8G COBN AND GRASS. 



portant, or iu due season the insect-pest will be likely to hatch 

 out and start new attack. Whether these chrysalids or " flax- 

 seeds " have their vitality destroyed by being swallowed along 

 with the light-grain food of the stock does not appear, but, 

 judging by what happens in other cases, it is at least so far 

 possible as to make the thorough scalding of them very 

 desirable, as well as to kill those which might develop their 

 flies (otherwise) at once. 



Prevention hy ploughing in, or by himiing infested stxihhle. — 

 With regard to such amount of "flax-seeds " as may be left 

 on the land, either on infested stubble or fallen therefrom to 

 the ground, there does not appear to be any way of getting 

 rid of these excepting by such ploughing as will bury them 

 thoroughly down, or by burning the stubble. 



The kind of plough needed is one fitted with a " skim- 

 coulter," or skim-share, which can be fastened to the beam 

 and removed at wall. This chips the surface, so that it can 

 be turned down with the furrow, and would answer well 

 if care was taken that the " skimmed " piece was thoroughly 

 buried doivn. If this is done, the weak little Hessian Flies 

 cannot by any possibility (even if they developed down below) 

 struggle up through the overlying load of earth. But it must 

 be thoroughly done. 



If only common ploughing is done, and the edges of the 

 land- slice left running in ribbons of stubble and weeds ex- 

 posed to air and light, on the back of the previous one, then 

 what "flax-seeds" may be there will be little injured, and 

 will be likely to give out their pests in due season. 



When once turned down the infested land should not be 

 turned up again, until the season for the appearance of the 

 next brood of Hessian Flies has passed, and therefore only 

 crops requiring surface cultivation should be taken from the 

 land. 



Burning infested stidjbles. — Where nothing further can be 

 done, it is at least desirable, directly after harvest, to skim 

 infested stubbles and drag the rubbish and burn it. Thus all 

 of the pest that may be left will be destroyed; and experience 

 has shown that the " flax-seeds " may be found at the ground- 

 level, and at the first knot, as well as at the second knot, and 

 higher yet. 



Where complete firing of the infested stubble can be safely 

 done (and I have myself seen in many cases that this could 

 be carried out) the plan is very desirable. 



But in burning stubble it is not right to let the fire go 

 wildly as the wind may drive. The right way is to fire the 

 field at the borders first. Thus there is only a slight warmth 

 at first, and a line of fire quite under control near the hedges. 



