Entomological Notes. 337 



therefore it starves. This will also account for the seeming con- 

 tradiction, that while moisture is favorable for the development of 

 the fly, the first and seemingly the greatest damage is seen on the 

 dryest ground. Poor soil and land suffering from drouth cannot 

 furnishs ustenance sufficient to bear the drain made by the vam- 

 pires and to mature the wheat, while good, rich soil, land that is in 

 good tilth and has abundant moisture will furnish enough to 

 maintain a vigorous growth, and for the blood suckers too. Where 

 there is sufficient nourishment to maintain the vitality of the 

 plant it will tiller out and the rank growth of the parts of the 

 plant not infested will make a rapid growth and cover up the af- 

 fected stalks so that they will not show. Those varieties of wheat 

 that have a tendency to make a rank growth and have 

 a hard flinty stalk are the least injured by the fly. Some think 

 that vigorous growth throws off the fly, others that being gross 

 feeders they furnish enough for both plant and foe. This would 

 seem to indicate that by the selection of the proper variety, by 

 good culture, liberal fertilizing, underdraining, etc., we may be 

 able to raise fair crops in spite of the fly. 



Another metho 1 taken to circumvent them is to sow the wheat 

 so late in the season that it will not come up until the cool 

 weather has destroyed the fly. The success of this will depend 

 largely on the character of the season. If the fall be cool and 

 dry, and the conditions yet favorable for germination of the 

 wheat, and the following winter mild, with a good covering of 

 snow, wheat sowed after the middle of September would prob- 

 ably escape injury from the fly and do well ; but should the fall 

 be late and the weather warm, even after there had been heavy 

 frosts, flies would probably come out in sufficient force to thor- 

 oughly stock up the field, and the result would be more disas- 

 trous from the lack of vital power in the very young plants; and 

 if there were no flies, a hard, open winter would make the de- 

 struction fully as complete. Some have been successful in sow- 

 ing a narrow strip around the outside of the field quite early in 

 the season, with a thorough preparation of the whole field ; then 

 if the fly appeared they would expend their energies on the early 

 sown wheat, which could be turned under about the middle of 

 22 — Hort. 



