joint of the stem. When fully grown these larve harden and turn brown, re- 
sembling “ flax-seeds” in shape and colour, and in this stage are well-known to 
observant furmers. The tiny smoky-winged midges themselves, the parents of 
the destructive maggots, appear in April or May, and again in August, but are 
seldom noticed, except by entomologists, as they are so excessively minute, and 
require a lens for their identification. The eggs are scarlet in colour and are laid 
inside the leaves of the food plant. The most effective remedies for this pest are 
(1). The late sowing of fall wheat; if this is postponed till about the last week in 
September the winged Hessian fly is gone before the young plant is sufficiently 
matured to receive its eggs; (2) The careful burning of all screenings and other 
refuse from the threshing mill; this will ensure the destruction of large quantities 
of the insect in the “ flax-seed ” state. It is well to do this whether the Hessian - 
fly is known to be present or not; (3). The burning of the stubble after the 
crop has been removed ; but if this is not practicable, it is well that the field 
should be harrowed in order to cause any fallen grain to grow at once and make 
what is called a “volunteer crop.” This will be attacked by the fly asa suitable 
place for the deposit of the autumn eggs, and the brood thus producod can be 
readily destroyed by a later plowing after the maggots are hatched out; (4) If 
a field is found to be infested, care should be taken to have such a rotation of 
crops that neither wheat, rye nor barley should be grown upon the same ground 
for at least another year; (5). Good cultivation and plenty of manure will pro- 
duce a strong, healthy growth and enable many a plant to survive an attack 
that would be fatal to a less vigorous one. 
I have trespassed upon your patience to mention these well-known remedies 
because the subject is of such vast importance, and constant iteration is required 
in order that our farmers may be made familiar with the methods of treatment 
that have been found most satifactory. While much can be done to ward off the. 
evil by an intelligent employment of these remedies, it is cheering to know that 
we do not entirely depend upon them for immunity, but that there are several 
minute parasitic insects which prey upon the Hessian-fly in its different stages, 
and in many instances prevent it from becoming a serious injury. During a recent 
visit to the central experimental farm at Ottawa, Mr. Fletcher showed me a nnm- 
ber of plants of barley that were attacked by the Hessian-fly, but in nearly 
every one that we pulled up we found a parasitic insect closely associated with the 
enemy and evidently doing good wor‘k in its destruction. 
Another insect that has been attacking grain in many parts of the Province 
is the Grain Aphis (Siphonophora avene, Fab.) As everyone who is in the least 
degree observant must be familiar with the appearance and habits of plant-lice, 
it is unnecessary to enter into any description of this insect here; it will suffice 
to say that it is found of different colours, green, black, yellow or red, and that 
it attacks first the leaves of the plant and then the flowers and tender young 
grain, often causing very serious damage. This year it has appeared in many 
localities in Ontario, but it was at once attacked by its insect enemies, notably 
by the larvee and beetles of various species of “ Lady birds” (Coccvnellide), the 
grubs of Syrphus flies, and the Aphidiws—a four-winged parasitic fly. These 
natural enemies speedily reduced the numbers of the plant-lice and prevented 
their attack from becoming serious. 
Cut-worms, the larvee of several species of night-flying moths, Fig. 2, (Agrotis, 
Hadena, Mamestra) have been abundant in all parts of the country, and especi- 
ally injurious in gardens, but on the whole their attack has been much less 
serious than last year. This may perhaps be accounted for by the character of 
Lies 
