
 the arrangements of nature in doing this, nature will revenge herself, by 
 sending her insects into his fields to destroy what he has sowed. He must 
 learn to combat these or he will be subjected to most serious and vexatious 
 losses. To render his pursuit successful, therefore, it is indispensable that 
 he be acquainted with the different insects which prey upon the crops which 
 he cultivates. He requires, as a first stop, to know their looks, in order 
 that he may recognize any one of them, that makes its appearance in his 
 fields. And he requires to be acquainted with their history and habits, 
 that he may be able to adopt suitable measures for frustrating their opera¬ 
 tions, and preventing the losses which, if unchecked, they are liable to 
 occasion. 
 
 Many persons, on contemplating the myriads of these creatures with 
 which our country and world is inhabited, in connection with their usual 
 extreme minuteness, the obscure situations in which a large portion of them 
 
598 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 lurk and the various ways by which they appear to place themselves nearly 
 or quite out of our reach—many, I say, are inclined to despair of its being 
 possible for man to resist them with any prospect of success. But I cannot 
 think that Divine Providence has placed in our world any enemy of this 
 kind, without also endowing man with sufficient intelligence to discover a 
 remedy by which it will be practicable for us to frustrate or overpower 
 that enemy. The more I examine these creatures the more confirmed I 
 become in the opinion that there is no injurious insect in our world, but 
 that, when we come to study its habits and transformations and become 
 perfectly acquainted with all the details of its history, we shall be able to 
 detect «ome assailable point and devise some measure by which either the 
 insect can be destroyed or the vegetation on which it depredates can be 
 shielded from its attacks. We shall discover that, although he may be 
 invulnerable in every other part, no aogis protects his heel, and if we strike 
 Achilles there, we inflict a death-wound. 
 
/ rv ? 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 OP ASA PITCH M. D., ENTOMOLOGIST OP THE SOCIETY, 
 
 ON THE CURCULIO AND BLACK KNOT ON PLUM TREES. 
 
 Mr. President and Gentlemen : 
 
 The Curculio or Plum weevil and the Black knot excrescences on plum 
 and cherry trees having been prominent in my investigations since I last 
 addressed you, I have thought these would be as interesting as any subjects 
 I can select, on which to speak at this time. I am the more induced to 
 make the Curculio a prominent topic of the present lecture, since no par¬ 
 ticular account of this important insect has yet been given in my Reports 
 on Noxious Insects, and may not appear for a while to come, for the reason 
 that I aim to introduce nothing in those Reports which has not been 
 authentically ascertained by actual observation, and an important portion 
 of the yearly life of this insect is yet remaining undiscovered and a subject 
 of speculation and conjecture, 
 
 I am inclined to rank the Curculio or Plum weevil as the most important 
 and worst injurious insect which we have in our country. Although the 
 Wheat midge is at the present period causing a much greater amount of 
 pecuniary loss than this insect, I cannot but think that its career will be 
 analagous to that of its predecessor, the Hessian fly, and that it will there¬ 
 fore in time become so fully naturalized and mastered by its parasitic 
 destroyers, that it will cease to be the formidable evil which it now is. 
 Unlike the Wheat midge, the Curculio is a native insect of our country, 
 which has now been known upwards of a century, during all of which time 
 it appears to have gradually multiplied and increased its forces, without 
 any cessation or intervals in its ravages. At first, in the correspondence 
 between the botanists Collinson and Bartram, in the year 1746, it is spoken 
 of as totally destroying the nectarines in and around the city of Philadel¬ 
 phia, whilst the plums it is said, were but slightly molested by it. But 
 after a time, it took the plums also. As an evidence of its steady progress 
 and increase during the past forty years, I may state the fact, that in my 
 boyhood, the wild plum trees in my own vicinity were often well filled with 
 fruit. But though thrifty trees are still growing in several of the same 
 places, I have never since that time seen a ripened plum upon any of them. 
 And now it has become so multiplied that the plum no longer suffices to 
 accommodate it, and it therefore attacks our cherries and apples also, and 
 a large portion of these are every year blighted and destroyed by it. 
 
 As already intimated, this insect and its habit of destroying young plums, 
 has been known in our country, for more than a century. And so formi¬ 
 dable an evil is it, that communications without number, in relation to it 
 
600 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 and remedies for its destruction, have appeared in our agricultural peri¬ 
 odicals and other publications. You would hence think that everything 
 relating to the habits and economy of this insect has been observed and 
 made known to the public. This, however, is very far from being the case. 
 Notwithstanding the volumes that have been written upon it, we do not to 
 this day know where the Curculio lives and what it is doing, during three 
 quarters of the year. All that is currently known respecting this insect is 
 substantially as follows:—That it is a small grayish brown beetle, which 
 makes its appearance on plum trees when the young fruit is about a third 
 or half grown—cutting a curved or crescent-shaped slit upon the side of this 
 fruit and dropping an egg into the wound—from which egg a small white 
 worm hatches, which burrows in the fruit, causing it to wilt and fall from 
 the tree—whereupon the worm crawls into the ground, to repose two or three 
 weeks during its pupa state, when it comes out again, the latter part of 
 July, a beetle like that which six weeks before laid its eggs in the fruit. 
 What becomes of it from this time till the next June is wholly unknown. 
 And that it breeds elsewhere than in the young fruit, though stated by 
 some, is doubted and denied by others. 
 
 My own observations lead me to believe that what is currently known 
 and supposed to be the main and essential part of the history of this insect, 
 is in reality but a small part of its history—a mere incidental act—an 
 episode only, of its life and operations;—and if there was no young fruit 
 whatever, this creature would continue in existence without being sensibly 
 discommoded by the want thereof. I will therefore proceed to state the 
 facts relating to this insect, so far as they are at present known to me, and 
 the inferences to which these facts lead me. 
 
 First, however, let us notice the insect itself. On taking one of them in 
 hand and closely inspecting it, it is observed to lie perfectly still and mo¬ 
 tionless as though it were dead, and is seen to be a small, hard, uneven or 
 knobby beetle, shaped somewhat like a pear, its anterior part being nar¬ 
 rower than the main part of its body. It varies greatly in its dimensions, 
 some of the males or smallest individuals being but half as large as some 
 of the females ; its medium size being somewhat less than a quarter of an 
 inch in length. It is of a gray or rusty brown color, varied more or less 
 in different specimens with spots of white, ochre yellow and black, in par¬ 
 ticular, showing a shining black spot on the middle of its back with a white 
 spot immediately back of it. Hanging down conspicuously from its for¬ 
 ward end like the trunk of the elephant, is seen a slightly curved beak or 
 bill, of the same length and thickness as the thighs of the legs. This beak 
 is an appendage which belongs to all insects of the weevil kind, and distin¬ 
 guishes them from all the other beetles or hard shelled insects. Being thus 
 a true weevil this insect has often been termed the “ plum weevil,” and it is 
 to be regretted that this has not become its current designation, it being so 
 much more definite and expressive than the name “ curculio,” which is 
 merely the Latin synonym of our English word weevil, and is hence applied 
 in science as the family name of the whole group to which this species pertains. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 601 
 
 Next, at what time do these beetles come abroad, and where do we find 
 them ? I know not how many articles in our agricultural periodicals I can 
 refer to, reciting the success of different remedies, which were applied, 
 “ when the Curculio first began to appear ”—yet not one of them specifying 
 the date, whereby others might know when the time has arrived to look 
 for it. 
 
 Undoubtedly to the south of us, in Pennsylvania and Maryland, this, 
 like all other insects, will come abroad somewhat earlier than they do here 
 in New-York. And everywhere, they will vary somewhat with the back¬ 
 wardness or forwardness of the season, in different years. 
 
 In my own vicinity, fifty miles north of Albany, this beetle has been 
 found, as early as the beginning of April, though it is not usually met with 
 till about the middle of May; and in a week or ten days afterwards it be¬ 
 comes common. It is then found standing or slowly walking upon the 
 trunk and limbs of the plum, cherry, apple, the wild thorn-apple, the but¬ 
 ternut, and doubtless on some other trees—though I name no others, not 
 being certain but it was accidentally present in other situations where I 
 have captured it. The collector of insects will notice, that the specimens 
 he finds on butternut trees are always larger in size than those he finds on 
 cultivated fruit trees—indicating that they have been better fed during the 
 larva or growing period of their lives. And from this time, onward, till 
 cold weather returns, we continue to find these beetles abroad, the whole 
 season through. Late in autumn, upon the flowers of the Golden rod, they 
 may be met with as plenty as at any earlier period of the year. 
 
 And next—what do these insects do? As we have just stated, they 
 come abroad in full force, soon after the middle of May; and it is some 
 two or three weeks after this, or about the tenth day of June, that the 
 young fruit becomes sufficiently advanced to answer their purposes. They 
 then fall upon it, to deposit their eggs therein. They are decided epicures, 
 being most fond of the choicest varieties of our fruits ; hence the nectarines 
 and all the best kinds of plums are most sure to be destroyed. But as 
 already stated, their numbers are now so excessively multiplied, all over 
 our country, that the plums fail to accommodate but a portion of them. 
 Others, therefore, invade the peaches, pears, apples and cherries, and others 
 still attack the wild thorn apples, making the same crescent-shaped wound 
 in all these fruits. 
 
 It is in allusion to this crescent-shaped mark that this weevil is frequently 
 termed the Little Turk—as it appears to delight in seeing this symbol of 
 Mahommetnnism everywhere inscribed—as though the little imp was aware 
 how annoying the sight of it is to us “ Christian dogs.” 
 
 This mark is scarcely the tenth of an inch in length, but is very distinctly 
 to be seen wherever it occurs upon the surface of the young fruit, In 
 apples, however, which are quite small and have a thin wooly coating and 
 are increasing rapidly in size when they receive this wound, it in a few 
 days becomes so dried and healed that it usually appears to. the eye as a 
 mere discolored speck, which is probably the reason why it has been so 
 
C02 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 much overlooked in this fruit. This mark is cut by the jaws of the insect, 
 which are exceedingly small and are placed in the end of the long beak or 
 trunk of which we have spoken. And in addition to this crescent-shaped 
 slit, the Curculio wounds the fruit by drilling holes therein with its beak, 
 resembling punctures made by a coarse pin or needle. One or more of 
 these punctures may be seen upon almost every fruit which it invades. It 
 is probably for feeding upon the juicy pulp of the fruit that the insect bores 
 these small holes in it; and even where no crescent-shaped slit occurs, 
 these perforations may be noticed, causing hard nurly dents to be formed 
 in the fruit which would otherwise be smooth and fair. 
 
 Usually only one of these crescent marks is made upon a plum or apple, 
 though sometimes two, three or more may be found. A single egg is drop¬ 
 ped in each of these curved slits, and with its beak the insect crowds the 
 egg deeply in to the bottom of the wound. From this egg a small white worm 
 or grub hatches, which is destitute of feet, like the larvae of all the other 
 weevils, and is about four times as long as broad, being thickest in its 
 middle, and with a small, shining, brownish yellow head. This worm 
 penetrates inward to the core of the young fruit, and there feeds around 
 the stone or seeds, excavating quite a large cavity, which is partly filled 
 with small brown grains, the castings of the worm. 
 
 From the attack of this worm, the plum, the apple, the pear and peach, 
 wilt and fall to the ground, whilst the cherry and thorn-apple do not wither 
 but continue to grow and ripen, though so wounded, knotty and deformed, 
 that the fruit is worthless. 
 
 And here let us pause for a moment, to notice one of those curious para¬ 
 doxes, with which the student in the works of nature is so frequently 
 meeting. 
 
 A person, on being informed that of the two stone fruits, the plum and 
 the cherry, the one perishes and the other lives—of the two pomaceous 
 fruits, the apple and the thorn-apple, the one perishes and the other lives, 
 when invaded by this worm—I say, a person, on being informed of these 
 facts, would at once say, it is the smaller of these fruits, it is the cherry 
 and thorn-apple, that wither and die when attacked by this worm, whilst 
 the larger fruits, the plum and apple, will feel the same injury less, and 
 will survive the wounds that kill the smaller fruits. But lo ! exactly the 
 reverse of this is the fact. It is the small cherry and thorn-apple that live 
 and ripen on their stems ; it is the large plum and apple, and also the peach 
 and pear that wither and fall from the tree ! And on coming to consider 
 this anomaly more fully, we clearly perceive that it is necessary that these 
 things should be ordered and arranged just as we find them to be. The 
 quantity of pulpy substance in the larger fruits is sufficient to feed the 
 worm within them, till it reaches maturity ; whereas, should the smaller 
 fruits wither in the same manner, the worm within them would die. It is, 
 therefore, necessary that they should continue to grow, to elaborate the 
 amount of sustenance which the worm requires to bring it to maturity. 
 
 But why it is that in these several fruits effects so dissimilar result from the 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 603 
 
 same cause, these effects, too, exactly the reverse of what we should expect, 
 we are wholly unable to explain. I can only resolve it into this, that in 
 each of these cases, the Author of nature has decreed that it shall be so, 
 aDd therefore it is so. 
 
 Even though in a more advanced state of science, the vegetable patholo¬ 
 gist should be able to show certain peculiarities in the physical constitution 
 of these trees, whereby it will be explained why it is that the irritation 
 produced by the gnawing of this worm is speedily fatal to the one fruit, 
 and not at all so to the other, it will only carry us one step further back 
 and lead to the enquiry, How came these trees to possess their respective 
 constitutions ? Why did not the peculiarities of the cherry happen to be 
 given to the plum, and thus produce a discord instead of that harmony 
 which we now see ? 
 
 And thus, wherever we fix our look in the wide domain of nature—what¬ 
 ever page we open in her “book of wondrous secresy,” we perceive unmis¬ 
 takable evidence, that even in all its minutest details, the vast frame-work 
 of creation has been arranged by a hand that was omnipotent, that hand 
 guided by an intelligence that was infinite. 
 
 But to return from this digression. Any person on inspecting a large, 
 thrifty plum tree at the commencement of June—on seeing the profusion 
 of small young fruit which is everywhere interspersed among the leaves, 
 would deem it all but impossible for an insect to devastate that fruit to the 
 extent that the cureulio does. He would think that, here and there, at 
 least, a plum hid among the foliage, or projecting far out upon the ends of 
 the slender twigs, would elude the search of this insect, and thus remain to 
 ripen upon the tree But, I judge from accounts it is the same all over the 
 country, that it is within the sphere of my own observation—although the 
 trees are perfectly healthy and vigorous, richly clothed with verdure year 
 after year, we never sec a ripened plum upon them, except where special 
 care is taken to combat this intruder. 
 
 And not only this fruit, but (what many persons are wholly unaware of) 
 a large portion of our apples are also blighted by this same pest. I am 
 persuaded it is one of the principal causes why our orchards at this day are 
 so much less productive than they were a half century ago. To obtain a 
 correct idea of the intolerable evil which this insect is in our country, I 
 hope every one who now hears me, if he has not already particularly noticed 
 the sad spectacle, will bear it in mind next 4th of July, or within a few 
 days of that time, to walk to the plum trees and some of the orchards in 
 his neighborhood. You will find the ground under many if not all the 
 trees literally covered with the wilted young fruit that has fallen from its 
 having been blighted by this insect. Could but a fourth part of what is 
 lying on the ground have remained upon the trees to ripen, it would be 
 such a yield from them, as for a cycle of yoars we have never had and 
 have ceased to expect. 
 
 On cutting open these withered plums and apples you will find the same 
 worm in the one as in the other, or if this worm has left a portion of the 
 
604 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 fruit, its track will still be seen therein, demonstrating that the falling of 
 the whole of the fruit, from both kinds of trees, has been occasioned by 
 the same cause. 
 
 It is during the early part of July that these worms are leaving the fruit 
 and entering the ground. But some are found still quite small, after others 
 have got their growth and evacuated the fruit. Hence a considerable time 
 elapses, two or three weeks probably, during which one and another of 
 these larvae in the fruit are coming to maturity and entering the ground. 
 
 They remain in the ground, reposing, in their pupa state, about three 
 weeks. Hence it is during the latter part of July that the most of them 
 complete their transformations, and come out again in their perfect state. 
 
 Thus, in from six to eight weeks from the time the egg is deposited, this 
 insect gets its growth, and becomes a beetle of the same kind as its parent. 
 
 We thus have these insects completing their transformations and all 
 coming abroad again in their perfect state the latter part of July. But 
 there is now no young fruit for them to resort to. And the question arises, 
 What do they now do, and what becomes of them from this time till young 
 fruit again appears the following year ? Where do they secrete themselves 
 to pass the winter, and in what stage of their lives are they at that time ? 
 
 Our best authorities at this day, give us as their opinion on this subject, 
 that some of the larvae which arc retarded in completing their growth, so 
 that they do not leave the fruit and enter the ground till the latter part of 
 July or later, remain in the ground in their pupa state through the autumn 
 and winter, to produce the beetles which appear the following spring. 
 There are so many improbabilities connected with this view of the case, 
 that I am surprised that an author so intelligent on these subjects, as was 
 the late Dr. Harris, gives countenance to this as his opinion. Let us 
 briefly look at this hypothesis. The temperature of the earth through the 
 month of August is greater, the ground is then warmer than it is in July. 
 There is no probability, therefore, that an insect whose transformation 
 under ground is completed in three weeks in July, can remain in the earth 
 a longer period in the month of August. Least of all is it to be supposed 
 that it can remain there unhatched through all the warm weather of that 
 month and autumn. 
 
 Again, we know that nearly the whole generation of these insects that is 
 nurtured in the young fruit, reaches maturity and comes abroad the latter 
 part of July. Now, is this vast army of these creatures merely an abor¬ 
 tion—brought forth only to perish ? Is the existence of this species left 
 to the mere accident of a few individuals happening to be retarded beyond 
 the usual time in entering the ground, and therefore remaining in it till 
 the following spring ? This would be an anomaly, wholly unlike anything 
 which we meet with elsewhere in this department of nature’s works. 
 
 Without stopping to notice other views that have been advanced on this 
 subject, it may be observed, that the fact that these insects come abroad 
 in the spring in full force, some three weeks beforo the young fruit is 
 adapted to their use, and that after the young fruit is gone, they are 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 605 
 
 still abroad as numerous as before, the presumption becomes very strong, 
 that they must have other places for cradling their young, in addi¬ 
 tion to the fruit. And the enquiry thus arises, whether the curculio 
 is known to breed elsewhere than in young fruit. To this comes the reply, 
 that there is one other situation in which it is well ascertained they do 
 breed, with avidity, to wit, in those singular excrescences on plum and 
 cherry trees, called the black knot. And as the curculio has so often been 
 said to cause these excrescences, and the opinion is still entertained by 
 many persons that they are produced by some other insect, if not by this, 
 I may here turn aside to give some account of this remarkable disease— 
 since, to ascertain whether it really was caused by an insect or not, I have ex¬ 
 amined it more closely, perhaps, than has ever been done by any other person. 
 
 This black-knot excrescence is a disease peculiar to the plum and cherry 
 trees in this country. It is a large, irregular, black, wart-like excres¬ 
 cence, which grows upon the limbs, causing the death of all the limb above 
 it, and extending down the limb farther and farther every year till the 
 whole branch is destroyed, other limbs at the same time becoming affected 
 in the same manner, and also the limbs of other trees in the vicinity. If 
 it is neglected, it in a few years kills the tree. 
 
 This disease commences upon the small limbs, the wood of which is but 
 a year or two old. It is recognized at first by a slight swelling of the bark 
 at a particular point, on the upper side of the limb, which begins in autumn 
 and remains stationary through the winter. When the sap begins to cir¬ 
 culate in the spring this swelling increases, rupturing the cuticle or thin 
 outer skin of the bark, and continuing to grow and puff out till in June 
 some inches in length of the limb at the place affected is three or four 
 times its diameter elsewhere. The bark and a portion of the wood under 
 the bark arc the tissues involved in this disease, both the bark and woody 
 fibres being changed into a spongy substance, but not at all juicy like the 
 fruit of a tree. This spongy substance is of a pale yellow color when 
 growing, changing to coal black when it is mature; and then a minute 
 black fungous plant, resembling the head of a pin grows upon its surface. 
 You will see, on looking at these black knots, that their whole surface is 
 covered and crowded with little smooth black granules, which are the fun¬ 
 gus plant alluded to. They are a species of the genus Sphceria, and are 
 described by that profound botanist, the late Rev. L. de Schweinitz, under 
 the name Sp/ian-ia morbosa. It is a curious fact that the surface of these 
 exerescenses, when mature, are always covered with this plant, which never 
 grows, or at least has never been found, in any other situation. 
 
 There has been much speculation as to the cause and the true nature of 
 these excrescences, they are so unlike anything else with which we are 
 acquainted. Most persons suppose them to be of insect origin. The larvae 
 of the curculio are almost always found in them, and these larvae consume 
 nearly all of the spongy matter of the warts, but do not touch the little fungus 
 growing on their surface, which remains, forming a kind of shell, after the 
 whole inside is devoured. But as these excrescences are sometimes found 
 
606 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 wholly free from the curculio larvse and all other worms, it is obvious they 
 are not the cause of their growth. Others have supposed they were anala- 
 gous to the galls or swellings which we see on the limbs of oaks and other 
 trees, and have even reported that a gall-fly is to be seen at times on these 
 excrescences. But always in galls, one or more hard soed-like bodies are 
 found in the centre, in which the young of the fly producing them is in¬ 
 closed. Hence I know from their internal structure that these are not 
 excrescences of that kind; and what the small fly is that has confirmed 
 some persons in this error, wc shall shortly see. Others still have main¬ 
 tained that it was a wound in the bark, made by the puncture of an insect, 
 that caused this disease, some saying the remains of this puncture are often 
 to be seen, when the first slight swelling in the bark begins. Yes, I have 
 seen it. It is exactly as they state. Only it is not the puncture of an 
 insect. It is one of the natural glands or pores in the bark, somewhat 
 altered in its appearance, and rendered more conspicuous in consequence 
 of the swelling. And it gives me the opinion that it is in this pore that 
 the seeds of the disease are planted, or in other words, the contagion or 
 poisonous matter which causes the disease here finds an entrance to the 
 inner bark, which, thus tainted, begins to swell immediately around this 
 pore. 
 
 I will not detain you to notice several other conjectures that have been 
 presented to the public respecting the cause of this disease. Suffice it to 
 say, that having now carefully examined these excrescences, from their 
 first commencement, onward through their subsequent growth, I am pre¬ 
 pared to say, with the fullest confidence, that the microscope shows nothing 
 whatever about them, externally or internally, indictating that an insect 
 has anything to do with causing them. 
 
 It has also been supposed that these excrescences were a peculiar species 
 of fungus growing upon the limb; and there are some things about them 
 which favor this view. But what is a fungus ? To express it in familiar 
 language—it is a body which grows, and forms its own substance, distinct 
 from and independent of the body in which it takes root and from which it 
 draws its sustenance. Now these black-knots are not such a growth. 
 They are merely a change in the texture of the natural parts of the limb. 
 And thus we arrive at the conclusion, that these excrescences are not of in¬ 
 sect origin, and are not a vegetable fungus, but are properly a disease of 
 these trees, whereby the natural tissues, the bark and wood, become soft¬ 
 ened and swollen, at the places affected. 
 
 In many respects this disease appears to be analogous to the cancer in 
 the human body. And the most approved remedy for it, is the same as in 
 that disease. It is excision. Wherever one of these swellings is discov¬ 
 ered upon a limb, the limb should immediately be cut oft', so far below the 
 swelling as to be certain we remove every taint of the disease.* 
 
 * It is worthy of note, that in tho discussion which ooourrod on the close of this looturo, 
 Hon. A. B. Dickinson remarked that tho black-knot only attacks trees growing in a wet sub¬ 
 soil, and if this soil be suitably undordrainod, whereby, to adopt his expressive phraso, the trees 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL, SOCIETY. 
 
 607 
 
 But, to return again to the Curculio. 
 
 We have the fact well authenticated, that this insect breeds in these 
 black-knot excrescences, with about the same avidity that it does in young 
 fruit—notwithstanding these substances arc so unlike each other. 
 
 But the black-knots, like the fruit, have become too far advanced towards 
 maturity, by the middle of summer, for these insects to resort to them to 
 deposit their eggs therein. And the question thus returns upon us—What 
 does the whole generation of these insects, which is bred in the fruit, and 
 which comes out of the ground in their perfect state the last of July, now 
 do, when there is neither young fruit, or black-knots to accommodate them ? 
 
 Upwards of fifty years ago, Rev. F. V. Melsheimer, who was the best 
 acquainted with insects of any man in our country at that day, stated that 
 the Curculio was bred in the bark of peach trees, as well as in the fruit— 
 but without giving any of the circumstances whereby he had learned this 
 fact. And though no observations in confirmation of this statement have 
 since been made public, that I am aware, I am strongly of the opinion that 
 it is correct—and that these insects resort to the bark of different fruit 
 trees to deposit their eggs, when they can find no young fruit to meet their 
 wants. 
 
 Four winters since, Mr. L. B. Langworthy, one of the well known nur¬ 
 serymen at Rochester, N. Y., sent me a piece of pear tree limb, to examine 
 a kind of scurf on the bark, which I found to be produced by a minute 
 bark-louse, which I have described under the name of Aspidiotus fur- 
 furus. As I was passing the magnifying glass over the bark, I detected 
 therein numerous curved incisions, of the same length and shape with the 
 crescent-shaped marks made by the Curculio on the surface of fruit; and 
 on the convex side of these incisions, the bark was elevated in a little, 
 smooth blister-like spot. On opening these spots, a small cavity was there 
 found, situated immediately under the cuticle or outer skin of the bark, in 
 which, what appeared to be from four to six minute footless worms or mag¬ 
 gots, were lying in a row, side by side, their tails towards the slit in the 
 bark, and their mouths at the opposite edge of the cavity, ready to eat their 
 way onwards in the bark, when the warmth of spring returned to awaken 
 
 will not have wot foot, nono of these knobs will make their appearance upon them. On oast- 
 ing over in my mind the different localities where I have observed this malady, I am inolinod 
 to think it has been most prevalent and inveterate where either the surfaco or subsoil was of 
 tho oharaoter stated. But I havo noticed some of these knots on thrifty plum trees in the 
 garden of lion. John II. Boyd, Whitehall, whioh was originally a naked rock sufficiently 
 inolined for most perfect drainage, upon which a mellow loam has been drawn, to a depth 
 of two to four feet. A. J. Hoermancc, Esq., of Rhinebeck, has also communioated to 
 me tho history of a Frost gage growing more than forty yoars in his grounds, and whioh had 
 always been perfootly healthy until six years ago, when the black-knot attaokod it. Tho 
 affeoted limbs wero promptly and pcrseveringly out off, but without avail, the disease reap¬ 
 pearing, till tho whole treo was finally out down, and yet last soason the vigorous young 
 sprouts from its roots showed tho same malady clinging to them. It hence appears that 
 though thcro is probably much truth in Mr. Dickinson’s theory, it docs not embrace tho 
 wholo truth. Tho two casos here relatod favor tho view of Elisha Dorr, Esq., of Albany, 
 that it is a rapid, oxuberant growth of the trees that is the foundation of this and several 
 other maladies. 
 
608 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 them again into life. It was evident that the curved slit in the hark had 
 been cut by an insect, which had dropped a half dozen eggs therein, the 
 worms from which had fed on the outer layer of the bark directly under 
 the cuticle, all eating in the same direction, and thus excavating the little 
 cavity in which they were lying. They had travelled but little more than 
 the length of their bodies, when cold weather came on to arrest their ope¬ 
 rations, for the time. The worms were so very minute—only 5-100ths of 
 an inch in length—that no opinion could be formed from them as to what 
 insect they were. But the size and shape of the incisions, together with 
 the tree in which they appeared, suggested to me that they were the Curcu- 
 lio—and consequently that this insect commits its eggs to the bark, in 
 which it lies, in its larvae state, during the winter, to complete its growth 
 and produce the beetles which make their appearance the following spring. 
 
 I will state one fact more in confirmation of this view, that these insects 
 are reared in the bark. The Curculio is so frequently met with on butter¬ 
 nut limbs, as to render it altogether probable that this tree is as much a 
 favorite abode for it as is the plum and apple. And the larger size of the 
 specimens found on the butternut, as has already been remarked, indicate 
 that they have been better fed during their larva or growing state. This 
 difference in size is so notable that some collectors have placed such speci¬ 
 mens in their cabinets, as a distinct species. But, as many other weevils 
 vary in their size to an equal or even greater extent, this cannot be regarded 
 as a valid ground for regarding them as different. Now as no pulpy suc¬ 
 culent fruit or other analogous substance occurs upon the butternut, it is a 
 strong indication that this insect consigns its eggs to the bark of the limbs— 
 which in this tree is remarkably thick and soft, its texture approaching the 
 spongy substance of the black-knots. 
 
 Against this view that the Curculio is nurtured in the bark of trees, and 
 there passes the winter ip its larva state, it has been objected that it is 
 contrary to all analogy, to suppose that an insect which feeds on young 
 fruit should also feed on a substance so dissimilar as the bark of trees. 
 But those who make this objection assuredly have but a limited knowledge 
 of the habits of insects, and are unaware how diversified those habits often 
 are, to accord with the different circumstances in which the insect finds 
 itself placed at different times. One of the European insects which is 
 most nearly related to our Curculio, both in its form and in its habits, we 
 arc told by Kollar, deposits its eggs in the new shoots of the plum when it 
 cannot find fruit for this purpose. Moreover the dry spongy matter of the 
 black-knot, is as much unlike the juicy young fruit as is the bark. 
 
 To sum up this subject, then—We see this beetle coming abroad with 
 the first warm days of spring, individual specimens of it being found the 
 last of March ; and soon after the middle of May they appear in full force, 
 and continue to be common from that time till the end of the season. As 
 it requires but six or eight weeks for the egg to become a mature beetle, 
 there are probably three or more generations of it every year—one indi¬ 
 vidual after another coming to maturity and laying its eggs, whereby a con- 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 609 
 
 stant succession of new individuals are coming forth as the old ones disap¬ 
 pear, through the whole season. They are committing their eggs to the 
 bark of the different trees to which they resort, we suppose, at all times. 
 And when the young fruit comes forward, its pulp furnishing a more ten¬ 
 der and delicate repast to their young than the bark does, they for a time 
 eagerly resort to it, to deposit their eggs therein. When the cold of au¬ 
 tumn arrives it overtakes them in all stages of their growth. Some of 
 the beetles newly hatched and with their stock of eggs not disposed of, it 
 is probable crawl under stones and clods of earth, or among fallen leaves, 
 or in the crevices of the bark of trees, and similar sheltered situations, and 
 there lie torpid during the winter, as do many other species of the weevil 
 family, to come out upon the first warm days of March and April. Others 
 it is probable, when cold weather arrives have recently entered the ground 
 to pass their pupa state. These pupa will remain in the ground through 
 the winter awaiting the warmth of spring to enable them to complete their 
 transformations. Others still are in their larva state, in all the different 
 stages of their growth, in the bark, as wc suppose, and also in late ripen¬ 
 ing thorn-apples, as we know. I may here state a fact which has not yet 
 been mentioned. After the frosts of autumn have become so severe as to 
 suspend all insect life for the season, the ground beneath some of our 
 thorn bushes is found covered with fallen fruit, in which curculio worms 
 are sometimes met with, these worms being then of all sizes. Such worms 
 will no doubt remain torpid in the fruit through the winter, and awake to 
 life the following spring, when, those that are full grown will probably 
 enter the ground and complete their transformations, and those that are 
 small will probably perish, as the fruit after having been frozen will scarcely 
 nourish them onwards to maturity. 
 
 In view of the fact that our injurious insects are usually restrained from 
 becoming excessively multiplied by their parasitic destroyers—other insects 
 which are their most inveterate foes — you will be inclined to enquire, why 
 do not the destroyers of the curculio fulfill their office better, and prevent 
 it from being so exceedingly numerous and destructive. 
 
 This brings me to remark, that notwithstanding all the observations that 
 have been made upon this insect, no other insect has ever been discovered, 
 destroying this species and repressing its numbers, till within the past six 
 months a species of this kind has been brought to light. 
 
 Mr. D. W. Beadle, of Saint Catharines, Canada West, sent to the 
 Country Gentleman, specimens of a small four-winged fly, the history of 
 which, as given in an accompanying letter, was as follows: — 
 
 Early in June, observing numerous worms in the young black-knot 
 excrescences on the plum trees, he placed several of these excrescences in 
 a jar of moist sand, tieing some thin muslin over the top of the jar. Early 
 in July, curculio beetles began to make their appearance in this jar, and 
 about a fortnight later, these flies began to appear in the jar also, and spe¬ 
 cimens of both the beetles and the flies continued to come out, till the 10th 
 of.August, the date when this letter was written. He suspected it to be a 
 [Ac. Trans.] 30 
 
610 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 gall-fly, and that if so, it might throw some light upon the cause and true 
 nature of these excrescences. And it is altogether probable that this is 
 the same insect which in some of the published accounts has been referred 
 to as a gall-fly that is sometimes seen upon these black-knots, and was 
 conjectured to produce them, as other flies of this kind produce the swell¬ 
 ings on the limbs of oaks and other trees. 
 
 On examining these flies, I saw they were a parasitic insect, wholly dif¬ 
 ferent from, though having many points of resemblance to the gall-flies; 
 and it having never been described, I gave it the name of the curculio 
 parasite (Sigalphus cnrculionis ) in an account of it, published in the 
 Country Gentleman and also in the Albany Cultivator, in October last. 
 
 of which I present for your inspection, 
 resembles a winged ant in its appearance. 
 It is a small black four-winged fly, with 
 bright orange-yellow legs, its hind feet 
 and shanks being black. One of its most 
 peculiar marks, (as yon will notice on the 
 figure) is, that the abdomen or hind body 
 has only three joints, instead of six or 
 seven, the number we usually see in in¬ 
 sects. You will also notice, projecting 
 from the end of its abdomen, a bristle¬ 
 like sting. It is with this implement 
 that it pierces the fruit or the black 
 knot and punctures the skin of the cur¬ 
 culio worm lying therein, at the same 
 instant inserting an egg under the skin, 
 the worm from which egg feeds in the 
 interior of the curculio worm till it causes 
 its death. Thus each one of these flies punctures and destroys probably 
 more than a hundred curculio worms. It is therefore fervently to behoped 
 that this insect may multiply and extend itself over our land, rendering 
 us a service which no other instrumentality can accomplish. 
 
 It remains for us to consider the Remedies by which this insect may be 
 opposed, and the fruit saved from its ravages. 
 
 In glancing over our agricultural publications, quite a number of these 
 will be met with, none of which have gained the public confidence, and 
 which it is therefore unnecessary to notice. 
 
 The remedy which has been much the most extensively resorted to, is 
 one which has long been recommended and practiced against insects of 
 similar habits in Europe, and which was brought into public notice in this 
 country by the highly respected David Thomas, lately deceased It was 
 modestly proposed by him as a partial remody, which might be resorted to 
 with advantage until something more effectual is discovered. 
 
 It is the habit of this, as of all weevils and several other insects, when 
 
 This insect, a magnified figure 
 
 Curculio Parasite, greatly magnified. 
 The cross lines indicate its natural 
 width and length. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 611 
 
 alarmed or menaced with danger, to drop themselves suddenly to the 
 ground, and there lie for a short time perfectly still and as though they 
 were dead. The design of Nature, in giving these insects this habit, ap¬ 
 pears to have been, chiefly to protect them from being devoured by birds. 
 A bird, in alighting upon a small limb, and hopping along it in search of 
 insects thereon, imparts a slight jar to the limb, whereby all the insects on 
 the limb are apprised of the approaching danger, and by instantly drop¬ 
 ping to the ground and there lying perfectly still, they escape the impend¬ 
 ing destruction. 
 
 In view of this habit of the cureulio, Mr. Thomas, as most of you are 
 doubtless already aware, recommended the spreading of sheets under the 
 tree, and then striking the trunk of the tree with a club or mallet, with a 
 blow sufficiently heavy to give the whole tree a sudden jar—and then 
 
 gathering up the insects that fell upon the sheets and destroying them_ 
 
 this operation to be repeated daily, or as often as the number of insects 
 obtained showed its utility. 
 
 Some have been well pleased with the result of this remedy ; others have 
 been not at all satisfied with it, being unable to perceive that any good 
 resulted from it, only a part of the insects dropping themselves when the 
 tree is thus jarred—whilst the trees are much injured by this repeated 
 striking, bruising and loosening their bark. Certain it is that this remedy 
 is far fr*m being so efficacious and reliable as to meet our wants in the 
 premises. 
 
 A remedy which is at present receiving much notice, and is extensively 
 on trial, is that of Mr. Cummings, of the N. Y. Observer, in which paper 
 it has been strongly recommended for two season past—Mr. Cummings 
 having found it perfectly successful, on a trial of it through two years pre¬ 
 vious to its publication. He mixed four ounces of sulphur with a pound 
 of whale oil soap, and added this to four gallons of lime water, to which 
 an equal quantity of tolerably strong tobacco water was then added. The 
 leaves of the plum trees were drenched with this mixture, from a garden 
 syringe, as soon the first mark of the Cureulio was discovered on the fruit ; 
 and should rains occur within three weeks thereafter, sufficient to wash this 
 from the leaves, it is to be renewed. 
 
 This remedy is not altogether so new as Mr. Cummings probably sup¬ 
 poses it to be—for in the first published accounts of this insect over a hun¬ 
 dred years ago, Collinson recommends to Bartram, in the homely language 
 of that day, to squirt tobacco water among the leaves of the trees to drive 
 this insect from them. 
 
 We doubt not the whale oil soap is a valuable addition to the tobacco 
 water. But whether the lime renders the mixture any more efficacious 
 than it will be without it, we are inclined to doubt. And as to sulphur> 
 although it has long been in popular repute as an antidote to all kinds of 
 insects, we have yet to learn that it possesses any efficacy whatever in re¬ 
 pelling or destroying any of this class of beings, save only the iteh mite. 
 Certain I am, that to the common apple tree caterpillar sulphur is more 
 
612 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 beneficial than injurious—these caterpillars when their food is strongly im¬ 
 pregnated with this substance, being more healthy and vigorous and coming 
 to maturity a third sooner, than when it is not thus seasoned. My experi¬ 
 ments on this subject, and their results, will be found fully stated, in the 
 account of the apple tree caterpillar, given in my Second Report on 
 Noxious Insects. 
 
 It is my opinion, therefore, that tobacco water with whale oil soap added 
 to it, will be found equally as effectual as the more complex mixture of 
 Mr. Cummings. One or the other of these as the testimony now stands, 
 promises to be the most efficacious of any remedy yet brought to public 
 notice. 
 
 One other topic connected with this branch of the subject merits to be 
 adverted to before I leave this discourse. There is strong testimony to 
 the fact that where trees are standing upon the margin of creeks and ponds 
 with their branches extending over the water, they are not molested by 
 this insect. A neighbor of mine, Peter Reid, Esq., who has an ardent 
 predilection for observing our birds and their habits, and whose rambles in 
 this pursuit have rendered him familiar with every part of the woodlands 
 in his vicinity, informs me of a particular wild plum tree growing beside 
 and leaning partially over a stream of water to which ho has repeatedly 
 repaired at the season when the plums are ripe, always finding it well 
 filled with fruit, whilst a number of other trees are known to hi(p, scat¬ 
 tered about the woods, upon none of which has he ever been able to find a 
 ripened plum. It hence appears that this insect possesses sufficient intel¬ 
 ligence to be aware that if it commits its eggs to fruit which in falling will 
 drop into water, its young will thereby be drowned ; and it hence avoids 
 the trees where this casualty will be likely to occur. It is therefore recom¬ 
 mended to every one who has a stream or a pond of water upon his grounds, 
 to plant his plum trees along its margin. And this fact has suggested a 
 kindred measure, namely, the placing of water in large shallow tanks or 
 tubs under the trees. Some limited trials of this kind have been men¬ 
 tioned to me as having appeared to be successful. But neither this nor 
 any other remedy can be recommended and resorted to with perfect confi¬ 
 dence, until its efficacy has been fully estblished by a carefully conducted 
 series of experiments, or by the combined experience of several persons 
 extended through a term of years. 
 

 
 RAVAGES OF INSECTS ON FOREST AND FRUIT 
 TREES—REMEDY. 
 
 The trees in the parks and gardens of this city having been seriously 
 affected*by insects, we sent to Dr. Fitch some of the limbs affected; and 
 the annexed answer gives the remedy for these depredators. J. 
 
 June 27, 1860. 
 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson : 
 
 Dear Sir — The “depredator upon the trees in Albany—very extensive”— 
 of which you send me specimens — is a species of scale insect. The oval 
 brown scale is the dried remains of the body of the female, which, adhe¬ 
 ring to the bark, covers and protects her eggs during the winter. When 
 the warmth of the advancing season is about hatching the eggs, a white 
 cotton-like substance begins to grow among them underneath the scale and 
 protrude from one of its ends, elevating it from the bark—this cotton 
 serving to protect the tender young insects till they become sufficiently 
 robust to endure a full exposure to the atmosphere. The newly hatched 
 insects resemble exceedingly minute lice. Each of these little masses of 
 white cotton which are adhering along the undersides (as I suppose) of the 
 limbs, may now be seen, by the aid of a magnifying glass, to be thronged 
 with these lice, or with eggs not yet hatched. After a while, the lice will 
 forsake this covering and disperse themselves over the bark—particularly 
 the smooth tender bark of the small limbs and twigs — nourishing them¬ 
 selves by puncturing it and sucking the sap therefrom. 
 
 All kinds of these scale insects are most pernicious to the trees or other 
 vegetation on which they occur. The apple treo bark louse—the minute 
 oyster shaped scale, so common on our apple trees — is the species with 
 which we have had the most experience; and it is altogether probable that 
 any remedy which is effectual for it, will be equally efficacious for all other 
 scale insects, including this now un the Albany trees. In the Memoirs of 
 the old Board of Agriculture of our State, vol. iii, pages 535-539, is copied 
 from the Memoirs of the Caledonia Horticultural Society, an article by 
 Sir G. S. Mackenzie, on anointing the bark of trees with oil, to destroy 
 insects thereon, alluding particularly to the apple tree bark louse. And 
 in Illinois and Wisconsin, where of late years this insect has been unpre¬ 
 cedentedly fatal to their orchards, and where every remedy which could be 
 thought of has been tried, with but indifferent if any success, it is now 
 reported that smearing the bark with oil — the same measure so long ago 
 
m 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW TORE 
 
 noticed by Mr. Mackenzie—has been found to be a sovereign cure for this 
 malady. I doubt not but that by it many of your Albany trees may be 
 saved, which will otherwise perish. Fish oil, or any other kind of oil or 
 grease, thinly applied, everywhere over the bark, so that its glossiness, is 
 merely perceptible, is all that is required. 
 
 Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry have also sent me specimens of this same 
 insect, as being abundant upon the maples, especially the soft maples, at 
 Rochester. It is, therefore, very common at this time, probably, over a 
 large portion of our State. In former years, I have occasionally met 
 with single specimens of this scale on the trees here, in Washington county. 
 An insect of this same kind occurs upon the maple in Europe, and is named 
 Lecanium Aceris by entomologists. The fullest account of this insect 
 which I have seen is in Curtis’s British Entomology, where it is staled that 
 “a white, flowery-like matter, in which the minute young are to be ob¬ 
 served,” grows underneath the scales. As it is a fibrous, cotton-like mat¬ 
 ter, not at all pulverulent like flour, which our insect grows, I think it is a 
 distinct species from that of Europe, and have, therefore, named it in my 
 manuscripts, Lecanium Acericorticis, i. e. the maple bark scale insect. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 ASA FITCH. 
 
)/\ > STATE ^AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 341 
 
 that gives three gallons per day, and I think by fall she will 
 increase that quantity materially. They are very difficult to 
 fatten while giving milk—the food seems to go to milk instead of 
 flesh. The time for taking on flesh is while with calf, and until 
 calving. Occasionally the udder has to he stripped or milked, 
 some days before calving, owing to great distension of the 
 bag—this is more especially so with a cow with her third or 
 fourth calf. They are easily fattened in the absence of milking; 
 very kind and easily broke; generally of a red color, and always 
 small. They do finely on cotton seed as a food, mixed with bran 
 or meal, together with hay or shocks. I have taken from one 
 . of this stock ten gallons per day; from another, eight, gallons per 
 day ; from another, seven gallons per day ; and now I have some 
 five that will give six gallons a day of fine rich milk. I am 
 unwilling to milk any cow that will not give me three gallons 
 per day when in health and order. I regard, however, four gal¬ 
 lons round to each cow, after supplying the calf, as being a very 
 good average for my cattle. I keep all my cattle enclosed, and 
 do not let them run out with any other cattle- — hence I know my 
 stock to be pure. F. HODGES. 
 
 The origin of this breed of cattle owned by Mr. Hodges is pro¬ 
 bably to be traced to Short-horn cattle imported into Virginia 
 as early as 1783. In Allen’s American Herd Book, vol. 1, p. 73, 
 under the head of “ the Short-horns in America,” Mr. Allen says : 
 11 We are informed by Dr. Samuel D. Martin, of Colbyville, Ken¬ 
 tucky, that as early as 1783, there were Short-horn cattle im¬ 
 ported into Virginia. Some animals of this importation were 
 called the ‘ milk breed,’ and some the ‘ beef breed’; and in 
 1785, one of the Mr. Pattons brought to Kentucky a half-blood 
 jbull of the ‘ beef breed.’ In 1797, old Mr. Patton brought to 
 mis residence in Clarke county, Kentucky, a bull and cow directly 
 descended from imported stock, of what was then called the 
 ‘miik breed’ of cattle ; also some half-blooded cows of both the 
 milk and beef breeds. The beef breed were long-horned cattle, 
 large, coarse and rough ; coming slowly to maturity, and fatten¬ 
 ing badly, until full grown, and were tolerable milkers. The 
 milk breed were short-horned cattle, coming earlier to maturity 
 and fattening more kindly. Their milking qualities were extra¬ 
 ordinary. It was not at all uncommon for cows of this breed to 
 give thirty-two quarts of milk daily. Mr. Patton’s Short-horn 
 
342 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 bull was called Mars; his cow Venus. The cow died, leaving 
 only two calves, both bulls. The produce of Mars was spoken of 
 by our old breeders in the highest terms, being superior both 
 for beef and milk. 
 
 . “ In 1803, Mr. Daniel Harrison of Clarke county, Kentucky, pur¬ 
 chased of Mr. Miller, of Virginia, a bull called Pluto, of the milk 
 breed. Messrs. Welton & Hutchcroft also brought to Kentucky 
 a bull called Shaker, of the milk breed. Capt. Wm. Smith also 
 brought to Kentucky a very large bull called Buzzard, a mixture 
 of the milk and beef breed. Messrs. Cunningham and Inskeep 
 brought to Kentucky two bulls of this breed ; in one, the beef, 
 and in the other the milk breed appeared to predominate. The 
 descendants of all these cattle were called in Kentucky the Pat¬ 
 ton stock." J. 
 
 WORM ON GRAPE VINES. 
 
 FROM DR. ASA FITCH, SALEM. 
 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson : 
 
 Dear Sir —The worm on grape vines, from E. M. Bradley, of 
 East Bloomfield, is the larva of Abbot’s hawk-moth, Thyreus 
 Abbotii of Swainson. I have occasionally met with this worm on 
 grape vines, and oftener on the woodbine ( Ampelopsis ,) but have 
 delayed introducing it in my Reports on Noxious Insects, in the 
 hope of becoming more fully assured with respect to its transfor¬ 
 mations. Swainson, from a figure made by Abbot, represents 
 this worm as having a tail-like horn at the end of its back, in 
 place of the glassy eye-like spot which you doubtless noticed on 
 it if you opened the box in which it was sent. Hence Dr. J. P. 
 Kirtland, of Cleveland, Ohio, (in Proceedings of Philad. Acad. Nat. 
 Sci., 1857, p. 148,) has pronounced Abbot’s figure erroneous. BuG 
 I think I have seen this worm with the horn as represented b]l 
 Abbot, and that this is the normal form of the young worm, and 
 that with the last change of its skin, it loses the horn, and/the 
 eye-like spot then comes in its place. It was with the hope of 
 becoming perfectly assured upon this point, that I have hitherto 
 refrained from reporting this species, with the habits of which I 
 have been acquainted for many years. 
 
 I do not think this worm ever attacks the fruit. In the box 
 sent, the leaves are all brown and withered, and the worm ap¬ 
 pears gaunt and hungry, and yet none of the fresh-looking green 
 grapes in the box are in the least gnawed; a strong evidence 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 343 
 
 that it feeds on the leaves only. I have known a grape leaf five 
 inches in diameter to be more than half consumed by one of these 
 worms in a single night. 
 
 The following brief description and history of this insect will, 
 probably, suffice to render it definitely known: 
 
 The worm appears in July, and grows to about three inches in 
 length and half an inch in thickness. It has a tesselated or 
 checkered appearance, from numerous short, blackish, longitudi¬ 
 nal stripes, between the fine wrinkles or transverse strirn of its 
 body, its ground color being ash gray, usually tinged with red 
 on the under side and legs. It finishes feeding and quits the 
 vines the fore part of August, crawling deep into the ground, be¬ 
 yond the reach of frost, Dr. Kirtland says; but in repeated in¬ 
 stances in which I have bred it, it has merely crawled under dry 
 leaves or other rubbish on the surface of the ground, surround¬ 
 ing itself slightly, if at all, with a few loose threads of silk, and 
 reposing in this situation, in its pupa state, till the following 
 May, when it hatches a very thick-bodied humming-bird moth 
 measuring about two inches and three-fourths across its extended 
 wings ; its color being deep bluish gray, varied with velvety 
 black bands, and oblique streaks on the inner part of its wings, 
 and particularly distinguished by having the anterior half of its 
 hind wings of a bright lemon yellow color. These moths place 
 their eggs upon the leaves, from which come another generation 
 of the worms. 
 
 The only measure I am able to recommend for destroying this 
 and a few other kinds of large worms which occur upon the grape, 
 is, to pick off every leaf on which a worm is discovered, and 
 crush it beneath the sole of the boot. Fortunately, none of these 
 ^worms are liable to become multiplied and numerous, nor are 
 ^hey at all venomous, as is popularly imagined. No special soli¬ 
 citude need be excited, therefore, from meeting with one or ano¬ 
 ther of them, occasionally among the leaves. 
 
 August 8, 1860. , 
 
 THE WHEAT MIDGE PARASITE. 
 
 Wo take the following from the Canadian Agriculturist, pub¬ 
 lished at Toronto, July 16 : 
 
 A correspondent of the London Free Press writes : “ I am re¬ 
 joiced that this week I announce the arrival of a deadly enemy 
 to the wheat maggot or fly ; in the neighborhood of Sparta, town- 
 
344 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 ship of Yarmouth, the farmers discovered another species of ich¬ 
 neumon, which deposit their eggs in the larv®. One of these is 
 very small, black and shining; the other is also black, with red 
 feet and blunt tail. These are often mistaken for the wheat fly ; 
 but as it has only two wings, while they have four , the distinc¬ 
 tion is obvious. To observe the proceedings of the ichneumons, 
 place a number of the larvse of the wheat fly on a sheet of paper, 
 and set a female ichneumon in the midst of them; she soon poun¬ 
 ces upon her victim, and intensely vibrating her antennae, bend¬ 
 ing herself obliquely, plunges her ovipositor into the body of the 
 larvae, depositing in it a single egg. She will then pass to a 
 second, and so on, depositing a single egg in each. You will 
 observe the maggot writhing in seeming agony, when sometimes 
 the fly stings them three times. 
 
 “ These ichneumons appear in myriads on the outside of the 
 ear; but, as impatient of bright light, sheltering them from the 
 sun’s rays among the husks.” 
 
 ESSAY ON PLEURO-PNEUMONIA IN CATTLE. 
 
 To the Gentlemen of the JVew York State Agricultural Society : 
 
 Gentlemen — Prom our newspapers, I see that fatal disease 
 pleuro-pneumonia has reached your State, and no doubt will be 
 as bad as it has been in many countries it has passed through in 
 its progress for the last twenty years, at least, westwards. The 
 first we heard of it, was that it broke out among the cattle fol¬ 
 lowing the Russian armies when they invaded Turkey. That in¬ 
 vasion terminated in the treaty at Adrianople — their army being 
 so reduced by disease among men, horses and cattle, they could 
 proceed no further, though Constantinople was almost in their 
 grasp — it spread on their return through all the countries they' 
 passed. Hungary was the first country from which we had accounts 
 of it — in it the cattle were nearly annihilated. It gradually 
 came westward, was many years before it reached Holland; pro¬ 
 hibitory laws were passed by the Russian, French and other 
 governments, to prevent the introduction of cattle, skins, hair, 
 &c., into their territories from the adjoining countries where the 
 disease existed. Most of the skins found their way to England. 
 During the time it was prevalent in Holland, the Secretary of the 
 Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, had communications 
 with the Board of Trade on the importation of diseased cattle, 
 (the tariff being altered, and free importation allowed,) but that 
 
I STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 
 Dutchess ; TIerman Wendell, Albany ; Oscar Granger, Saratoga ; 
 Solon D. Hungerford, Jefferson; Thomas I. Chatfield, Tioga; 
 Patrick Barry, Monroe; Samuel W. Johnson, Cattaraugus. 
 Corresponding Secretary —B. P. Johnson, Albany. 
 
 Recording Secretary —Erastus Corning, Jr., Albany. 
 
 Treasurer —Luther II. Tucker, Albany. 
 
 Executive Committee —T. C. Peters, Genesee ; E. Sherrill, Onta¬ 
 rio; A. Hubbell, Oneida; C. I. Hayes, Otsego; W. Newcomb, 
 Rensselaer. 
 
 A recess was then taken until 7 P. M., when, after the presen¬ 
 tation of some resolutions by Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Mr. P. 
 M. Wetmore, of New York, which were laid on the table for 
 discussion by the Society at their meeting on Thursday, the 
 annexed valuable letter was read from Dr. Fitch, Entomologist of 
 the Society, who was unfortunately prevented by illness from 
 being present in person : 
 
 INSECTS THE PAST YEAR. 
 
 DR. FITCH'S LETTF.R. 
 
 Gentlemen — The past year has furnished an unusual amount 
 of important material for investigation in the department in 
 which I am occupied. And I had contemplated with much satis¬ 
 faction the account of the year’s researches which I should have 
 to present in this address at the annual meeting. 1 will endeavor 
 to hastily sketch the leading topics I had intended to speak of, 
 and if you deem this will be of any interest to the meeting, it 
 may be read as some amends for my non-appearance. 
 
 The insects with which my attention was most occupied the 
 past year, were the Grain .Aphis, the Army Worm and the Wheat 
 Midge. And I will aim to notice some of the more important 
 facts that have been thus come to with respect to these insects. 
 
 The first of these, the Grain Aphis, made its advent in a most 
 remarkable manner. That an insect never seen before, and not 
 known to be present in our country, should suddenly be found 
 everywhere in New England and most of the State of New York, 
 in profuse numbers in every grain field of this wide extent of 
 territory, and literally swarming upon and smothering the crop 
 in many fields, was a phenomenon which probably has no parallel 
 in the annals of science. How it was possible for this insect so 
 suddenly to become thus astonishingly numerous, was a mystery 
 which seemed to most persons to be inexplicable. It is the most 
 
28 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OP NEW YORK 
 
 prolific of any insect which has ever been observed. I find it 
 commences bearing when it is but three days old, arid produces 
 four young daily. Thus the descendants of a single Aphis will, 
 in twenty days, amount to upwards of two millions, each day 
 increasing their number to almost double what they were the 
 day before. This serves to account for the surprising numbers 
 which we had of this insect. 
 
 The Aphis was everywhere supposed to be a new insect, and 
 one writer went so far as to name and describe it scientifically, 
 in full confidence that the world had never before known anything 
 like it. My examinations, however, fully assured me that it was 
 identical with a species which has long been known in the grain 
 fields of Europe. And on my announcing this, the erroneous 
 views which one and another were adopting, were speedily aban¬ 
 doned. 
 
 Our best European accounts of this insect, however, are very 
 imperfect. They only speak of it as occurring in June and July, 
 whereas I find it is present on the grain the whole year round. 
 And when the grain is but a few inches high, if half a dozen of 
 these insects happen to locate themselves on the same plant, they 
 suck out its juice to such an extent that the plant withers and 
 dies. 
 
 As yet I have never been able to find a male of this species. 
 The} 7 are all females. This is proved by placing any one sup¬ 
 posed to be a male in a vial; next morning two or three young 
 lice are always found in the vial with it. The general habits of 
 insects of this kind are well known. The Aphis on the apple 
 tree and other fruit trees, when cold weather arrives, give birth 
 to males. The sexes then pair, and the female thereupon deposits 
 eggs, which remain through the winter to start these insects 
 again the following year. I had supposed it would be the same 
 with this Aphis on the grain. I thought, when autumn arrived, 
 I should meet with males and find eggs dropped on the blades of 
 the grain. But there were none. The females and their young 
 continued to appear on the grain till the end of the season. 
 They are everywhere on the grain now, buried under the snow, 
 ready to warm into life and activity again when the spring opens. 
 And on grain growing in flower pots, on which I am keeping these 
 insects in full activity through the winter to notice what I can of 
 their habits, no males have yet appeared. When, and under 
 what circumstances this sex will be produced, is a most curious 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 29 
 
 subject, still remaining to be ascertained. It at present looks as 
 though the female and their descendants were prolific permanently, 
 without any intercourse of the sexes. 
 
 Last summer, such multitudes of parasites, lady-bugs and other 
 destroyers of this Aphis, had become gathered in the grain fields 
 at harvest time, that it seemed as though it would be extermi¬ 
 nated by them. But at the end of the season, this insect appeared 
 as common on the young rye as I had noticed it at the opening of 
 spring. The present indications, therefore, are, that this Aphis 
 will be as numerous on the grain the coming summer as it was 
 the past, if the season proves favorable to its increase. 
 
 As to the Army Worm, it may be remarked that for almost a 
 century it had been known that in this country was a kind of 
 worm whose habit it was to suddenly appear in particular spots 
 in such immense numbers as to wholly consume the herbage over 
 an extent frequently of several miles, and then abruptly vanish, 
 nothing being seen of it afterwards. Thus it was one of the 
 most singular and also one of the most formidable and alarming 
 creatures of this class that was known to be in our world. Yet, 
 what kind of worm this was, and what insect produced it, 
 remained wholly unknown down to the present day. Appearing 
 here and there all over the country, the past season, this Army 
 Worm became an object of the deepest interest; and from Illinois 
 on the one hand, and Massachusetts on the other, specimens of 
 the moths bred from these worms were sent to me, for informa¬ 
 tion as to what the name of this insect really was. To these 
 inquiries I was able to give an answer so full and explicit that 
 there has been a general acquiescence in the correctness of my 
 decision of this subject. 
 
 With regard to the Wheat Midge, I would observe that, in a 
 lecture before the Society a few years since, I stated that in this 
 country injurious insects were much more numerous than in 
 Europe, occasioning us far greater losses than are there experi¬ 
 enced. I was assured of this fact from carefully comparing the 
 statements of foreign authors respecting the depredations of 
 particular insects, with what we know of the same insects here. 
 But I did not suppose it would be possible to show by any more 
 decisive proof that the facts were as I stated. A year ago, 
 however, I received from France a vial filled with insects as 
 they were promiscuously gathered by the net in the wheat fields 
 of a district where the Midge was doing much injury. It then 
 
30 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 occurred to me that, by gathering the insects of our wheat fields 
 here in the same manner, it would furnish materials for a very 
 accurate comparison of the wheat insects of this country with 
 those of Europe. As the result of a comparison thus made, I 
 find that in our wheat fields here, the Midge formed 59 per cent, 
 of all the insects on this grain, the past summer; whilst in 
 France, the preceding summer, .only 7 per cent, of the insects on 
 wheat were of this species. In France, the parasitic destroyers 
 of the Midge amounted to 85 per cent.; while, in this country, 
 our Parasites form only ten per cent. And after the full m- 
 vestigation of the subject which I have now made, I can state 
 this fact with confidence: we have no Parasites in this country 
 that destroy the Wheat Midge. The insect so common on wheat, 
 and which resembles the European Parasites of the Midge so 
 closely that, in the New York Natural History, it is described as 
 being one of that species, and in the Ohio Agricultural Reports 
 it is confidently set down as another of them, I find has nothing 
 to do with the Wheat Midge, but is the Parasite of an ash gray 
 bug which is common on grain and grass, laying its eggs in the 
 eggs of this bug, and thus destroying them. 
 
 In my lecture a year ago, I stated to the Society that the 
 Wheat Midge had wholly vanished the previous summer; not 
 one of its larvae could I find, on a careful search, over an exten¬ 
 sive district around me. But the past season this insect appeared 
 in the wheat again as numerous as usual. This has led us into 
 important changes in our views of the habits of this insect. 
 How was it possible for it to utterly disappear from the wheat 
 one year, and be back in it in swarms the next year ? Obviously 
 it must have other places of breeding than in the wheat. And, 
 therefore, if no wheat was grown in this country for a few years 
 as has been so often proposed, it would not starve and kill out 
 this insect. The insect would resort to these other situations, 
 and would sustain itself there, returning into the wheat again 
 as numerous as before, when its cultivation was recommenced. 
 And what could it be that banished this insect from the wheat 
 in 18G0, and brought it back again in 18G1 ? The remarkable 
 difference in the weather of these two years furnishes an answer 
 to this question. When the Midge Fly came out to deposit, its 
 eggs in June, 18G0, the weather was excessively dry ; in 1861, it 
 was very wet and showery. And thus we learn the fact that 
 these flies cannot breathe a dry, warm atmosphere; they are 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 31 
 
 forced to retreat to places where the air is damp and moist. 
 When the uplands, the ploughed fields, are parched with drouth, 
 the Midge cannot abide in them; it must go to the lowlands 
 along the margins of streams, where it must remain so long as 
 the drouth continues. Here it must lay its eggs and rear its 
 young, depositing them probably in the grass growing in these 
 situations. 
 
 And, hence, we also learn, that if the last half of June is 
 unusually dry, our wheat that year will escape injury from the 
 Midge; but if the last half of June is very wet and showery, 
 this crop will be severely devastated. Time forbids my pursuing 
 this subject further. 
 
 ASA FITCH. 
 
 The President, Mr. Geddes, then introduced Hon. Henry S. 
 Randall, of Cortland, who was present at his request to read a 
 paper upon sheep raising and wool growing. Mr. R. occupied 
 upwards of an hour in a summary review, particularly of the 
 Fine Wooled Sheep of the country, their introduction, character 
 and successful improvement. This paper included several 
 extended tables, and much information gathered from the pre¬ 
 vious writings of the author and others, as well as by his recent 
 observations in this and other States, and by correspondence 
 with our best sheep breeders. Biased strongly in favor of the 
 fine wooled breeds, few advocates of that class of sheep could 
 have made out a stronger argument in its favor. 
 
 At the conclusion of Mr. Randall’s essay, Hon. Wm. Kelly, of 
 Dutchess, seconded by Mr. Peters, moved a vote of thanks and 
 that a copy of the paper be requested for the Transactions of 
 the Society. Adopted. 
 
 The essay of Mr. Randall will be found among the valuable 
 papers prepared for the Transactions. 
 
 The subject of the location of the State Fair for 1862, for 
 which there were proposals, was referred to the Executive Com¬ 
 mittee. 
 
 The Society adjourned to meet at the Agricultural Hall on 
 Thursday. 
 
 Thursday, February 13/4. 
 
 The Society mot at the Agricultural Hall, lecture room, Presi¬ 
 dent Geddes in the Chair. 
 
32 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 DISCUSSIONS. 
 
 ANALYSES OF SOILS. 
 
 The following preamble and resolution (introduced the pre¬ 
 vious evening by Prosper M. Wetmore, of New York, and laid 
 upon the table,) were taken up: 
 
 Whereas , It is of the first importance to the agricultural 
 interests of the United States to be possessed of the best informa¬ 
 tion which the science and skill of the country can command, of 
 the deterioration of the soils of the several States, from cultiva¬ 
 tion, and also of any remedies which may be known, to lessen or 
 counteract such deterioration ; therefore, 
 
 Resolved, That the Commissioner of Patents be requested to 
 procure and report to Congress analyses of the arable lands of 
 the United States, showing the percentage of proximate organic 
 and inorganic fertilizing elements contained in their cultivated 
 depth; also, the annual yield of the same crop on the same soil 
 from the first to the latest cultivation; also, the estimated 
 amount of fertilizing material in crops annually exported from 
 the United States. 
 
 On reading the preamble and resolution, Mr. Ceddes remarked 
 that he did not believe the soils of the country were deteriora¬ 
 ting—hence the basis of the resolution was erroneous. In Mr. 
 G.’s opinion our soils were increasing in fertility, rather than 
 deteriorating, as assumed by Mr. Wetmore, and gave cogent 
 reasons for the opinion expressed. lie trusted the Society would 
 not endorse an assumption so fallacious as that embodied in the 
 preamble. 
 
 Mr. Win, Newcomb, of Rensselaer, said that from forty years’ 
 experience as a practical farmer, he was of opinion that our soils 
 were not deteriorating, as assumed, and therefore opposed the 
 resolution. lie had little or no faith in the analysis of soils as 
 a remedy, even if the assumption of deterioration were true, as 
 his experience led him to believe that little dependence could bo 
 placed upon analyses. 
 
 lion. A. Osborn, of Albany, did not believe our soils were 
 deteriorating, nor, if they were, that analyses would prove relia¬ 
 ble. The Judge related some of his experience in analyzing 
 soils; that he found a similar result in testing both poor and rich 
 soils, and concluded that proper cultivation, the liberal use of 
 the plow and hoe, must bo the main dependence. 
 
/Nl 
 
 7 > » STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 29 
 
 interest asserted its rights in this matter. The nation recognizes the 
 necessity for a higher standard of education for farmers, and has generously 
 provided for it. The parents of those who are to become farmers must 
 recognize the same necessity, and husband well the resources which the 
 nation places at their disposal, attesting the wisdom of Congress in the 
 annual improvement of the farmer and the farm, and the higher elevation 
 of the agricultural profession. 
 
 The act of the last session of Congress, donating public lands to the 
 several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit 
 of agricultural and mechanic arts, provides a quantity equal to 30,000 
 acres to each senator and representative in Congress to which the States 
 are entitled by the apportionment under the census of 1860. New York, 
 having thirty-three senators and representatives, is therefore entitled to 
 990,000 acres of land, which, if sold at the established Government price 
 of one dollar and a quarter per acre, will create a fund of $1,231,500, which 
 the State is bonnd by the act to protect and keep good as a perpetual fund, 
 which “ shall be invested in stocks of the United States, or of the State, or 
 some other safe stocks, yielding not less than five per centum on the par- 
 value of said stocks.” This will produce an annual income of $61,815, to 
 be applied “ to the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one 
 college, where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific 
 and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches 
 of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts,” which, if 
 faithfully administered, will do much to place the agricultural student on a 
 level with those of other professions. This is a high trust confided by the 
 nation to the farmers and mechanics of our country, and they must see to 
 it, that it is not diverted from its proper channel, nor impaired in its use¬ 
 fulness by subdivisions among weak and inefficient institutions. 
 
 It is a proper and legitimate duty of this Society to foster the cause of 
 agricultural and mechanical education, and watch with jealous care the 
 appropriation of this National College fund, to the end that it is not per¬ 
 verted from the lofty purposes for which it was set apart by Congress. 
 
 In drawing my official labors, as the President of your Society, to a 
 close, I feel it incumbent upon me to express my sincere thanks to my 
 immediate predecessor, the Hon. George Geddes, and to the gentlemen of 
 the Executive Committee, for their efficient support and co-operation in 
 conducting the affairs of the Society, and carrying it successfully through 
 the past year, and especially during my absence from the country. 
 
 I am under like obligation, and embrace the present occasion to tender 
 my thanks to the Board of Managers of the Monroe County Agricultural 
 Society, the Common Council of the city of Rochester, and many of the 
 distinguished citizens of Rochester, for their generous and efficient aid in 
 making preparations for and in conducting our last annual fair to a suc¬ 
 cessful issue. 
 
 Regretting that it has not been in my power to render more valuable 
 services to the Society during the past year, and pledging my future 
 co-operation in whatever may tend to advance the interests of the Society 
 and the cause it has at heart, I turn with satisfaction to the performance of 
 my last official duty, the introduction of my successor, Mr. Edward G. Faile. 
 
AGRICULTURAL DISCUSSIONS AT THE STATE 
 FAIR, ROCHESTER, 1862. 
 
 On Tuesday evening, September 30, Dr. Asa Fitch, Entomologist of the 
 Society, delivered an interesting lecture on the Aphis, which has been so 
 destructive to the crops of oats, spring wheat, barley and rye. The farmers 
 present had many questions to be answered, and the discussions which 
 arose after Dr. Fitch had concluded his remarks, were very interesting. 
 
 Hon. A. B. Conger, ex-president, who was chairman of the meeting, 
 pursuant to a resolution of the meeting, prepared and published a summary 
 of the conclusions arrived at, on the subjects discussed. 
 
 THE APHIS. 
 
 1. It is a general law of nature, that insects injurious to vegetation 
 have their parasites and other natural enemies, which are sooner or later 
 developed in sufficient numbers to exterminate the race they feed upon. 
 
 2. The aphis avense, the insect which, during this season and the last, 
 has destroyed large crops of oats, spring wheat, barley and rye, is 
 undeniably of the louse species, having almost incredible powers of 
 fecundity, developing from a single female, and without the intervention of 
 the other sex, over two millions in twenty days. 
 
 3. Its enemy is of the lady bug species, perfectly harmless itself to 
 vegetation, but an active poison, probably, to the domestic animals, should 
 they be turned upon the stubble too soon after harvest, when the lady bug 
 or coccionella has finished its attack upon the aphis. 
 
 4. The aphis is unlike the midge or Hessian fly, in the above particulars, 
 except in the general characteristic of their being severally provided with 
 the parasitic destroyers, and in having their ravages limited by conditions 
 of the atmosphere and of heat and moisture, which are not clearly defined 
 in some cases by early maturity, and by constitutional peculiarities in cer¬ 
 tain varieties of seed which possess a greater toughness of the pericarp, or 
 outer covering of the seed. 
 
 5. The practical question which remains for the farmer is to determine 
 whether he may not, by careful selections of seed, and by a more thorough 
 tillage and judicious application of plant-food, develop his crop, so as by 
 increasing its constitutional vigor and in effecting an early maturity, to 
 render it a less easy prey to the ravages of any of the insect tribe now 
 known, or that may hereafter be discovered. 
 
 Benefits of Underdraining. 
 
 On Wednesday evening, October 1st, the benefits of underdraining 
 elicited a very animated discussion, the substance of which we give in 
 addition to the very valuable summary by Mr. Conger, which embodies the 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 31 
 
 conclusions arrived at by the very intelligent farmers who were present in 
 large numbers. 
 
 1. The principal benefit to be secured to the farmer, by uuderdraining, 
 lies in the more thorough tillage he is able to give his arable land; yet 
 instances are not wanting, where pasture lands are very profitably improved 
 from what may be denominated the primary or simple method of draining. 
 
 2. In the discussion of this subject, soils are properly divided into those 
 which produced, to a greater or less extent, aquatic, and those which bear 
 the cultivated grasses; the former being nearly destitute of nitrogen, or the 
 flesh-forming principle. 
 
 3. As the supply of nitrogen for plants is mostly derived from the atmos¬ 
 phere, soils not possessing the natural or artificial means of drainage for 
 the surface water, or that welling up from the stratified subsoils, are una¬ 
 ble to allow the atmospheric air to circulate in them, and cannot absorb 
 any portion of its nitrogen, and are generally regarded as barren or waste 
 land. 
 
 4. The average annual fall of water in the State of New York, in the 
 form of rain and snow, is within a fraction of three (3) feet, of which only 
 one twenty-fourth (1.24) is appropriated by plants; seven-twelfths (7.12) 
 pass off by evaporation, and three-eighths (3.8) are carried away by water¬ 
 courses, either open or moving beneath the earth’s surface. 
 
 5. Where these water-courses are deficient in number, imperfect in flow, 
 or obstructed in their outlet, the first essay of the drainer is to remedy 
 these defects; and where the adjacent land is porous in its character, as in 
 the case where sandy particles predominate, the simple ditch, judiciousl}' 
 located, is sufficient to provide for the escape of all surplus water. 
 
 6. Where, in addition to the annual supply from the skies, the soil is 
 saturated with water boiling up from the stratified subsoil, or underlying or 
 adjacent rocks, it is then expedient, by boring, to conduct the excess of this 
 supply to the main ditch directly, or by lateral drains leading into it. 
 
 All these methods may be classed under the primary method of drainage. 
 
 7. In soils deficient in, or wholly deprived of, sandy or porous constitu¬ 
 ents, the escape of the twenty-three twenty-fourths (23.24) of the rain and 
 snow fall is retarded, the average temperature of the soil is lowered by six 
 and a half degrees (6-1°) of Fahrenheit’s scale, equal to seven degrees (7°) 
 of higher latitude, and the water forced up from the fissures of adjacent 
 stratifications (if any there be,) make the receipts of a more thorough sys¬ 
 tem of drainage, which may be styled the secondary or complex method. 
 
 8. In proportion to the density and tenacity of the soil, ditches must 
 be dug at intervals varying from twenty-five (25) to fifty (50) feet apart; 
 and in order that the plowing and laying down of the land may be effec¬ 
 tive, the ditches must be covered; and this has inaugurated the system of 
 tile draining, at an expense of from twenty ($20) to forty ($40) dollars per 
 acre, rendering land, previously of but little value, capable of the highest 
 production. 
 
 9. This, however, can never be fully realized, unless the draining is fol¬ 
 lowed by the deepest plowing, not only.by the ordinary, but by the sub¬ 
 soil plow, and also by a system of high manuring, which shall supply not 
 only nitrogenous manures, and those rich in the mineral food of plants, but 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 32 
 
 also those which abound in carbonaceous material, and will insure a perfect 
 rel ation of the soil, and prevent its subsidence to its original compact and 
 impermeable condition. 
 
 Care, however, should be taken that none of these several materials 
 should be supplied in excess; and economy requires that neither should be 
 added to soils enjoying it naturally in sufficient amount and in a soluble form. 
 
 10. The draining should only be undertaken after a careful survey by a 
 competent person; the drains should be accurately delineated upon a map 
 for future reference; the tiles should be laid on an uniform grade, so as to 
 avoid sags in which silt might accumulate; the outlets should be as few 
 as possible and carefully guarded, and, in some cases, with traps, to pre¬ 
 vent their stoppage on the entrance of vermin. 
 
 11. As illustrative of the vast importance of this subject to the farming 
 interests of the State of New York, it is believed that but a comparatively 
 small portion of its arable land possesses a good natural drainage; a large 
 
 proportion has this, but in an imperfect degree; and probably-* per cent. 
 
 lias none at all, but demands a thorough application of the methods of the 
 secondary system of drainage. 
 
 Insects—The Grain Aphis, Wheat Midge, &c. 
 
 Dr. Asa Fitch, Entomologist to the State Agricultural Society, opened 
 the discussion by reading the following Essay on the grain aphis : 
 
 Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen :—I am requested to preface the discussion 
 this evening by presenting to the audience some account of the grain aphis, 
 an insect new to us in America, and which, during the past and the present 
 year has been more prominent in the public regard than any other insect. 
 
 In the grain fields of Europe this grain aphis has existed from time 
 immemorial. It was scientifically named and described eighty-one years 
 ago, by the distinguished German entomologist, Fabricius, who met with 
 it in fields of oats, and therefore named it the aphis avence, or the oat aphis, 
 he being unaware that it occurred equally common upon other kinds of 
 grain also. 
 
 But our European accounts of it are quite meager and imperfect. About 
 all that we gather from them is, that it is an insect which shows itself 
 upon the grain about the time of harvest, and that in some instances it has 
 been known to be so multiplied, in particular places, as to literally swarm 
 upon and cover the heads of the grain in many of the fields. 
 
 These few general facts, is all the information which the world has 
 hitherto had of this insect. What becomes of it during the remainder of 
 the year, where, and in what condition it lurks after harvest time, and 
 until harvest time again approaches, had never been investigated. It was 
 remaining for us in this country to trace out its abiding place and its 
 habits during the autumn, winter and spring, and thus complete its history 
 the year round, as we have been able to do within the past eighteen months, 
 under the instructions of this Society, and under the auspices of the State 
 of New York. 
 
 • This per oentage was to have been supplied by Hon. T. C. Peters, of Genesee, from notos 
 taken by him while engaged in the work of equalizing the assessments of landed property in the 
 State, and will doubtless be furnished to the Society at an early day. 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 33 
 
 In this country this grain aphis had never been observed, and it was not 
 known that we had such an insect here, until last year, when it suddenly 
 appeared in excessive numbers over all the New England States, arid the 
 State of New York, except here in its western section, and also in the 
 adjoining districts of Canada and of Pennsylvania. Throughout all this 
 vast extent of country every grain field was invaded by it ; many of these 
 fields were thronged and a portion of them were literally covered and 
 smothered by this insect. 
 
 This year it has moved westward, making its appearance in the same 
 manner all over Western New York, Canada West, Northern Ohio, and at 
 least, a portion of Michigan, as I judge from the numerous letters which 
 have been sent me with grain heads containing this insect, and from the 
 notices of it in the public prints, whilst at the East, where it was so 
 numerous last year, it has measurably disappeared this year, so that, 
 except in a few localities, it would not have been noticed had not every¬ 
 body been so eagerly searching for it. 
 
 But though this insect has only been noticed in this country the past 
 and the present years, we do not suppose it has newly arrived upon this 
 Continent. It has no doubt been present in our grain fields heretofore, but 
 in such limited numbers, and so scattered about upon the growing grain 
 that it failed to be observed. It is seventeen years ago that I began to 
 examine the wheat midge, and in looking at that and other insects upon the 
 wheat, I recollect I have occasionly seen this aphis. But as only two or 
 three individuals of this kind were to be found at a time, I supposed it to 
 be of no importance, and thus gave no attention to it, until it began to 
 appear in such abundance the past year. 
 
 Although it is a common habit of plant lice to become extremely numer¬ 
 ous, at times, upon the particular kinds of vegetation which they respect¬ 
 ively infest, we meet with no recorded instance in which one of these 
 insects has been known to become so suddenly and excessively multiplied 
 over such a vast extent of territory as has happened in our country with 
 this grain aphis the past and present years. 
 
 I suppose almost every person in this audience has seen these insects, 
 crowded together upon the heads of wheat, of oats, barley or rye, and has 
 observed that they were a kind of plant louse, similar to what we frequently 
 see upon the leaves of cabbages in our gardens, and on the apple, the 
 cherry; and other trees. As it resembles these common and well known 
 insects so closely in its form, its motions and habits, it will not be neces 
 sary for me to give any particular description of it. 
 
 With regard to the mode in which it injures the grain, I would observe 
 that it has a slender, sharp pointed bill or trunk, which it holds under its 
 breast when this implement is not in use. With this it punctures the 
 leaves and stalks of the grain and sucks their juices.. It therefore has no 
 occasion to leave the particular plant on which it is born, as it always has 
 an ample store of nourishment directly under its feet. Hence it has no use 
 for wings to carry it, like other insects, from place to place in search of 
 food. It needs wings for only one purpose, namely, to enable it to emi¬ 
 grate to fields of grain which are unocupied, in order to start colonies in 
 them. Only a small portion of these insects, therefore, acquire wings ; 
 
 Aq. Trans. C 
 
34 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 and these fly away from the winter grain to plant their race upon the 
 spring sowed wheat and oats. 
 
 The latter part of June, when the grain has advanced so that the heads 
 or cars begin to put forth, two most remarkable changes occur in this 
 insect, whereby it appears to become another creature, a different species, 
 in the middle of summer from that which is seen in the spring and autumn. 
 
 One of these changes is in its habits. Before the heads appear it lives 
 tingly,' scattered about upon the leaves and stalks of the grain, and the 
 young lice, as fast as they are born, leave their parents and wander away. 
 But no sooner are the heads protruded from their sheaths prepaiatoiy to 
 blooming and growing the kernels of the grain, than this aphis wholly 
 forsakes all the other parts of the plant and becomes congregated upon 
 the heads, evidently because the juices which the plant elaborates for the 
 growth of its flowers and seeds are much more nutritious, more dainty and 
 palatable to these insects, than are the juices which circulate in the leaves 
 and stalks. They here fix themselves upon the base of the chaffs which 
 envelop the kernels, and inserting their beaks, they suck out the juices 
 which should go, first, to grow the flowers, and after that to fill and perfect 
 the kernels. And now the young lice which are born, instead of scattering 
 themselves and traveling away, settle down closely around their parent, 
 crowding as compactly together as they can stowithemselves. Thus it 
 comes to pass that when these insects are numerous, as we have recently 
 had them, in many of our grain fields, scarcely an ear can be found which 
 has not a cluster of these lice around the base of almost every kernel, all 
 with their tiny bills inserted therein, pumping out the juices which should 
 go to swell and perfect the seed. Thus, this grain aphis from being a 
 solitary insect, wandering about singly upon the leaves and stalks, becomes 
 a gregarious insect, clustered together in flocks, and remaining fixed and 
 stationary upon the lower or but ends of the kernels. 
 
 At the same time another change, equally remarkable, takes place in the 
 color of these insects. So long as they nourish themselves on the coarse 
 juices of the stalks and leaves, their bodies are all of a grass-green color. 
 But when they come to feed on the more delicate juices of the flowers, 
 they begin to bear young of an orange color. One of the grass-green 
 insects having stationed herself at the base of a kernel, the next day, in 
 the group of little ones around her, a yellow one will occur, all the others 
 being green like their parent. A day or two later, as the nourishment she 
 derived from the leaves becomes more dissipated from her body and 
 replaced by that now obtained from the kernels, half the young she pro¬ 
 duces will be of this yellow collor. And still later all the young are 
 yellow, no green ones being any longer born. And the older ones after a 
 time dying and disappearing, all these insects some weeks before harvest 
 time, become changed to a yellow color, their hue inclining more to red in 
 some and to yellow in others. 
 
 It is truly curious that this green insect, thus, on coming to feed on the 
 juices which grow the flowers, begin to produce young of a gay yellow 
 color similar to that of the flowers. 
 
 By depriving the kernels of a portion of the milky juice which should go 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 35 
 
 to swell and mature them, this insect causes the ripened grain to be more 
 or less shrunken and light of weight. 
 
 Rye, however, grows so rapidly and ripens so earty, that it outstrips this 
 apis, in its increase, and thus sustains no material injury from it. Winter 
 wheat, ripening tnore slowly, experiences more injury. But the crops 
 which ripen latest, and when this apis has become multiplied to the great¬ 
 est extent, namely, spring wheat and oats, become the most thronged and 
 sustain the greatest injury. 
 
 Let us next inquire how it is that this insect is able to become so sud¬ 
 denly and so excessively multiplied as we have had it, in the eastern part 
 of our State last year, and here in its western part this year. 
 
 I may observe that a hundred years ago it was a current opinion among 
 men of science, that certain insects and other creatures pertaining to the 
 lower orders of the animal kingdom were generated spontaneously. But, 
 more recently, when these instances of supposed spontaneous generation 
 came to be closely investigated, one after another of them were found not 
 to be such. So that at this day the scientific world wholly discards the 
 theory that there is or can be any such thing as spontaneous generation. 
 All living things descend from parents; and it is by a pairing of the sexes 
 that young are produced and that each species is continued in existence— 
 some classes of animals bringing forth their young alive, others laying 
 eggs from which their young hatch. 
 
 Insects arc of this latter kind. They are all produced from eggs. But 
 in the generation of the plant lice, we meet with one of the most remarka¬ 
 ble anomalies which we anywhere find in the works of nature. These 
 insects bring forth their young alive, at one time, and they lay eggs at 
 another time. All the plant lice which we see upon our fruit trees during 
 the spring and summer are females, and these do not produce eggs, but 
 living young, which mature in a few days, and (wonderful to tell !) they 
 are fertile without any intercourse of the sexes. It is only when cold 
 weather and frosty nights arrive, that males are produced. The insects 
 then pair, and the females thereupon lay eggs. These eggs remain through 
 the winter, to be hatched by the warmth of the following spring. The 
 young from these eggs grow up and commence bearing living young, no 
 males and no eggs being produced, except as the closing act of their opera¬ 
 tions in autumn. 
 
 Such arc the general facts with regard to the generation of the insects 
 of this aphis group. And I had supposed it would be the same with this 
 grain aphis. Some of you may have been present and heard the remarks 
 which I made on this subject at our fair at Watertown a year ago. I 
 stated that the eggs of this insect would probably be found late in autumn, 
 scattered about upon the leaves of the fall sowed wheat and rye—which 
 eggs would hatch with the warmth of the following spring, to start the 
 insect upon the grain again this year. But when frosty nights arrived last 
 autumn, and when the aphis on the apple trees was found paired, and the 
 females were busy depositing their eggs, to my surprise, nothing of this 
 kind occurred with this aphis upon the grain. The mature lice continued 
 to produce young ones, until they and their young became congealed upon 
 the leaves of the young grain by the advancing cold of the season. And 
 
36 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 in this state they were buried beneath the snows of winter, and with the 
 warmth of the ensuing spring they were thawed, and returned to life again. 
 
 To be better assured upon the subject, I placed some of these insects on 
 grain growing in flower-pots and kept during the winter in a warm room. 
 In this situation they continued alive and continued to bear young through 
 the whole winter season. 
 
 Thus I have watched this grain aphis this year round, so closely, that I 
 am perfectly assured no eggs were laid and no males were produced. 
 Occasionally an individual was noticed, varying somewhat from the others, 
 and which I have therefore suspected might be a male; but, on imprison¬ 
 ing such specimens in vials over night, I have invariably found young 
 lice with them next morning. 
 
 When, and under what circumstances males occur, if they ever do occur, 
 is yet remaining to be discovered. At present it Seems as though these 
 insects might go on forever, producing young, without any intercourse of 
 the sexes. 
 
 Finally, with regard to the fecundity of these insects, I would state that 
 those which have no wings, and which remain on the stalks of grain on 
 which they are born, are much more prolific than those which have wings 
 and wander abroad. By inclosing them separately in vials, I found the 
 winged females quite uniformly gave birth to two young lice in a single 
 night, whilst the wingless ones produced four in the same time. We fre¬ 
 quently see young lice produced in the day time, but fewer appear to be 
 born then than during the night. The winged ones are also much slower 
 in coming to maturity. I placed several young lice the morning after they 
 were born upon some grain growing in a flower-pot, and on the third morn¬ 
 ing afterwards I found four little ones around each of them, showing that 
 the wingless ones come to maturity in three days. It will thus be seen 
 with what prodigious rapidity these creatures multiply. They almost 
 double their numbers daily. A single one producing four young daily, 
 and these becoming equally prolific when they are three days old, her 
 descendants in twenty days, if all live, will number upwards of two 
 millions. This will serve to explain to us how it is that this insect becomes 
 so excessively numerous upon the grain at harvest time, as we have 
 seen it. 
 
 As they multiply so rapidly, it is evident no vegetation which they infest 
 would escape destruction from these plant lice, if nature had not herself 
 provided most efficient means for checking and subduing them. We 
 accordingly find that these insects are preyed upon and consumed by other 
 insects, to a greater extent than are any other kinds of injurious insects 
 wherewith we are molested. There are whole groups and tribes of pre¬ 
 daceous insects which subsist exclusively upon the plant lice of different 
 kinds. 
 
 A tribe of very small Ichneumon flies, named Aphidius, are parasitic 
 destroyers of these insects — puncturing and thrusting an egg into the body 
 of the aphis, from which hatches a minute worm which feeds within the 
 aphis till it kills it. I have found two species of these parasites destroy¬ 
 ing the grain aphis. 
 
 Another most efficient destroyer is the lady bug or coccinella, of which 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 37 
 
 there are numerous species, all of which are continually searching plant 
 lice to feed upon, these being- the sole nourishment of the lady bug, both in 
 its larvae and its perfect state. 
 
 In addition to these are the synphus flies, the golden-eyed flies, and the 
 lace-wing flies, all mortal enemies to the different kinds of aphis. 
 
 By such means is it that these plant lice upon the grain as on other vege¬ 
 tation, are usually but a transitory evil—these, their foes and destroyers, 
 always gathering around them wherever they become numerous, and mul¬ 
 tiplying until they overbalance and subdue them. 
 
 Some one asked for a description of the lady bug. Dr. Fitch described 
 it as follows: It is about the size and shape of half of a small pea, of a 
 yellowish red color, with round black spots upon it. 
 
 Question .—Is it poisonous to animals ? 
 
 Dr. Fitch knew a single instance where swine had been pastured in a 
 field where the lady bug was numerous. All of the herd were taken sick 
 and some of them died. The swine were removed from that field to another, 
 and such as were so removed recovered. Dr. F. said that it was possible 
 that the swine were poisoned by eating large quantities of the lady bug; 
 for if it is taken in the fingers and crushed, an acrid juice is emitted, which 
 is doubtless poisonous, inasmuch as it is the insect’s only means of defence. 
 He had thought it possible that this particular herd of swine might have 
 been poisoned by it. 
 
 Question . — Is there any prospect of the aphis becoming a permanent pest 
 in the country? 
 
 Answer .—I think not. Its enemies are too numerous for that. Not more 
 than a single year at a time, will they be likely to ravage in a single 
 locality. As before said, they seem to be migrating westward. 
 
 Question .—Is the midge a permanent pest; is it plenty here at all 
 seasons ? 
 
 Answer .—There is no doubt that the midge is plenty in all parts of the 
 country. The character of the season governs its ravages. If the latter 
 part of June is wet, look out for the midge ; if dry, there is no danger. In 
 dry weather it cannot subsist on the uplands ; it returns to the lowlands. 
 
 T. C. Peters—We are fast reaching the maximum of former years, in the 
 amount of wheat sown in Western New York, and it is an important 
 matter to us to know how to avoid the ravages of the midge. Do you 
 recommend thorough culture ? 
 
 Dr. Fitch — Strong growing wheat will produce despite the midge. Yes, 
 i do recommend thorough culture as one of the preventives of the ravages 
 of the midge ; also of the Hessian fly and other insects. 
 
 Question . — What is the effect of the work of the aphis upon the grain, 
 upon the kernel ? 
 
 Answer.—The insect extracts the juices from the plant which aid in 
 developing and maturing the kernel. This diminishes the size of the 
 grain, sometimes virtually destroying it, for the substance is almost gone. 
 
 Mr. Geddes, of Onondaga, does not agree with Dr. Fitch concerning his 
 theory with reference to the existence of the midge. He doubts if the 
 midge exists in as great numbers one year as another, or if they are present 
 at all, for prior to the past six years he had failed to get a crop of wheat 
 
38 ANNUAL REPORT OF STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 for some years on their account, while the past six years he had grown it 
 successfully. His success, ho thinks,-is not due to dry Junes, but to the 
 fact that the midge had disappeared. He doubts, too, if his success is due 
 to superior culture, for he used to summer fallow all his land, now he turns 
 it over and seeds after barley, and oats, etc., etc. 
 
 T. C. Peters.—So far as white wheat is concerned, the theory of the 
 effect of the season upon the ravages of the midge upon it, is correct. But 
 the Mediterranean is the only variety that can be grown now safely. Ha 
 thinks the white wheat has very much degenerated. 
 
 Other gentlemen present coincided with him in this matter and united in 
 asserting that the best mode of redeeming white wheat was to change the 
 seed. It was further agreed that the Mediterranean had greatly improved 
 by cultivation—that it was “ bleaching out.” 
 
 Mr. Bishop, of Wyoming, asked if early or late sowing had not had to do 
 with checking the ravages of the aphis 1 
 
 Dr. Fitch replied, yes. Its ravages are greatest on late sown wheat. 
 Late sowing is not advised, if the object is to avoid its ravages. The 
 same remark applies conversely to the midge. It does not so seriously 
 affect the late as the early sown wheat. 
 
 President Cornell.—Have you observed the aphis in the ground around 
 the roots of the barley ? 
 
 Dr. F. had so discovered it. 
 
 Mr. Geddes—Why is it that the midge should have appeared one year, 
 and not doubled the second and tripled the third, etc., etc. ? He thought 
 the midge was disappearing. 
 
 Dr. Fitch said there were two successive years when the midge disap¬ 
 peared, and then the third year appeared again and was very destructive. 
 He does not think it was because the midge passed away from the country, 
 but because the season was not favorable to its development, or at least 
 not favorable to its operations on wheat; it passed to some other grain. 
 
 At this point there was a rambling conversational discussion upon the 
 relative value of different varieties of wheat. Much of this the reporter 
 was unable to hear. But he heard enough to establish the fact that there 
 were many present who believed the Mediterranean the safest and best 
 wheat to sow ; that it was improving in character, while the white wheat 
 of the Genesee Yallej r was deteriorating. A few claimed that better flour 
 could be made from the Mediterranean than from any other wheat. 
 
itL 2 - 
 
 STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 117 
 
 out them England could not feed half her stock, or furnish her people with 
 beef and mutton Their moist and cold climate is better suited to the root 
 crop than ours, and justifies its more extensive culture; but I think wo 
 could profitably increase the culture of the Swede and mangold, and de¬ 
 pend on them to a greater extent than we do for feeding our stock. The 
 cooling nature of the mangold is well suited to counteract the heating 
 tendencies of our Indian corn, and the two would go well together in fat¬ 
 tening bullocks. 
 
 The live fences of England I think less of than I did before I saw them. 
 The hedge generally occupies as much, or more, laud as our crooked rail 
 fence, and is quite as expensive. A stone wall is the best and cheapest 
 farm fence, when the material is at hand to build it. England and America 
 both have more fence than is profitable or desirable, in my opinion; the 
 Continent perhaps has less. In traveling from Calais to Paris, thence to 
 and through Switzerland, Germany, Prussia, and Belgium, we saw no 
 fencing of farms, no hedge rows or waste land between crops. Cattle are 
 easier fenced in than out, and the easiest method is pursued. 
 
 In England it is being discovered that they have more hedge rows than 
 they can afford, and one estate that l have heard of has recently reclaimed 
 and added 45 acres to its tillable lands, by uprooting old hedges and con¬ 
 solidating fields. It is high time for a fence reformation at home; but we 
 should not be so radical as to destroy all our fences at once. E. C. 
 
 Borers in tiie Honey Locust. 
 
 LETTER FROM ASA FITCH, M. IX, ENTOMOLOGIST OF THE SOCIETY. 
 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson: The letters which you forward me, with an accom¬ 
 panying box of insects, from Robert Howell, Esq., of Nichols, Tioga 
 county, N.Y., dated January 2*7th, brings to our knowledge a fact not recorded 
 before, that I am aware, namely, that the locust tree borer, Clytus Mobiniee, 
 of Forster, (the same insect which was subsequently named C. pictus by 
 Drury, and still later C. Jlexuosux by Fabricius,) which so greatly injures 
 the locust trees all over our country, sometimes establishes itself also in 
 the honey locust, Gleditschia tHcanthus, in which it is thereupon apt to con¬ 
 tinue until it ruins the tree. 
 
 Mr. Howell says he set out two trees of the honey locust in his door- 
 yard about twelve years ago. A few years after they were found to be 
 badly infested by borers, which began to throw out their chips or worm 
 dust from the trees each year about the tenth of June, the worms being 
 then about three-fourths of an inch long, and of a dirty white color, with red 
 heads. For a few years past the trees had become so much infested and 
 eaten that numbers of their limbs died; and about the first of August 
 last he cut them down. The larger tree was about six inches in diameter, 
 and its body was completely cut to pieces by holes bored everywhere 
 through it, and about a hundred,in their pupa state — large, plump fellows, 
 an inch long — were found in it. Some few weeks after, on splitting up 
 the wood for fuel, other specimens were found, changed to their perfect 
 state, but dead, and more or less decayed. One was obtained perfect, 
 which he sends us. Some of its yellow bands are partly and others are 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 118 
 
 wholly obliterated, as they are liable to be in rubbed specimens of this 
 beetle. 
 
 I may here remark, that my experience has been quite different from 
 that of Mr. Howell. Two trees of the honey locust, which I planted in 
 my yard twenty years ago, have been the most clean and free from insect 
 vermin of any of the deciduous trees in my grounds. Though the borer 
 is often present in the common locusts growing around them, it has never 
 jntered these trees. 
 
 I may add that I have from T. B. Ashton, of White Creek, a specimen of 
 the locust tree borer, which he tells me was bred in the black walnut, 
 Juglans nigra, in Pennsylvania, where it is not uncommon for the larvm to 
 occur in that tree. 
 
 The beautiful miller in the box is the Ctenucha Latrcilliana of Kirby — a 
 very rare species—which T have met with only in a single instance, on the 
 last day of June, the day before the date on which Mr. H. found this. No 
 particulars of its habits are yet known. The other specimens in the box 
 are common species, of which I have nothing to say, which is not already 
 communicated to the public. Yours truly, 
 
 ASA FITCH. 
 
 Berkshire County, Mass., W. Bacon. 
 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson: 
 
 My Beak Sir: The present winter, though the contrast is great with that 
 of several years past, we do not claim is without a parallel. We have up 
 to this time had but little snow; a few inches fell in November, and gave 
 an apology for sleighing for nearly a week. This went off and left the 
 ground without frost. Early in December we had another fall, attended 
 by a high wind, which rendered it unavailable, there being drifts and bare 
 ground in about equal proportions. Then came on a warm turn, and the 
 snow and frost alike disappeared. January has been very mild up to this 
 date, and without sleighing. On the night of the 15th, and forenoon of 
 16th, we had a heavy fall of rain for any season, especially for winter. 
 The streams were raised very high; the swamps appeared like lakes, and 
 the highways were badly washed. The greatest degree of cold, so far, 
 was 4° below 0, early in December. In January, up to date, the coldest 
 morning was the 18th, mercury at 1°. With so mild and varying a tem¬ 
 perature we have, of course, had much freezing and thawing, muddy and 
 very rough traveling. 
 
 Many of our farmers are lamenting this absence of snow and the power 
 of frost on the land, which events may to some extent be injurious; yet 
 this change from former winters will work some valuable ends — at least 
 the effect will be to destroy many of the insects which, for a few years 
 past, have been increasing in so formidable a ratio. I well recollect that 
 early in March, 1861, during a few days of mild weather, grasshoppers 
 began to make their appearance. A cold turn followed, and I do not recol¬ 
 lect a year within my memory when so few grasshoppers were seen in 
 summer. The warm weather alluded to probably brought them forward, 
 so that the frost gave the finishing blow. Now we have days so warm in 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 jHf 
 
 in 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 DELIVERED BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STATE 
 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, ALBANY, FEBRUARY 8tii, 1865. 
 
 BY ASA FITCH, M. D., ENTOMOLOGIST OF THE SOCIETY. 
 
 The insect which the past season attracted the most notice and did the 
 most damage in our State, was the Aphis or Plant-louse upon the hops. 
 Although the hop has been growing, both wild and cultivated, in this 
 country, from time immemorial, I am not aware that this enemy has ever 
 attacked or been observed upon it, until two summers ago, when it sud¬ 
 denly made its appearance in excessive numbers; and in consequence of 
 its advent, the two past years have been the most disastrous to the exten¬ 
 sive hop growers in the central section of our State, which they have ever 
 experienced. In some yards the hops have not been picked, and in other 
 yards a portion of those that have been gathered, it is said, ought never to 
 have been dried and put up for market, they arc so small and worthless; 
 whilst the best that have been grown are of an inferior quality, the bitter 
 principle, on which their value depends, being deficient, according to the 
 published reports, to the extent of from 15 to 25 per cent. 
 
 The newspapers and agricultural periodicals have abounded with notices 
 of this failure of the hop crop. From the extended accounts which some 
 of these publications have given, it would appear that there are three dif¬ 
 ferent maladies with which the hop vines have recently become affected, 
 namely, the Aphis or plant-lice, the honey dew, and the black blight. The 
 plant-lice are soft pale yellowish-green insects, not so large as the head of 
 a pin, which remain stationary upon the under sides of the leaves, crowded 
 together and wholly covering the surface. The honey dew appears on the 
 upper surface of the leaves, as a shining, clear and transparent fluid, sticky, 
 like honey smeared over the surface. The black blight also occurs on the 
 upper sides of the leaves and resembles coal dust sifted upon and adhering 
 firmly to them, or the leaves look as though they had been held in the 
 smoke of a chimney until they had become blackened over with soot. 
 This black blight is deemed to be a kind of fungus growing from the leaves, 
 analogous to the rust and smut in grain, and it is stated that in some hop 
 yards sulphur has been dusted over the leaves to kill or check its growth, 
 but without having the slightest effect upon it. 
 
 Which of these maladies is the most pernicious, it would be difficult to 
 judge from the published accounts, one writer seeming to regard the Aphis 
 as the principal evil, whilst another wholly ignores this insect and dwells 
 upon the black blight as being the cause of the failure of the crop. And 
 it is not a little amusing to observe how very wise the reporters to some 
 of the newspapers appear in giving an account of these diseases, and what 
 a display of scientific lore they make, when their statements betray to us 
 
112 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 the fact that they have not the first correct idea upon the subject on which 
 they are writing. 
 
 The truth is, these three maladies, about one and another of which so 
 much lias been said, are all one thing — differing merely as cause and effect. 
 If there were no lice on hops there would be no honey dew and no black 
 blight. I am aware the hop growers will be much surprised at this state¬ 
 ment, and will scarcely credit it, they have been so accustomed to regard 
 these things as distinct from and in no wise connected with each other — 
 deeming the honey dew to be a fluid which has exuded from the leaves in 
 consequence of some disease therein, and the black blight to be, as already 
 stated, a kind of fungus growing from the leaves, whilst the plant lice, 
 occurring only on the opposite or under side of the leaves, appear to bo 
 wholly separated from these substances upon their upper surface. But I 
 am perfectly assured of the correctness of what I say, and can produce 
 specimens which will demonstrate that I am correct. I regret that this 
 subject did not occur to my mind last summer, or I would have had such 
 specimens for exhibition here at this time. Upon the first opportunity, I 
 will procure and place in the Museum of our Society, specimen of leaves 
 showing this honey dew upon them, and others showing the black blight; 
 and by the side of these leaves I will place white paste-board cards having 
 the same honey dew and the same black blight ,upon them — thus demon¬ 
 strating that these substances do not exude and grow from the leaves unless 
 they also exude and grow from the paste-board cards. 
 
 I will now briefly explain how these two substances come upon the 
 leaves. 
 
 Each Aphis has two little horns projecting from the hind part of its back, 
 which horns are termed the honey tubes. From these tubes the fluid called 
 honey dew is ejected, in the form of minute drops, like particles of dew, 
 which, falling upon the leaves beneath them, the upper surface of the leaves 
 becomes coated over with this fluid, more or less copiously as the Aphides 
 producing it are more or less numerous. And now, th.s deposit of honey 
 dew being exposed to the action of the atmosphere and alternately moist¬ 
 ened by the dews at night and dried by the sun by day, is gradually decom¬ 
 posed, changing from a clear, shining, transparent fluid, to an opake, black 
 substance resembling soot, and it is then the black blight. In this simple 
 manner do we account for and explain these phenomena — these three impor¬ 
 tant diseases of the hop, about which so much has been said and such eru¬ 
 dition has been displayed by some of the writers in our newspapers. 
 
 These same phenomena, called honey dew and black blight, are not pecu¬ 
 liar to the hop, but occur on other kinds of vegetation when infested by 
 plant-lice; and an abundance of authority will substantiate my statement 
 that this honey dew is caused by these insects. But I find no allusion to 
 the black blight in any author, and what I state of that is the result of my 
 own observations. It is proper, therefore, that 1 here adduce some of the 
 evidence which I have, upon this particular point. 
 
 It is over twenty years ago that I first noticed this blackness as being 
 occasioned by plant-lice. Among several willow trees by the side of a 
 stream near my residence, there was one so thronged with the willow aphis 
 that I went several times to that tree to contemplate the spectacle which 
 
STATE AGRICTTLUURAL SOCIETY. 113 
 
 these insects presented. And all through the following winter, no person 
 passing within sight of that tree could fail of noticing the blackness of 
 its trunk and limbs, it being the more remarkable as none of the other 
 willow trees around it had any tinge of this color. The thought thereupon 
 became impressed upon my mind, that it was the plant-lice with which this 
 tree had been so overrun the preceding summer, which had in some way 
 imparted this blackness to its bark. Two or three winters afterwards, I 
 noticed the same blackened appearance to a pine tree, which tree I knew 
 had been thronged with Aphides the summer before. I need not specify 
 the several other instances of this phenomena which I have noticed. Seve¬ 
 ral years since, when I was investigating the Aphis of the apple tree, 1 
 discovered that, in addition to the bark of trees, the leaves also acquired 
 this sooty appearance, from these insects; and then, upon giving this sub¬ 
 ject a particular examination, I became assured that this black substance 
 was merely the honey dew in a decomposed state. 
 
 Some writers have remarked that dry weather causes the several kinds 
 of plant-lice to increase and become pests to the different species of vege¬ 
 tation which they respectively inhabit; and my own observations incline 
 me to regard this remark as being correct. During the dry period in June 
 which frequently succeeds the spring rains, I have in particular years 
 noticed these insects as occurring in unusual numbers, whereupon I have 
 apprehended that, having acquired such a start so early in the season, they 
 would prove to be the most pernicious insects of the year; but rainy weather 
 coming on after this, they have seemed thereupon to decline and have ceased 
 to attract further attention. Hence I think it true as a general rule, that 
 dry weather favors and wet weather retards their increase. And at first 
 thought, this view is further strengthened by the fact that this Aphis upon 
 the hops was so excessively numerous the past summer, when we experi¬ 
 enced a drouth of such protracted length and severity. But, on the other 
 hand, these insects were similarly numerous the year before, when the 
 summer was unusually wet. We are thus assured there is some influence 
 more potent than the hygrometric state of the atmosphere, which has 
 brought them forth in such hosts upon the hops. 
 
 Perhaps in no other group or family of insects are the different species 
 so very closely akin to each other as in this of the Aphides. So nearly 
 identical are most of them, both in their appearance and habits, that we 
 know them to be distinct species only from the fact that they inhabit dif¬ 
 ferent plants, each one being unable to sustain itself upon any other than 
 the plant to which it belongs. Being thus intimately related, we should 
 confidently expect that the same atmospherical or other influence which 
 causes one species to suddenly multiply and become extremely numerous, 
 would operate upon and similarly affect the other species also. But this 
 is by no means the case. As every one will remember, in the summer of 
 1861, all our fields of grain suddenly became so thronged with the Grain 
 Aphis as to throw the whole country into alarm. Why did not the same 
 cause which brought that insect upon us in such a remarkable manner, 
 operate also to bring this insect upon the hops at that time, instead of 
 two years later ? Or, if this insect was not then in our country, when it 
 did appear in such vast numbers two years ago, why was not the same influ- 
 [Aq. Trans. j 8 
 
114 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 ence which occasioned its surprising multiplication then, felt also by the 
 Grain Aphis, causing it to re-nppear in our grain fields ? The two insects 
 being so intimately related, it is a mystery beyond the reach of human 
 comprehension, how some hidden influence comes to operate upon the one, 
 causing itto multiply and increase so astonishingly, whilst the other remains 
 passive and not in the least affected by it. 
 
 This insect is not limited to the extensive hop plantations in the central 
 parts of this State, but appears to have everywhere overrun the hop vines, 
 both wild and cultivated. It was abundant the past summer in my own 
 neighborhood, and specimens were also sent me from St. Lawrence county, - 
 whereby we know that its range extends to the eastern and northern con¬ 
 fines of the State, but farther than this we do not possess any definite 
 information. 
 
 This Aphis appears to be identical with that wh(ch has long been known 
 in Europe as the worst enemy of the hop, and which sixty-five years ago 
 received its scientific name, Aphin Humuli or the Hop Aphis, from the Ger¬ 
 man naturalist Schrank (Fauna Boica, vol. ii, p. 110.) Messrs. Kirby and 
 Spence, in their introduction to Entomology (American edition, p. 135,) 
 speak of the damage inflicted by this insect as follows: “Upon the presence 
 or absence of Aphides, the crop of every year depends; so that the hop- 
 grower is wholly at the mercy of these insects. They are the barometer 
 that indicates the vise and fall of his wealthy as of a very important branch 
 of the revenue, the difference in the amount of the duty on hops being 
 often as much as £200,000 per annum, more or less, in proportion as 
 this fly prevails or the contrary.” This statement forcibly shows what 
 a direct interest our own government has in patronizing these investiga¬ 
 tions in which I am employed—this one little insect, in years when it is 
 numerous, taking from the revenue of the British government half a million 
 of dollars I 
 
 My own researches upon this insect are obviously too limited as yet, to 
 enable me to give such a particular history of its habits and operations, as 
 its importance merits. I therefore present the following account from the 
 London Gardener’s Chronicle, for the year 1854, page 429: 
 
 “ As soon as the Aphides settle upon the hops, they suck the underside 
 of the leaves, and immediately deposit their young, which are viviparous, 
 and have the singular faculty of propagating their species within a few 
 hours after their birth; and in this manner many generations are produced 
 without the intervention of the fully formed Aphis fly; indeed, upon one 
 hill of hops, millions of lice are born and die, neither parents nor progeny 
 having ever attained the condition of the perfect insect. When the first 
 attack of these flics upon the hops is severe, and early in the season, the 
 growth of the plant is commonly stopped in the course of three or four 
 weeks. If the attack be late, that is about mid-summer or afterwards, the 
 vine has then attained so much strength that it struggles on against the 
 blight, to its disadvantage, and the result is a total failure of the crop at 
 least; for the leaves fall off, and the fruit branches being already formed, 
 there is no chance of recovery. At this time, and in this condition, the stench 
 from the hop plantation is most offensive. * * * * 
 
 “ The progress and usual termination of the Aphis blight may be thus 
 
STATE AGCICCLTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 115 
 
 described : The flies, as before remarked, on their first arrival, immediately 
 suck the underside of the upper small leaves of the vine, and thus they 
 there deposit their young’, upon the most succulent part of the plant. The 
 multiplication of the lice is so rapid, that the leaves become so thickly 
 covered as scarcely to allow a pin to be thrust betweeu them. They 
 quickly abstract the juices of the vine, so that the leaves assume a sickly, 
 brown hue, and curl up, and the vine itself ceases to grow, and falls from 
 the pole, the lice continuing till they perish for want of food ; and thus the 
 crop is destroyed, and the grower may often consider himself fortunate if 
 the plant recovers a due amount of vitality to produce a crop in the following 
 year, for occasional!}' the hills are killed by the severity of the attack. This 
 description, of course, applies only to the most severe and unusual blights.” 
 
 The Aphides are the most evanescent of all insects. They spring up 
 suddenly, in such immense numbers as to threaten the utter destruction of 
 the vegetation on which they subsist, and ere long they vanish with equal 
 suddenness — sometimes continuing but a few weeks, and rarely remaining 
 in force longer than through one year. It thus appears, that, so long as 
 the atmospherical or other influence which favors their increase, continues 
 to operate upon them, they thrive and prosper, and when this influence 
 passes away they rapidly decline. The writer in the Gardener’s Chronicle, 
 cited above, remarks of this Aphis on the hops, “ These insects are remark¬ 
 ably susceptible of atmospherical and electrical changes, and on a sudden 
 alteration of the weather we have known them perish by myriads in a 
 night. This was specially exemplified in the Farnham district, about the 
 middle of June, 1846, which suddenly recovered from a most severe attack, 
 and afterwards produced the largest crop ever known in that quarter. We 
 know, also, several instances in East Kent, which occurred in the same 
 year, when the planters sold their growths on the poles at a few shillings 
 per acre, and these same plantations so far recovered that many of them 
 afterwards produced a crop worth from 30Z. to 50 1. per acre.” 
 
 The decline and disappearance of these plant lice is greatly expedited by 
 other insects which destroy them ; and in many instances it is to these de¬ 
 stroyers rather than to any atmospherical change, that the vegetation on 
 which they abound becomes so suddeidy released from them. No otlnJr 
 tribe of insects has so many enemies of its own class as the plant lice. The 
 different species of Coccinella or lady-bugs which are everywhere so com-, 
 mon, live exclusively upon the aphides, as do also the larvae of the two- 
 winged Syrphus flies and the four-winged Golden-eyed flies. Superaddcd 
 to these destroyers the plant lice also have their internal parasites—ex¬ 
 ceedingly minute worms or maggots residing within their bodies and 
 feeding upon till they kill them. Thus, whenever a tree or shrub becomes 
 thronged with plant lice, these destroyers gather among and around them, 
 in rapidly augmenting numbers, and subsist upon them until they have 
 wholly exterminated them. Kirby and Spence (page 181) state that in the 
 year 1807 the sea shore at Brighton and all the watering places on the 
 south coast of England, was literally covered with lady bugs, to the great 
 surprise, and even alarm, of the inhabitants, who were ignorant that their 
 little visitors were emigrants from the neighboring hop-grounds, where 
 each had slaiu his thousands and tens of thousands of the aphis. 
 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
 
 116 
 
 These several kinds of destroyers of the plant lice were everywhere com¬ 
 mon upon the hop vines the past Summer. I believe that in every instance 
 in which leaves with the lice upon them were sent me by correspondents, 
 
 I found one or more of these destroyers also upon the leaves ; and in one 
 box that came to me, not one of the lice was remaining, all having been 
 devoured by several of these enemies which had happened to be inclosed 
 in the box. These destroyers having been so common, it is quite probable 
 that they have now subdued these lice to such an extent that the coming 
 season the crop will be much less if at all damaged by them. 
 
 It is of great importance that we should have some remedy, whereby, 
 when these insects do fall upon the hop vines in such myriads as they have 
 done the past two years, we may be able to promptly destroy them. 
 
 As the lice remain stationary upon the undersides of the leaves and are 
 so very tender and delicate that the slightest pressure suffices to crush and 
 kill them, Mr. Kirby recommends to take the leaf between the thumb and 
 finger, and move the finger so as to gently rub over the under surface of 
 the leaf, whereby every aphis upon it will be destroyed. He thinks women 
 and children can be employed for a small compensation to do this work, 
 taking every leaf in succession between the thumb and finger, and thus 
 wholly ridding the vines from these vermin. But we all know it will be an 
 immense labor to thus take hold of every leaf upon the vines occupying 
 whole acres of ground. Many of the lfeaves, too, are quite large, being five 
 or six inches broad, and the finger is but three inches long. It will there¬ 
 fore require one hand to hold the leaf steady, whilst the thumb and finger 
 of the other are drawn several times along it, mowing down the vermin 
 by successive-swaths. Moreover, the veins on the underside of these large 
 leaves are studded with prickles, whereby I doubt if a dozen leaves can 
 thus be rubbed over before the skin of the finger will be cut through to the 
 quick. I need not specify other obstacles which occur to my mind, all con¬ 
 curring to convince me that this proposed remedy, of the success of which 
 Mr. Kirby is quite sanguine, is wholly impracticable. 
 
 Washing and syringing the plants with strong soap suds has been often 
 recommended for destroying the aphis upon them. I have recently been 
 experimenting with this remedy, upon the plant lice which so badly infest 
 the beautiful verbenas of our Flower Gardens, and I find it to be of but 
 partial efficacy. It only kills the young, tender lice ; those which are ma¬ 
 ture are so robust that they are not destroyed, even though the infested 
 stems and leaves arc immersed in a strong solution of soap. 
 
 There is one remedy, and one only, which we know to be efficacious and 
 perfectly sure for destroying the different species of plant lice. This is the 
 smoke of tobacco. It operates like a charm. It never fails. But to apply 
 it, it is necessary to place a box or barrel over the plant, burning the 
 tobacco in a cup underneath, until its smoke has filled the inclosed space 
 and penetrated all the interstices between the leaves. Hereby the rose 
 bushes and other shrubs and plants in our gardens are with ease wholly 
 cleansed from these vermin. To render it available for destroying these 
 insects upon the hops, probably a piece of canvas or other large cloth can 
 be thrown over them or some other apparatus devised whereby they can be 
 fumigated for a few moments in the same thorough manner. 
 
)nr 
 
 STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 131 
 
 his own experience, in which he had gradually extended his cultivation till 
 he abandoned agriculture. It was more profitable than grain when he 
 commenced raising it at five cents per pound. Mr. M. stated that highly 
 manured tobacco grounds were usually too strong for grain to follow as a 
 rotative crop. 
 
 Mr. Hawley, of Onondaga, mentioned instances where a rotation of crops 
 was practiced with success. He understood that it was conceded that one 
 ton of tobacco consumed about four hundred pounds of potash, but he had 
 practiced rotation with success, raising forty bushels of wheat to the acre 
 after tobacco. 
 
 Mr. Harris, of the Genesee Farmer, considered that though a farm con¬ 
 tiguous to a town where plenty of manure was available, might be profita¬ 
 bly devoted to tobacco, yet it would not do to rely upon home manure in 
 its cultivation. He asked Mr. Geddes to state his opinion. 
 
 Mr. Geddes explained that he considered if a man devoted a portion of 
 his land to tobacco, he would raise more stock, and thus enrich his soil, 
 provided he did not raise too much tobacco. 
 
 Mr. Moses believed that in time the science of manuring would be 
 reduced to such a system that it would not be necessary to over-manure 
 land for tobacco, which is now apparently necessary. 
 
 Mr. Robinson wished to impress in the minds of farmers that a small 
 crop of tobacco would benefit a farm and remunerate its owner well. 
 
 Mr. Hildreth, of Oneida, stated his moral views in relation to the raising 
 of tobacco. He would not raise it more than he would raise the deadly 
 Upas tree. He could not understand why agriculturalists should advocate 
 the cultivation of this plant. 
 
 Mr. Robinson thought the gentleman ought not to raise corn or rye for 
 distilling purposes. 
 
 Mr. Geddes considered that the discussion of the question morally was 
 out of order. 
 
 Mr. Harris inquired if the tobacco raised in New York was not generally 
 used for wrappers. 
 
 Mr. Moses said it was, and that a large portion of New York tobacco 
 was imported. He stated the peculiarities and differences of Connecticut 
 and Cuban soil, the latter being of remarkable depth and richness, and so 
 requiring less manure than our own land. 
 
132 
 
 ANNUAL REPORT OP NEW YORK 
 
 ttir 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 W. C. Watson writes us from 
 
 Port Kent, September ith, 1865. 
 
 Col. B. P. Johnson: 
 
 M 3 ' Dear Sir—I have just been looking' over } T our last volume, and am 
 happy to notice that the high character of the series is, if possible, more 
 than maintained. I read with the usual instruction and pleasure they 
 afford the admirable paper of Dr. Fitch. I unfortunately have not the 
 honor of a personal acquaintance with him, and, therefore, present to you 
 one or two facts recalled to my mind by the views he advances and the 
 results of his observation. I have for many seasons practiced on the theory 
 of Dr. Fitch, in warring upon the cut-worm, etc. I am full}' satisfied of 
 the 1 valuable effects of fall plowing, by disturbing and exposing their larva3, 
 eggs, etc. My course has been to plow for that purpose the very latest 
 period possible before the permanent closing of the ground by frosts. Of 
 late }’ears I have adopted a plan which I think still more effective. I have 
 noticed that almost invariably sands and other light soils open and are 
 sufficiently freed from frost and moisture to admit plowing early in the 
 spring, and that this term is followed by severe cold that entirely and 
 rigorously freezes the earth. I have conjectured and acted on the idea that 
 this period affords the most certain occasion by plowing to destroy worms 
 and insects lying in the soil. Of course the system cannot be pursued on 
 damp and heavy lands. 
 
 A vear or two ago I observed an assault upon a monster cut-worm, which 
 may prove that he has other enemies than those enumerated by the doctor. 
 The rencontre might have been a "chance medley,” rather than an attack 
 in regular and legitimate warfare. As it occurred in the daylight upon 
 the surface, I thought perhaps that the worm had been pursued into his 
 hiding place and driven out by his enemy. I first noticed the worm making 
 great progress, and in evident alarm, pursued by a black ant, which, at 
 every opportunity, would fasten upon the worm with its jaws; he would then 
 quicken his pace and shake the ant off, sometimes thrusting him away with 
 his nose. This contest continued some minutes, and I thought the worm 
 must effect his escape, when the attention of three or four other ants, which 
 were at some distance, were attracted to the scene; they appeared at once 
 inflamed by the greatest fury and excitement, and rushed upon the worm, 
 fixing their fangs into different parts of his body. His agony and alarm 
 were terrific; he writhed in his pain; his body was perfectly contorted in 
 his convulsions, rolling over and over in his paroxysms, and even raising 
 to his full length and throwing himself backward as if in the hope of crush¬ 
 ing his enemies. I never witnessed such a spectacle of apparent suffering 
 in an animal, and without waiting the result of I'oulravce, I, in mercy, 
 killed the worm. I afterwards observed that the body had disappeared; I 
 had forgotten the incident until its memory was revived by the article of 
 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
 
 133 
 
 Dr. Fitch. Are the little rc^.1 ants injurious to vegetation? My ladies con¬ 
 fidently assert that they are destructive to their flowers, and I have thought 
 that I could trace evidences of their depredations upon my tender young 
 plant^. 
 
 Ants Enemies to Cut-Worms. 
 
 September 17 th, 1865. 
 
 It had not occurred to me till brought to my mind by this letter of Mr. 
 Watson, that ants will undoubtedly sometimes attack and persistently 
 cling to and teaze the life out of cut-worms. In our cornfields, the earth 
 immediately around the young corn plants is frequently perforated with 
 holes leading to the underground dwellings of colonies of ants. And, 
 though I have never actually observed, it, I am confident it must occasion¬ 
 ally happen that a cut-worm, in sinking himself under the surface to repose 
 , during tl* hours of daylight, will come into proximity with a nest of these 
 pugnacious little creatures, who, resenting the intrusion, will make his bed 
 anything but comfortable to him—giving him a similar experience to that 
 of a lodger in the bedroom of a slovenly-kept inn. And at length finding 
 it impossible to repose there, the worm will come out from his lurking 
 place, in open daylight, with some of his incensed tormentors following 
 and clinging to him in the manner witnessed and so vividly narrated by 
 Mr. Watson. But as ants continue actively at work during the night as 
 during the daytime, the cut-worm will usually discover those cornhills 
 where ants have established themselves and will probably avoid intruding 
 on them. 
 
 Mr. Watscn inquires if the little red ant is injurious to vegetation. I 
 presume it is wliat I have tevmed the little yellow ant (Myrmica molesta, 
 Say) to which he refers. Like other ants of larger size, this is usually 
 attracted to flowers and tender young plants, to sip some sweet fluid which 
 it finds there, exuding from the vegetation, or secreted by plant-lice, where 
 these are present. And it is frequently injurious, by wounding the plants 
 to obtain a flow of sweet sap from them. This is particularly the case in 
 young corn, the blades of which, when but a few inches high, are some 
 years very much gnawed and stunted in their growth by this little yellow 
 ant. A. FITCH. 
 
 Win. Bacon, Esq., writes us from 
 
 Richmond, Mass., Sept. 1, 1865. 
 
 Hon. B. P. Johnson: 
 
 My Dear Sir—The season is now so far advanced that a report of crops 
 can be made with tolerable accuracy. Many pieces of meadow land were 
 so thoroughly burnt over by the drouth of ’64 that they gave very lean 
 crops. Yet, on the whole, the grass crop is flattering—full a third more 
 than last year. Oats were fine; so was barley. Rye has not in twenty- 
 five years given a better crop. Corn was much disturbed by worms after 
 planting, in consequence of which the re-planted is late; the growth and 
 caring, however, are good, and the probability now is that it will all ripen 
 and make a fine crop. Potatoes look nobly; it is too dry for the rot in any 
 locality fit to raise potatoes. They will probably be somewhat injured by 
 
The Thousand-Legged Worm. 
 
 QaaJL --~—*'» ' 
 
 Messrs. Luther Tucker A Son— Enclosed plense 
 find a sample of a small worm that has takon possession 
 of my gardon for tho last three years, almost totally 
 destroying everything of vegetable kind. In the 
 winter season they disappear or go deep in the ground, 
 and early in tho spring commence on the winter rootsi 
 Ac., and devour thorn until the young vegetables com¬ 
 mence to grow, when they attack them and complete¬ 
 ly destroy all but some of the most hardy, which seldom 
 get to perfection. The large strawberry, when near 
 ripe, will often contain as much as fifty of them. They 
 will make a small hole to enter, and devour the heart 
 from the fruit, and so long as there is room for a worm 
 they will go in. The young cucumber, radish, beans, 
 onions, Ac, all fall a prey to them. I call them wire 
 worm, but not knowing them, I am uncertain whether 
 correct or not; and as there are no others in tho vioini- 
 t.y, I would like to know what they are, or if anything 
 can be got to destroy them. I have tried lime, ashes, 
 Ac., but without success. The only way I oan find to 
 destroy them is, when the weather is warm, lay boards 
 round tho walks in the evening, when early in the 
 morning they will be under the boards by thousands 
 —then I apply boiling water. 
 
 Please say in The Cultivator, if there is any known 
 name for them, and anything that will destroy them. 
 James Adams. Armstrong Co., Pa. 
 
 Answer to tHe aljove by Dr. Pitch. 
 
 Messrs. Tucker A Son —The worms from Mr. 
 Adams, are a centipede or “thousand-legged worm,” 
 pertaining to the genus Julus , in the Apterous or 
 wingless order of insects. "Unlike the great mass of in¬ 
 sects these undergo no transformations, but always 
 remain in the worm-like shape in which they hatoh 
 from the eggs. And whether these specimens are the 
 young of one of our larger species, or a minute species 
 now in its mature state, I am unable to say, having 
 never yet carefully investigated the group. 
 
 One of the latest and best authorities respecting 
 them says, “ ces soul des animaux inofensifs” —these 
 are harmless animals. They are most fond of dark, damp 
 situations ; hence Mr. Adams finds them congregated 
 under boards lying on the ground Scarcely a buck¬ 
 et of water has been drawn from my well, this present 
 season, that did not have one or two of these worms in 
 it. Crawling from their retreats in the crevices of the 
 stones of the well, they lose thoir foothold and drop into 
 the water, the coldness of which renders them torpid 
 and unable to crawl out. I must procure a trout and 
 place it in my well to keep the water cleansed of these 
 worms. Though should one of them chance to be 
 swallowed in drinking, I doubt not the gastric juice 
 would destroy and digest it This, however, is an ex¬ 
 periment in dietetics which I do not care about trying. 
 
 As to the food of these worms, it is no doubt vege¬ 
 table substances which are in a diseased and decaying 
 state. It is in old rotten logs in the woods that we al¬ 
 ways meet with our largest species named Julus ame- 
 ricanus by Beauvois, and marginatus by Say, which 
 is three and a half inohes lung, and over a quarter of 
 an inch thick, of a lurid, grayish, olive oolor, with a 
 red ring to each segment of its body, and usually just 
 one hundred pairs of foot. Aod those suiall centipedes 
 in our gardens and yards appear to be most numerous 
 where deoaying vegetable substances abound. Where 
 a radish has been boroi by the larva of tho radish fly, 
 where a cabbage root is clumpy or otherwise diseased, 
 I have notioed these worms crowded together upon the 
 affected spot, evidently to feed on the partiolesof semi- 
 putrid matter they there find, and very probably pro¬ 
 moting and extending the disoase by removing this de¬ 
 caying matter, and thus exposing a fresh surface to the 
 action of the atmosphere. And I presume the straw¬ 
 berries, oucumbers, Ac., mentioned by Mr. Adams, 
 were in the first instance wounded by ants or other in¬ 
 sects, and wero thereby rendered attractive to those 
 
 centipedes. Several years since, a physician of tin 
 town, now deceased, from finding these worms ver 
 
 
 numerous in decaying potatoes, and unaware that 
 they occurred abundantly on all other decaying roots, 
 at onoe jumped to the conclusion that they wore 1 
 
 ‘ the veritable cauae of the potato disease, and in the 
 J excitement at that time prevailing, his c •mmunications 
 to the pr^ss on this subject attracted a somewhat wide 
 notice. But everything known of these worms, impress 
 es me with the belief that they never attack living, 
 healthy vegetation, and eonstquently do not cause dis¬ 
 ease, though they may aggravate and extend it where 
 it is already commenced. Asa Fitch. Salem } N. Y. 
 
 sly rain enough to lay the dust for a 
 are nearly as low as they were in the 
 iried up, and the prospect for a mid- 
 
 Utica. Our friend Hon. W i J. Bacon 
 1 if my own and family’s health per- - i, 
 trying to get some of the LebamA 
 ;s, a very intelligent and promising 
 
 f our comity papers in behalf of the 
 of our county people to come out. We 
 are) between the middle of September 
 sably keep many away. 
 
 Cattle Prohibited. 
 
 the act just passed by Congress to 
 
 2 diseases among the cattle of the United 
 
 luse of Representatives of the United 
 bled: 
 
 rid hereby is prohibited. And it shall 
 Treasury to make such regulations as 
 effect, and to send copies of them to 
 d to all officers or agents of the United 
 
 id, that when the President shall give 
 hat no further danger is to be appre- 
 ectious or contagious diseases among 
 nd cattle may be imported in the same 
 
 es December 11, 1865. 
 
 EDWARD McPHER£ON, Cleric. 
 
 • 
 
 able to License Dutv, and also 
 in on Gross Receipts. 
 
 snt, Office of Internal Revenue, ) 
 Washington, Sept. 29, 1865. J 
 
 I have to say that, as agricultural 
 to the managers or others, but rather 
 iral interests of the country, they are 
 

 
 V- ■ ' 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I