92 CORN AND GRASS. 



invitinrj grass ; invariahhj, so far as I see Alopecuriis. One 

 alighted upon the stalk, ran rapidly up it until it readied tlie 

 bead, and there remained contentedly." — (E. B.) 



These maggots were orange-red, of various depths of colour, 

 and they varied also in form of the anchor process, and also 



in this process being sometimes 

 either not present or not observ- 

 able. The Midges which were 

 reared by Mr. Baillie were ex- 

 amined for me by Mr. Pi.H. Meade, 

 ^ of Bradford, who stated the insect 



belonged to the Cecidomyia, sub- 



F„L«"«Lf tggSri ll g<^"".«, ^'>''.«'^. H- L. W and he 

 Wheat Midge maggot. considered it was probably a new 



or undescribed species. The spe- 

 cimens sent might possibly bo small varieties of C. tritici, 

 but as all that were sent were females the kind could not be 

 determined with certainty. * 



Prevention and Eejiedies. — The best method for preven- 

 tion of this "Bed Maggot" is to give it no winter shelter, 

 which is naturally at the roots of the Corn crops or of Couch 

 (and possibly some other) grasses; artificially in large chaff- 

 heaps. The chaff-heaps and the rubbish and dust from the 

 threshing-machine can be easily managed ; and in the fields a 

 great deal of the Bed Maggot may be got rid of by special 

 methods of ploughing, or by taking the cultivator through the 

 land, and collecting and burning the stubble-roots. 



In Canada, when this maggot was especially hurtful, it was 

 considered a complete cure to turn down the surface of the 

 field with the Michigan plough, which, with the first turn- 

 furrow, takes off about two inches of the surface, together with 

 the weeds and stubble, and the insect-vermin in the roots, and 

 deposits them at the bottom of the furrow ; whilst the second 

 turn-furrow raises another land-slice, and, depositing it over 

 the previous one, buries it several inches deep. If the course 

 of agriculture allowed this to be left untouched till after the 

 usual time of appearance of the Wheat Midge in the following 

 year, it was found to completely destroy the maggot. 



In our own case, such ploughing and working of the surface 

 might be effected by having a skim-coulter attached to the 

 plough (see also p. 86), constructed in such a manner as 

 would cut and lay an inch or two of the surface in the bottom 

 of the preceding furrow, thereby burying the Bed Maggots to 

 such a depth as would render their coming to the surface (or 

 being brought to it by after cultivation) very improbable ; or 



* ' Eighth Eeport of Observations of Injurious Insects,' by E. A. Ornierod. 



