144 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Various measures have been recommended for the destruction of this 

 insect. Some have advised the immediate threshing of the wheat and the 

 burning of the straw, but since most of the insecis are left in the stubble 

 this would be labor lost. Tearing up the stubble with a cultivator imme- 

 diately after harvest, and raking it into heaps and burning it, is another 

 suggestion, but this involves much labor at a time when the farmer is 

 extremely busy, and during the process many of the insects would neces- 

 sarily be shaken out of the stalks and escape. Burning the stubble in the 

 field where practicable is a much wiser course, but it must be borne in 

 mind that this process involves the destruction of the friendly parasites 

 which feed upon the enemy, as well as the enemy itself In my address 

 to you two years ago, I expressed the opinion that we were almost wholly 

 indebted for such immunity as we enjoy from destructive insects to the 

 insect parasites which destroy them ; subsequent experience has confirmed 

 this vieWj and any measure which involves the destruction of these useful 

 friends should be adopted with caution. I am happy to state that from 

 specimens reared within the past few days, I find that a large proportion 

 of the Hessian Fly is being destroyed by parasites this season. Late 

 sowing has been much recommended, and the results seem to prove that 

 on the whole this is the most practicable remedy — to defer- sowing until 

 about the 20th of September, by which time most of the flies will have 

 disappeared ; late sowing, however, has the disadvantage that the plants 

 not being so well established, are not as well fitted to withstand the severe 

 weather of the winter. High culture is advantageous, as the luxuriant 

 growth which the young wheat makes under such circumstances will enable 

 it better to withstand the weakening effects of the grubs. Among the 

 other measures recommended are pasturing the wheat fields with sheep, 

 and the application of lime to the young wheat to kill the larvae. 



During the past few weeks T have examined the roots of a number of 

 sickly-looking grape vines about London, Ontario, and have found the 

 root-inhabiting form of the Phylloxera vastatrix, the dreaded scourge of 

 the vine in Europe, in considerable numbers on the young rootlets, and 

 have been able to clearly trace the diseased condition of those vines to 

 that cause. I am convinced that this insect prevails to a greater extent 

 than may at first be suspected throughout our Province, and that it is 

 inflicting material injury, for besides having found it common about 

 London, 1 have satisfactory evidence of its presence in the neighborhood 

 of Grimsby, where many vines are reported as diseased, and have also 



