1900] WHEAT-BULB FLY. 41 



was informed that the attacked land was at some distance from that 

 subsequently mentioned (see p. 42) by Mr. Alex. Prain, writing from 

 the neighbourhood of Dundee. 



The contributor mentioned that he was sending a few plants of 

 Wheat which contained either a small maggot, or traces of where it 

 had been in the centre of the stem, and further observed : — 



" I have a field seriously damaged, and another which had to be 

 ploughed up entirely destroyed, by this insect. Both fields were sown 

 in the autumn after Potatoes, the land being worked in a seven rotation, 

 namely, Barley, Grass (two years), Oats, Potatoes, Wheat, Turnips. 

 The season was most favourable for putting in the seed, the land being 

 ploughed and pressed ; the latter, although not necessary, as the land 

 is of a hard nature on red sandstone, was done with the idea that it 

 might prevent the ravages of the worm. 



" The seed was steeped with ' Down's Farmer's Friend,' and the 

 braid looked exceedingly well up to the middle of January. It then 

 appeared to give way, and ten days ago scarcely a plant could be seen 

 in the field. Every year a field, or part, is destroyed in the same way 

 on this farm." 



On careful examination of the specimens forwarded, I found, both 

 from the condition of the young plants which had been attacked, and 

 also by the appearance of the maggots which were still to be found, 

 that the infestation was that of H. cuarctata, popularly known as the 

 " Wheat-bulb Fly." 



A few days later — that is, May 4th — I received another application 

 under the signature of W. W., by favour of the editor of ' Farm, Field, 

 and Fireside,' with the following observation : — 



" I herewith send you some plants of Wheat with a kind of white 

 maggot in the middle of the stems near the roots ; also a few in small 

 box which I have taken from Wheat plants. These pests are doing 

 very great damage. I shall feel greatly obliged if you will tell me : 

 (1) what they are ; (2) how they are generated; (3) how to prevent 

 them ; (4) how to stop or check their ravages." — (W. W.) 



The specimens sent proved (similarly to those above noticed) to be 

 larvse (maggots) of the Wheat-bulb Fly, and, together with the de- 

 scriptions, showed bad presence of this attack. The specimen plants 

 were about seventeen in number, and about half of these, measuring 

 about five inches in length, showed the fat hearty maggots, for the 

 most part about a quarter of an inch long, lying within the stem at 

 the base. The remainder of the plants, with hardly any exception, 

 showed signs of the maggots having been feeding within them, of 

 which a few had escaped into the box. 



The following note of attack of what proved on investigation (like 

 those before mentioned) to be of the Wlieat-bulb Maggot (larva of 



