64 



THE REPORT OF THE 



No. 19 



Fig. 'is. — J^ea Aphis, gTeatly magnifie<l. 



At that time, the whole country and all vegetation 

 was as dry and burnt up, even the foliage of forest 

 trees, as in a dry September in ordinary years. 

 On the 11th June in the Ottawa district, how- 

 ever, regular rains began, and at the end of the 

 season hay crops were almost up to the average, 

 and pastures in excellent condition. Peas 

 grown for fodder, either alone or in mixed crops, 

 were somewhat injured in the western part 

 of the Province by the Pea Aphis fFig. 23). 

 This was most noticed on the Grass Pea and Field Peas which were held back from maturing 

 by the cool damp summer. 



The Clover-seed Midge {Cecidomyia leguminicola, Lintn.) was the most destructive enemy 

 of fodder crops this year and occurred pretty well throughout the Prov-nce. Where clover 

 wad grown for seed, except in Simcoe county and northern localities, very little was reaped, 

 and, even where the clover was grown for hay, the heads were distorted and poorly developed. 

 Those growers who followed the recommendations which have been made, reaped far better 

 crops than those who were less provident. The remedies consist of feeding off with stock, or 

 cutting and drawing from the field the first crop of clover, before the 20th of June, which is 

 the time when the larvae of the first brood mature and leave the clover heads to enter the 

 ground and complete their changes. The perfect insects which lay the eggs for the second 

 brood, appear just as the second crop of clover is coming into flower, when they lay their eggs 

 amongst the forming blossoms ; the small red maggots then penetrate the pod and destroy the 

 seed. Just before the time for the seed to ripen, these leave the clover and enter the ground, 

 where they pass the winter to emerge again the folhjwing June as tiny gnats, which lay their 

 eggs in theclover heads before the flowers open. By the feeding off or cutting of the first crop 

 of clover, the whole of the first brood of larvfe in a field is destroyed before they leave the 

 heads, and the second crop from which the seed is reaped, is comparatively free of attack. 

 At the present time, cooperation among growers in adopting this well tried method is a 

 manifest necessity, if there is any hope of growing clover seed for the market in those dis- 

 tricts best suited to its production. 



White Grubs, the larva^ of various species of May Beetles ( Fig. 24.), did some damage 

 in fields of fodder corn and in hay meadows, and two reports were receiv»^d of serious jnjury to 



lawns, where the grubs occurred in such 

 numbers that the sod could be rolled up like a 

 carpet, the whole of the roots having been 

 eaten away. In the case of meadows and 

 field crops, little can be done at the time the 

 insects are noticed ; but, on lawns, if the injury 

 has not gone too far, copious waterings with 

 kerosene emulsion are effective. As a rule, 

 in a short time the grass will recover ; but it is 

 always advisable to^help it with some more seed 

 and a light top-dressing of nitr-ite of soda, used in 

 the proportion of 1 pound to the square rod, 

 that is about 160 pounds to the acre. If the 

 lawn is small, the most convenient way to apply 

 the nitrate of soda is to dissolve it in water, 



24.— White Grubs : 1, pupa ; 2, larva ; 3 and 4, beetles. 1 pound in 5 gallons, and apply it With a 



