201 



" The Clover-root Borer (Eylesinus trifolii, Miiller). — The clover roots sent by Mr. 

 Arnold were found to be badly infested by the Clover-root Borer, which was present 

 in the grub, chrysalis and perfect states. The perfect beetle is a very small dark 

 brown beetle, only -^ of an inch in length. It belongs to the family known as Bark- 

 borers or Scolytidce, all of which are rather slow-moving and small msects : most of 

 the species in this family live in and beneath the bark of trees, where they do much 

 damage. The insect under consideration is a new pest in Canada, originally 

 imported from Europe ; it has only been complained of in North America since 

 1878, when specimens were sent to the United States Entomologist, Prof. Riley, from 

 the State of New York. It has, however, already spread over a considerable area, 

 and is now a formidable enemy of the clover grower. In order that the insect may 

 be recognized by farmers, I give herewith an illustration of the insect in all its 

 stages, which has been drawn with great care b}' Pjof. Riley. All the figures of 

 the insect are much enlarged, the actual size being only about that of the letter " a " 

 by the side of the stem. (Fig. 7.) The life-history is as follows : Early in the spring the 

 mature beetles emerge from the ground, where they have passed the winter in the 

 1 ootfi of the clover plants, which they had destroyed the previous season. After 

 pairing the female bores a cavity in the crown of the root and deposits there about 

 half a dozen small white eggs. These hatch in about a week and eat their way 

 down into the root, hollowing it out, as shown in the tigure. The burrows are 

 filled up with the excrement of the small white grubs (Fig. b.), which, when full 

 gi'own, are only about ^ inch in length. These change to chrysalides, and in 

 September the perfect beetles may bo found in the roots. In the specimen sent by 

 Mr. Arnold I found full grown grubs, chrysalides, and the perfect beetles. 



"These would all have attained the perfect form before winter, and remained in 

 the root until spring, feeding upon its substance. Although the perfect beetle feeds 

 on the roots, it is in the grub state that the chief injury is done. When the larger 

 roots are particularly attacked. Prof. Riley found that in many cases the plants were 

 entirely cut off at the surface of the ground, and the flower stalks were in many 

 cases eaten into. 



" Remedy. — No better remedy has been suggested than the ploughing under of 

 clover when it is found to be infested. Asa rule, this is not detected until the second 

 crop is found to fail. In infested districts the fields should be examined frequently, 

 and if indications of the pest are found, the clover should be ploughed under as soon 

 after the first cutting as there is a pretty good growth on the ground. The value 

 of the clover plant as a fertilizer is well known, so that the loss to a farmer is 

 materially reduced on that account, when this treatment is found necessary. When 

 Gas-lime can be had cheaply and conveniently it will render the treatment much 

 more thorough if a heavy application of from two to four tons to the acre be made 

 previous to the ploughing. " 



AN OAT WEEVIL. 

 {Macrops porcellus, Say.) 



Attack. — A white, legless maggot, burrowing in the bases of the stems of oats, 

 leaving the plant when full grown and penetrating into the ground a short distance 

 to pupate, emerging three weeks later as a small brown weevil with mottled wing 

 covers. 



In walking through an oat field on 10th July I noticed that several of the stems 

 had a faded and yellow central leaf, an attack similar to that of Meromyza Americana 

 upon many grasses. This latter insect is reported by Prof. Cook as injuring oats 

 severely in the State of Michigan, so I was very curious to see if I had at last found it 

 here, where, although it is a very active enemy of grasses, barley, wheat and rye, I had 

 never found it in oats. Upon taking up some of these stems I was much interested 

 in finding an attack quite unknown to me. The base of the stem had been entirely 

 eaten out by a footless, yellowish-white grub, |- inch in length, with a chestnut-brown 

 head and the posterior end of the body becoming rapidly smaller at the last two 



