almost appear that some belonged to a different species. It has a 

 short rostrum, or beak, red eyes, blackish legs, and long brown 

 cornicles. 



The winged egg-laying female is not developed until late 

 in the season, or when the food supply fails. It is not 

 known where the eggs are placed, but probably upon grasses 

 in the neighbourhood of the infested wheat fields. Although 

 this insect cannot fly far, or strongly, proprio motu, it 

 may be carried long distances by the wind. There seems to be 

 no doubt that, as in the case of many other aphides, the 

 viviparous larvre hibernate and bring forth broods of larva) 

 directly the weather is favourable. American entomologists 

 have found the larvae of the Aphis avence, a closely allied 

 insect, at the roots of wheat plants during the winter. But, as 

 Mr. Buckton says, " Up to the present time no satisfactory 

 answer has been given as to what becomes of the Wheat 

 aphis in the winter months, neither do we know where the 

 female deposits her eggs." It is suggested that it places 

 them in the autumn upon grasses as cocksfoot, couch grass, the 

 Poas, Holcus lanatus, Bromus mollis, and others, specified by 

 Kaltenbach as being infested by this insect. 



In the early stages of the wheat plant the aphis is found 

 near the stems of the growing plants, from which it sucks up 

 the sap. At this time the numbers are few, and the harm 

 caused is comparatively small, but when the ear appears, its 

 sweet juices cause the aphides to increase with marvellous 

 rapidity after the manner of their kind. In many of the 

 infested wheat fields the ears were literally swarming with 

 aphides in all stages, and it seemed almost impossible that they 

 could produce grain of the slightest value. 



METHODS OF PREVENTION AND REMEDIES. 



When the wheat ears are out, and that is thn time when the 

 presence of the aphides is generally first discovered, it is 

 obviously too late to adopt any remedies. Where observation 

 in the winter, or spring, has shown that aphides are present 

 upon the blades of the wheat plants, dressings of soot, lime, 

 soot and lime mixed, or guano, might check their progress. 

 If there are quantities of the insects present it might answer 

 to dress the plants with a soft soap and quassia mixture, of 

 5 or 6 Ibs. of soft soap, and the extract of 7 or 8 Ibs. of quassia, 

 to 100 gallons of water, put on with a Strawsonizer. Harrowing 

 and rolling with a ring roller before the wheat plant was too 

 high would interfere materially with the aphides. Feeding off 

 with sheep would be remedial, where the state of the plants and 

 the condition and nature of the land allowed this to be done. 



After an attack of aphides the wheat stubble should be scari- 

 fied or cultivated, and the rubbish burnt, or the land should at 

 once be deeply ploughed. If the succeeding crop is to be tares, 

 trifolium, potatoes, turnips, or mangels, thorough cleaning and 

 destruction of couch and other grasses would be sufficient. A 



