94 



CORN AND CtRASS. 



enough. If this should be the case with Wheat seed from in- 

 festecl ears it might be remedied by "piclding." 



In the American and Canadian experiments, it has been 

 found of great service so to time the Wheat-sowing that the 

 period of flowering should be clear of that of the appearance 

 of the Wheat Midge. In the uncertain climate of our country 

 any experiments depending on weather are of doubtful use, 

 still the point is worth consideration. We have observations, 

 made in the wet summer of 1879, which show instances of 

 escape of the later ripening Wheats from attack, because time 

 of oviposition of the Midges was gone by before the ears were 

 ready to receive the eggs. 



It is observed by Dr. E. L. Taschenberg* that if when the 

 Midge appears there are no Wheat-ears ready for it, that the 

 Midge will seek the Eye-ear — should both these or the Wheat- 

 ears, which it prefers, fail it, then it will choose the heads of 

 the Couch Grass for deposit of its eggs. Therefore it is desir- 

 able to destroy Couch Grass in the neighbourhood of Corn-land, 

 or even rough mowing, or " skirming " before flowering time, 

 would also do much good ; and the Meadow Foxtail Grass is 

 certainly at present open to suspicion of infestation. 



Corn Sawfly. Cepkus pygmaus, Linn. 



Cei^hus irygmaus, Linn.: 1, 2, Sawfly, magnified, with nat. size; 3, stem 

 containing maggot; 4, 6, maggot, mag. and nat. size ; C, 7, parasite fly, Pachy- 

 merus calcitrator, mag., with nat. size. 



* ' Praktische Insekten Kunde,' pt. iv., p. 16, 



