attacked the larvae of Spilosotna virginica Fabr, in the 

 vicinity of Wooster, aiid so nearly exterminated them 

 as to render it difficult to find any number in that 

 locality the following year. 



Empusa spheerosperma (Fres.) is at present de- 

 stroying the larvae of Phytonomus punctatus Fab. 

 Another Empusa, possibly E. Jassi Cohn, had been 

 observed at Columbus, O., affecting Dkdrocephalus 

 moUipes Say. E. aphidis Hoffman, occurred very abun- 

 dantly in the greenhouses at the Experiment Station, 

 while located at Columbus, destroying an undeter- 

 mined aphid infesting lettuce. 



The Evolution Of Indian Corn. By Mrs. W. A. 

 Kellerman. 



(AnsTRACT.) 



The primitive t3'pe of Indian Corn was probably 

 a much branched, grass-like plant, which threw out 

 branches at the base, and at the joints or nodes. Each 

 branch bore both staminate and pistillate flowers, the 

 staminate being superior, or at the extremity of the 

 flower cluster, and the pistillate at the base. The 

 central stem of this flower cluster or primitive tassel, 

 by virtue of its position, gradually drew into itself 

 the energy of the branches. The latter became shorter 

 and eventually developed into the "shank" or foot- 

 stalk of our present ear. The sheaths of leaves became 

 the "husks" or protective covering and the blades were 

 aborted. It is not unusual to find the blade still at- 

 tached to the "husk." The shortening of the nodes of 

 the primitive branches brought the ear closel3' depend- 

 ent upon the main stalk. While this evolution was tak- 

 ing place, the staminate flowers, borne on the branches, 

 were being eliminated, through natural selection, and, 

 from the same cause, the pistillate flowers were here 

 increased, and more highly developed. In like manner 

 the staminate flowers of the "tassel" of the main stalk 



32 



