THE WHEAT MIDGE. 79 



The following notice of its progress contains some facts and ob- 

 servations both interesting and valuable : 



" To account for this (the low average of the crop) it must be 

 observed that the weevil (wheat midge) has been very destruct- 

 ive, having been two years in the county, and in its journey west- 

 ward has reached about the centre of our western tier of town- 

 ships ; some few instances have occurred of itshaving been found 

 beyond that limit. We cannot but expect that next year it will 

 be still more destructive ; one fact, however, is well established, 

 that in early situations, on early spots, where the seed was sowed 

 early, there was little or no weevil (wheat midge.) In low, damp, 

 late situations, and where late sown, it has been extremely de- 

 structive, especially in the eastern part of the country, where it 

 first appeared. This important fact ought to be well remem- 

 bered by our neighbours to the west of us, where they will have 

 it undoubtedly in a very short time, and exertions ought to be 

 used by them to sow early, and early kinds of seed, to drain the 

 land well, and make small ridges, and otherwise expedite the 

 growth as much as possible. The early sowed sole wheat es- 

 caped last year, in many instances, in the very centre of the 

 weevil's destructive ravages. The maggot is generated from a 

 fly blow deposited in the blossom by a very small greyish fly, 

 with a small stripe of orange down the back, and it is most busy 

 when the wheat is in full blossom, about the first of July.(i^ 



138. In the Canadian Census Report for 1851, we find the 

 following remarks on the progress and destructiveness of the 

 wheat midge in certain counties of Upper Canada during this 

 and the following year. They are from the pen of the able 

 Secretary of the Board of Registration and Statistics, William 

 Hutton, Esq., whose experience, position and practical know- 

 lege, confer the highest value upon his views and statements : 

 (1) Prize Report, county of Hastings, 1852. W. Hutton, Esq. 



