84 



away ; consequently the corn is safe. We sometimes benefit in this way here [in Eng- 

 land] by accidental circumstances, but we cannot depend on being able to arrange it as 

 in less changeable climates." 



" Our best method of prevention is to destroy the Red Maggot (or the Chrysalis, if 

 it has turned to it) in its winter shelter. Deep plowing, such as will turn infested stubble 

 thoroughly down, will act well, for once deeply buried the Gnat fly either will not develop 

 or cannot come up again. It is not enough considered in these matters that we may by 

 our own common knowledge often guide ourselves. If a weak small grub (so small 

 that we can scarcely see it) has a weight of earth put on it, somewhere about as much as 

 if at least thirty or forty yards deep of earth were placed on one of ourselves, it is very 

 unlikely that, where it is not specially supplied with powers for piercing the ground, it 

 will come up again as a grub ; and the Gnat-Midge, if it does develop, certainly cannot 

 make its way through." 



" This is one of the points that show us how to keep insects in check ; we need often 

 merely to consider just what is before our eyes and act on it. Once down, and left down 

 (for, of course, if we bring the grubs up again by a second equally deep plowing we lose 

 our labor), we have, in all probability, buried the coming attack safely away." 



But while giving such information as this on methods of prevention of insect attacks 

 the authoress distinctly disclaims any intention of making the book a Manual of Economic 

 Entomology, and expressly states that the details of treatment are given in order to impart 

 the principles on which the treatment is based. " There are certain habits," she says ; 

 "certain times when the creature is inactive ; certain treatment which will get rid of it 

 equally in the egg, or the cbry-ialis state, and so on. Therefore, though I hope the 

 short histories may be serviceable for field use further on, yet now these points are 

 entered on chiefly as showing general methods of treatment that we may apply to all 

 similar kinds of attack." 



From the account of the Ox Warble fly {Hypodernia hov'is) we extract the following : 

 *' The yearly loss from this attack is enormous. Firstly, there is the loss on milk, and 

 on many other points of damage consequent on the wild gallop of the cattle when terrified 

 by the fly. Secondly, there is the loss on condition of the infested animal. Every 

 warbled hide is a sign of so much out of the farmer's jiocket, for the food he spent in 

 feeding grubs in his cattle's backs, which should have goiie to form m^at and milk, 

 instead of being wasted in foul maggot-sores. Thirdly, there is the loss falling mainly on 

 the butchers, consequent on damage to surface of carcase known as 'licked beef ' or ' but- 

 cher's jelly.' Fourthly, there is a great loss on the injured hides." In proof of this she 

 quotes some returns from dealers in hides ; one from Newcastle-on-Tyne states that " in a 

 period of twelve months, 102 877 hides passed through the market; of these 60,000 were 

 warbled. Loss estimated at £15,000." 



" The above loss, in all its details, is wholly unnecessary. By the use of simple 

 measures we have now found, from the experience of our leading farmers, cattle-owners 

 and veterinary sargeons, during about nine yeas, that the attack may to all practical pur- 

 poses be stamped ont." 



" Squeezing out the maggots is a sure method of getting rid of them ; but they may 

 be destroyed easily and without risk by dressing the warble with any thick greasy matter 

 that will choke the breathing pores of the maggot, or poison it by running dosvn into the 

 cell in which it lies and feeds. ... To prevent fly-attack in summer, train-oil rubbed 

 along the spine, and a little on the loins and ribs, has been fonnd useful ; so has the 

 following mixture : 4 oz. flowers of sulphur, 1 gill sjiirits of tar, 1 quart train oil ; to be 

 mixed well together and applied once a-week along each side of the spine of the animal. 

 With both the above applications it has been observed that the cattle so dressed were 

 allowed to graze in peace, without being started off at the tearing gallop so ruinous to 

 flesh, milk, and, in the case of cows in calf, to produce." (The above would, no doubt, 

 prove valuable as deterrents to one new pest, the Horn-fly). 



The fifth and sixth chapters are devoted to Beetles (Coleoptera), and contain a clear 

 outline of their classification with short descriptions and excellent figures of a large num- 

 ber of representative injurious species, and the best modes of dealing with them. 



