88 CORN AND GRASS. [1899 



Regarding the precise use of this process, called now the "sternal 

 spatnle," or " breast-bone," there has beau much speculation, and it 

 is now considered by Prof. Osborn that the opinion which is best 

 supported is that the " spatule " is used by the larva to reverse its 

 position in the puparium, so that, whereas the larva rests at first with 

 its head downward and toward the roots of the plant, it rests after 

 turning with its head upward and toward the upper part of the plant. — 

 (H. 0.) On this matter I do not feel qualified to offer an opinion ; 

 but, reasoning by analogy, my views have leaned towards it possibly 

 having uses as a scraper, or digger, as in microscopic investigation of 

 the larvns of one of our Willow CecidoniijicB it certainly appeared to me 

 that I found minute amount of woody matter attached to the free head 

 of the "breast-bone," giving the idea of this differently shaped free 

 end being of service in making its way in the harder material. This, 

 however, is merely a conjecture of my own. 



Prevention and Remedies. — As the attack (as a practical evil) 

 seems to have almost entirely passed away from among us, there 

 appears no occasion to enter on preventive measures, which are as 

 a general thing quite uncalled for, but of which the details are 

 thoroughly well known and accessible if needed. 



Amongst these, however, there is one method of treatment which 

 in this country we apply for the most part so customarily in the regular 

 process of our agricultural arrangements, that it may be well to allude 

 to it, and this is the date of sowing of our autumn Wheat. In U.S.A. 

 practice, where "fall" or autumn Wheat sowing runs earlier than 

 with us, it has been especially recommended that sowing should not 

 take place until after the 20th of September in the northern States ; 

 the date of course varies in different countries according to differences 

 in temperature, but commonly with us Wheat is not sown until danger 

 of infestation from Hessian Fly is past. 



In ordinary natural circumstances the life of the flies is very short, 

 and considered not to extend beyond a few days, and if in this short 

 time there are no plants at hand for egg deposit on which the maggots 

 can feed, this is an enormously important measure of prevention. It 

 not only is the saving of the crop, which might wholly or partially 

 have perished in young state, but it lessens the attacks of the year by 

 preventing occurrence of the winter generation. 



One other highly important point which should always be borne in 

 mind by those who find their crops of Wheat or Barley suffering under 

 attack of Hessian Fly in summer is that after threshing all the infested 

 chaff or light screenings should be burnt or soaked, or in some way 

 thoroughly destroyed. 



In the valuable Bulletin on Hessian Fly by Prof. Herbert Osborn, 



