416 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



aud was it not the most likely thing that Eome of Mr. Faton's 



servants put on the horns as a shield, just in the same way as 

 Col. M'DoiiaU's overseer had put on leather covers, which, 

 however, did not stand for two days? In conclusion, he con- 

 fidently claimed a verdict of acquittal at tbeir hands. 



Lord Neaves, in beginning his charge to the jury, com- 

 mented severely on the operations which it had been stated 

 were commonly practised upon animals before bringing them 

 forward for competition. It was conduct which no honourable 

 or honest man would be guilty of. But it was not everything 

 that was dishonest or deceitful in the world that they could 

 sit to decide upon. If they did so, they might sit a long time, 

 and yet not get through with them. There were certain clasaes 

 of crimes, however, which fell to be taken up by them ; and it 

 was the duty of the jiry to discover whether the prisoner was 



guilty of the particular 'crime charged against him in the in- 

 dictment. His lordship then carefully pointed out the dif- 

 ferent points for consideration. They would have to decide 

 — first, whether the artificial horns were put on and the bulls 

 inflated, and whether Paton did it or knew of it; second, whe- 

 ther he intended to deceive ; third, whether he succeeded in 

 deceiving ; aud after this they would require to consider whe- 

 ther it was in consequence of the deceptions that the prizes 

 were awarded to bim. 



The jury retired, and after an absence of about twenty 

 minutes, returned with a verdict unanimously finding the 

 charge Not Proven. 



The prisoner was then dismissed from the bar. 



Mr. Goudie, writer, Ayr, aud Mr. Charles Brown, writer, 

 Stranraer, were agents for Mr. Paton. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES INJURIOUS TO THE WHEAT CROP. 



In the year 1856 the Bureau of Agriculture and Sta- 

 tistics of Upper Canada offered a prize of £40 for the 

 best essay on the origin, nature, and habits, and the 

 history of the progress, from time to time, and the 

 cause of the progress, of the weevil, Hessian fly, wheat- 

 niidge, and other such insects as have made ravages on 

 the wheat crops in Canada, and on such diseases as the 

 wheat-crops have been subjected to, and on the best 

 means of evading or guarding against them. 



On the 15th of April, in the following year, twenty- 

 two essays were handed in, and received by the Com- 

 mittee of the Board of Agriculture, and the above prize 

 was awarded to H. Y. Hind, Esq., M.A., Professor of 

 Chemistry at Trinity College, Toronto. This essay, 

 which is now before us, contains an interesting account 

 of the most destructive insects infesting the wheat- 

 crops in that country, and of the parasitic plants also, 

 as rust, smut, pepper-brand, ergot, &c. 



The history of the insect tribes is carious, as illus- 

 trative of the wisdom of Providence on the one hand, 

 in furnishing the means for preventing their multipli- 

 cation ; and, on the other, of the advantages of good 

 husbandry, as the most effectual preventive or cure of 

 the evils of their presence. If we refer back to ancient 

 times, we find that the ravages of the locust, the cater- 

 pillar, the palmer-worm, and other of the insect tribes, 

 were amongst the most dreadful evils of the East, and 

 were, in fa:t, the terrible scourges by which the Divine 

 Being inflicted punishment upon the nations. Wc may 

 account for their amazing numbers by the great extent 

 of uncultivated land in those warm climates, which is 

 always favourable to their production and multiplica- 

 tion. The same causes, also, have operated in the 

 United States in occasioning the ravages of the Hessian 

 fly, wheat-midge, &c., a large portion of the country 

 being still in a state of nature; whilst that part under 

 tillage is cultivated in so slovenly a manner, as to af- 

 ford every encouragement to the insect tribes to mul- 

 tijjly their immbers and cxtcn'l their ravages. 



The principal enemies of the wheat crops in America 

 arc, the Hessian fly, the wlicat-midge, the Chinch- 

 bug, the wiru-wiirm, and the weevil. The third i.s tiie 



only one unknown in Europe, at least in such numbers 

 as appear to attack the wheat croj) in America. It is 

 of the seventh order of insects {Hemiptcra), the pe- 

 culiarity of which is found in its beak or rostrum, 

 which is formed for piercing and sucking, and en- 

 ables it to find its food in the juices of plants and ani- 

 mals. The numbers of the.se disgusting insects is so 

 great in some seasons, that the air is tainted with their 

 loathsome smell — proving an intolerable annoyance to 

 the harvestmen when reaping. 



The Hessian fly (Cccidonia destructor) is supposed 

 to have been imported into America in the year 1776 

 by the Hessian troops sent over by the British govern- 

 ment from Germany, and is, tlierefore, one of the pre- 

 cious gifts bestowed upon that country by the wrong- 

 headcduess of George the Third. They first appeared 

 in that year in Staten Island ; from whence they gra- 

 dually spread themselves, at the rate of fifteen or 

 twenty miles a year, over the old States, and in 1816 

 reached Lower Canada, where they committed great 

 ravages. They disappeared in that i)rovince in 1830, 

 and were not seen in force again until 184(3, from which 

 time they have taken up a permanent standing. 



It is unnecessary to give a description of this insect, 

 which is too well known in this country to require it. 

 Its habits, however, are of consequence to bo known, in 

 order to point out a remedy. The fly lays its eggs on 

 the young leaves of the autumnal-sown wheat, and 

 sometimes in the spring also. About thirty of those 

 are deposited on the upper side of the blade. In a week 

 they are hatched, if the weather bo mild. The maggot, 

 when clear of the shell, passes down the blade to 

 the first joint, where it remains until it enters the pupa 

 state. The infected plant in the following spring ap- 

 pears withered, and its foliage straw-coloured. This is 

 occasioned by the insect sucking away the juices, which 

 would otherwise supply nourishment to the shoot. It 

 is at the crown of the root, where is the base of the 

 sheath, that the autumnal brood of the fly must be 

 sought for. It is remarkable that the maggot does not 

 make any apparent incision in the stem of the plant, 

 and must therefore draw the nourishment by suction 



