Observations on the Wheat- Moth. 123 



Upon the whole, I would not undertake to say, that 

 any difference can be observed relative to soil. 



We have not been acquainted with them a suffi- 

 cient length of time, to mark the effects of seasons. 

 I have already observed, that the insect is not seen in 

 the fields at any time previous to, or during, harvest. 

 From this, it would appear, that the egg is not depo- 

 sited in the grain during its unripe state. A variety 

 of circumstances corroborate this opinion, but as 

 many oppose it. I shall here mention such facts as 

 I have obtained from good authority. 



One of our neighbours, finding his wheat likely to 

 suffer, packed a quantity of it in a large cask, and 

 carefully covered it. Some time after, when he un- 

 covered it, he perceived about eight or ten of the 

 moths on the surface of the wheat, but not deeper. 

 At every uncovering, the number increased, but did 

 not essentially injure the grain; while the grain un- 

 covered was very considerably damaged. A large 

 quantity of wheat was kept in a granary, about nine 

 months, without the least appearance of the insect. 

 They, then, began gradually to appear, and, in a short 

 time, became so numerous, as to oblige the owner to 

 have it ground. 



One load of wheat was taken from the field of one 

 of my neighbours, and stacked at about half a mile dis- 

 tance from his grain, or any other grain. This stacked 

 grain was not, at all, affected by the moth, while his 

 other grain was very much injured. A quantity of 



