168 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Jah', on the dn'est meadows, and later on those that are moist. 

 Its ravages continue until the 1st of September, after which the 

 remains of the fruit are visible in the form of dry. hollow shells, 

 from which the worms have disappeared. These shells may be 

 counted upon a given space, and the damage ascertained by pro- 

 portioning them to the amount remaining sound. In dry seasons 

 the loss resulting from the fruit worms frequentl}' amounts to one- 

 half of the berries formed ; and, in some cases, it has been so great 

 as to leave onlj' one-tenth of the fruit to come to perfection. 



" The effect of moisture at this time seems to be to keep the 

 bottom cool, and thereby to prevent the hatching of the worm." 



Mr. Fish observes : — 



"When fully grown, the worms enter the ground and spin 

 their cocoons within a few inches of the surface. The cocoons are 

 covered with grains of sand, and are hardlj' distinguishable from 

 small lumps of earth. The^' remain in the ground all winter. In 

 the spring of 1867 I bred two species of ichneumons from these 

 cocoons that had remained in the house all winter." 



Of the " vine worm ; " he says very little, but quotes from 

 James A. Fenwick as follows : — 



"The vine worm feeds on the under side of the leaf leaving 

 nothing but the veins, and increases rapidly to a countless multi- 

 tude, causing the meadow infected by them to appear as if scorched 

 by fire ; hence their name, 'fire worm.' Upon observing a meadow 

 infested by them in April I found the worms feeding upon the 

 leaves, and partially surrounded with webs. In June I noticed 

 they had webs enclosing clusters of vines (ignorant persons thinking 

 them spiders' webs) apparently sheltered from the weather. Upon 

 approaching them with a heavy tread, the worms suddenl}' disap- 

 peared, dropping to the ground ; but, stepping noislessly, and 

 touching the webs, the worms would drop into my hand, making, 

 at the same time, vigorous efforts to escape. By the close of July 

 not a worm could be seen, but the webs remained ; doubtless the 

 worms had enclosed themselves in cocoons. In August, the millers 

 rose in numbers around my feet, taking short flights, and again set- 

 tling upon the ground ; by September these had disappeared and 

 the worms increased an hundred fold ; evidently showing that two 

 generations of these insects were hatched in one season." 



In this same book the author says : — 



