12 THE REPOKT OF THE No. 36 



Attacking Field Crops. 



The Hessian Fly (Mayetiola destructor, Say) was conspicuously present in 

 wheat fields in the district. In 1909 no trace of it could be detected in fields where 

 it did noticeable injury in 1908. During the past season large numbers of broken- 

 down straws were seen in the middle of July, and all examined contained the well- 

 known " flax seeds." In one plot on the Central Experimental Farm fully 10 per 

 cent, of the plants were infested. The " flax seeds " were just above the first and 

 second joints of the stems. I 



The 'Greater Wheat-stem Maggot {Meromyza americana, Fitch) again 

 attacked many of the varieties of wheat in the plots on the Central Experimental 

 Farm, but as in 1909, the infestation was not serious. The so-oalled " silver-tops," 

 OT " dead heads," were easily detected in July. The larvae were full grown about 

 the middle of the month. The insect was present in larger numbers in the varieties 

 of Durum and Emmer wheats. 



Cutworms. The Red-backed Cutworm (Paragrotis ochrogaster, Gn.) and 

 the Greasy Cutworm {Agrotis ypsilon, Rott.) were responsible for much damage 

 throughout the Ottawa district. Rows of young beets were entirely destroyed, 

 radishes were_freely attacked, and young cabbages and cauliflowers were cut off soon 

 after planting out. In larger fields many mangels were rendered useless. The 

 cutworms were present in particularly large numbers in the first week of June. 



"White Grubs were reported as doing some injury, especially to potatoes. A 

 friend of mine, living at Meach Lake, lost many of his potatoes from the work of 

 these larvse, which ate into them, making large holes and rendering them useless. 



Wireworms were also destructive in the district. On one farm, a few miles 

 from Ottawa, land Which had been in sod fox many years was used for growing 

 celery. Just recently the ovvmer of the place mentioned to me that his celery 

 plants had been practically all destroyed by the wireworms. 



Some injury by the Clover Root-borer (Hylastinus ohscurus, Marsh.) was 

 observed on July 14th. At this time the larvse were nearly full grown; at one 

 place they had done a good deal of barm to Red Clover. The Green Cloyer 

 Weevil {Phytonomus nigrirostris. Fab.) was also present in injurious numbers in 

 the district. The work of the larvae was very apparent towards the end of June. 

 On 29th June some mature larvse were collected; these spun their pretty little 

 cocoons soon afterwards, and the beetles emerged on July 9th; at this date larvse 

 were still to be found. 



The Turnip Flea Beetle {Phyllotreta vittata, Fab.) was noticed to be very 

 abundant on young turnips and radishes, particularly the former, on May 27th. 

 These small, very active, shining black beetles are responsible for much damage, but 

 they can be controlled by dusting the plants with Paris green and flour, or Paris 

 green and land plaster, one pound of the former to 20 lbs. of the latter. 



Root Maggots. During the present year these very destructive insects have 

 been extremely abundant in eastern Ontario. On the Central Experimental Farm 

 the Radish or Cabbage Maggot destroyed radishes, cabbages and cauliflowers. 

 Onions on the Farm were not attacked by the Onion Maggot, but in my own garden 

 in the city about half of my onions were infested. The Corn-'seed Maggot (Phorhia 

 fusciceps, Zett.) did a good deal of injury to beans. In some fields examined 

 towards the end of June, where pea beans had been planted, it was seen that the 

 maggots first attacked the cotyledons, but as the plants grew and these were pushed 

 up above the ground the maggots left them, and, in most plants examined, entered 

 the stem, mostly near the roots. In some oases, however, the maggots had bur- 



