66 



flowers, no bigger than a pin's head, and 

 hung on a stalk you can scarce see with 

 the naked eye, depends fructification. Let 

 them be rudely removed, and there will be 

 only chaff and emptiness, howsoever fair the 

 head. The danger will pass quickly. Next 

 week the kernel will be in the milk, with 

 only rust to assail it. That may come if 

 there are hot days and still nights, with warm 

 showers between. In a night, as it were, 

 the red fungus forms on blade and stalk, 

 and sucks up the wholesome juices that 

 should go to feed the head. Then farewell 

 the hope of " buckshot " grain. There may 

 be quantity, but quality will surely be lack- 

 ing. It is pitiful to see failure overtake 

 what promised so fairly. 



More than pitiful if it comes in shape of 

 the army -worm. His visitation is infre- 

 quent once in twenty years or so. When 

 he does come no green thing escapes. He 

 devastates impartially garden hedge -row, 

 corn-field, and thicket; wheat and grass 

 land, though, are his favorite forage. He 

 comes without warning, attacks in solid 

 phalanx, and moves through the field in 

 writhing mass. If the wheat is not head- 

 ed, it never will be. The field is eaten 

 bare. If the straw has strength to turn his 



