An uncommon infestation of the pods of rape was communi- 

 cated by Mr. W. C. Little, of Stag's Holt, March, who forwarded 

 several rape pods on the llth of June, containing very small 

 white maggots with yellow streaks, on their bodies, which soon 

 pupated. On the 29th of June, tiny gnats came forth, proving 

 to be Cecidomyia brassicce (Winnertz). Schiner says of this 

 that its larvae are found in the seed pods of several species of 

 brassicse. 



Very great injury was sustained by oat plants from the 

 minute larvae of the Frit fly, Oscinis Frit. Much of the work 

 of this insect, it is believed, was wrongly attributed to the lateness 

 of the sowing on account of the wet spring. The backward 

 state of the plants, and their slow growth, however, favoured 

 the action of this fly, and enabled it to increase and multiply in 

 an unprecedented ratio. 



Among aphides the chief workers of mischief were the Corn, 

 Turnip, and Hop aphides. The first was very prevalent in most 

 parts of Great Britain, and reduced the quantity and deteriorated 

 the quality of wheat in a most unusual degree. Though the 

 Turnip aphis did comparatively small harm, the Hop aphis 

 was present in the hop grounds of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hants 

 almost throughout the season in great numbers, and the hop 

 crop, as a rule, was only saved by persistent costly washings of 

 the plants with quassia and soft soap solutions. These aphides 

 have been regular annual visitors in the hop plantations for several 

 years in succession, and " washing " the plants has become a part 

 of the ordinary routine of hop production. The Hop aphis 

 appeared two years since in the hop yards of Washington 

 Territory, Oregon, California, and other noted hop-producing 

 districts in the extreme west of the United States, much to 

 the dismay of American hop producers. 



Among less important injuries to crops during the year, those 

 caused to ripening hops by a maggot in the stem of the cones 

 may be cited. From observation it seems that the plants upon 

 poor, dry, and high spots as well as the outsides of hop grounds, 

 are most subject to this infestation. Upon examination it is 

 found on picking a hop with indications of premature ripening, 

 that the stem is tunnelled and occupied by very small white 

 maggots, the cause of the evil. As late as the first week in 

 October, cones that were left upon young hop plants were found 

 with white maggots within their stems, which tends to show that 

 there is more than one brood of this insect. These maggots 

 when placed upon earth in a box quickly buried themselves in 

 it, and it is hoped that perfect insects may come from these and 

 be identified in the spring. 



The Currant Mite, Phytoptus ribis is causing great injury to 

 black currant bushes, which becomes more serious each year. A 

 new species of Phytoptus has been discovered in the buds of 

 raspberry canes. This has been termed Phytoptus rubi. 



