162 



TRANSACTION'S OF THE 



The plowing should be from the 15th of October to the 20th November^ 

 when the earth is so cold as to bring the larvae to an active state. The 

 furrow should not be less than seven inches deep, and nine or ten would 

 be better. 



If the ground is so wet as to be adhesive, so much the better, the fur- 

 row slice should be broken as little as possible, and laid within the last 

 track of the plow so as to lap as little as may be. 



A roller should be passed over the ground in the same direction with 

 the plow, to force down such furrow slices as were not laid flat by the plow. 

 In case any of the furrows should lap, a light scraper, such as used to fill 

 the ruts in the highways, should be drawn over it, the blade oblique so as 

 to move the dirt to the right and fill up the trenches. Following this with 

 a roller would be useful. 



If this work is thoroughly done, the field may be sowed broadcast the 

 following spring, with spring wheat or oats, harrowing or cultivating not 

 more than 2| or 3 inches deep, and then rolling. 



As it is uncertain how long the larvjB can lie in the ground in a torpid 

 state, at the depth of five or six inches, and then be reanimated on being 

 brought to the surface, it would be safest not to plow again until it had 

 laid through tAvo winters, and whenever plowed it should be as late as 

 July, 60 that if the larvae should be reanimated and get upon the wing, 

 they would find no wheat fields suited to their wants.* 



To accomplish this work, there must be perfect concert of action with 

 the farmers over a considerable extent of territory. Should they not with 

 alacrity unite in any numbers necessary to defend themselves against an 

 enemy that is taking the bread from our mouths, and the money by millions 

 from our pockets ? 



It would be convenient to make the experiment in some locality where a 

 district is bounded on one or more sides by water or an extensive forest. 

 The county of Seneca, lying between two lakes, is well adapted to the 

 purpose. But the attempt should be made in every county and every town 

 in the State, where the insect exists. The object is of much importance, 

 and the cost trifling. The stubble of no wheat or barley field where the 

 insect has shown itself this year, should pass the winter without the deep 

 and thorough plowing and other treatment above given. 



•Dr. Fitch, in the Rural New Yorker, Jan'y, 1856, says some of these maggots remain in 

 the heads of the wheat, and are carried in great quantities to the barn, and are separated 

 from the grain with the straw and chafF. 



If the straw and chaff are housed and kept dry, the insect will probably dry up and nerer 

 get upon the wing. If the chaff holding them is carefully preserved and fed to cattle or 

 sheep, the process of mastication or digestion would probably destroy them. But a certain 

 and probably the safest course, would be to remove all the straw or chaff holding them to a 

 safe place and burn it. Great care in all cases should be taken to sweep the floor and scrape 

 the ground where they fall, that none should escape. Should these precautions be omitted 

 and the maggots get into the manure in the barn-yard, they m.ay easily be destroyed by heap- 

 Jhg up the manure early in the spring with sufficient wet straw to bring on a rapid fermenta- 

 tion, when heat enough will be produced to destroy the vitality of the maggot, or force it on 

 to the wing before nature has provided any •' green thing" for it to lay the eggs upon. 



