New York Agriculttjral Experiment Station. 295 



mis and devours all the green portion of the plant between tlie 

 epidermis and the bast, or wood, fiber. Five or six of the mag- 

 gots will usually completely girdle a stalk. Their method of 

 mining, with a " flax-seed " or puparium in the mine, is illus- 

 trated in Fig. 5, Plate XLVII. 



The puparia are always formed within the mines and generally 

 below or near the surface of tJie ground where the old, dead 

 stalks remain moist. 



AMOUNT OF INJURY. 



This pest has been watched during the past four years, and no 

 noticeable injury from its work has ever been detected on cutting 

 beds. During 1900 they were apparently more numerous than 

 comm'on and considerable injury from their work was observed 

 on seedling and newly set beds. The injury showed itself by the 

 plants first turning yellow and finally dying much earlier than 

 they naturally should do. Possibly the fact that the stracture of 

 the asparagus plant is such that it can withstand girdling much 

 better than more woody plants accounts for the injury not being 

 noticed. Furthermore, the life history of the pest is such that 

 the first brood cannot get much of a foothold on cutting beds, 

 especially where ridging is practiced. Although the injury to 

 cutting beds is not noticed, there is no doubt that the plants are 

 materially weakened, later, by the attacks of this pest. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



At present it is not known what natural enemies this pest has. 

 As yet no parasites have been bred from the puparia. The only 

 enemy noted in the field was another small fly, which was not 

 identified, feeding upon iiie fly of the asparagus miner. 



REMEDIES. 



The habits of this asparagus pest are such that there is little 

 chance of applying insecticides and none have been tested. Cul- 

 tural and preventive measures can be and should be applied. As 

 the eggs for the first brood are deposited early in June undoubt- 

 edly much could be done toward keeping this pest under control 



