1847.] Insects Injurious to Vegetation. 21 



varieties of western New York, withstands the attack of the fly 

 better than any of the other kinds there in use. For a full account 

 of it, see Gen. Harmon's paper in the Trans. JV. Y. State Jlgric. 

 Soc, 1843, p. 217. In conclusion of this branch of our subject, 

 we would observe, that we should by no means be solicitous of 

 procuring any variety of wheat, merely because of its fly proof 

 qualities, believing as we do, that in all ordinary visitations of 

 the fly, other measures are a suificient safeguard. If vigor of root 

 firmness of stalk, and rapidity of growth, are, as would appear, the 

 points which render these varieties fly proof, a fertile soil will 

 certainly go far towards imparting to most other varieties the same 

 quality. 



7. Steeps for the seed. — These have been recommended with a 

 two-fold view. 1st. To destroy the eggs; decoction of elder, juice 

 of elder, boiling water, &c. These assume the erroneous position 

 that the eggs of the fly are deposited upon the grain; it is mani- 

 fest therefore that they can be of no utility. 2d. To insure a quick 

 and vigorous growth of the young plant. Where sowing is de- 

 ferred until late in the season, it may be judicious to resort to some 

 measure of this kind to stimulate the seed to a more speedy and 

 rapid germination and growth. In Carey's Museum, (vol. xii., 

 p. 182,) an experiment of a Poughkeepsie farmer is related, who 

 had soaked his seed wheat in a solution of saltpetre, four ounces 

 being dissolved in water sufl^icient to wet a bushel. After soaking 

 twenty-four hours, it was spread out and dried twelve hours, and 

 then sowed, so late as the first of November. Early in the following 

 June, this crop is reported as being in advance of neiohboring 

 ones which had been sowed early. This experiment, and others 

 of a similar character, strikingly indicate that it lies much within 

 the compass of human instrumentality to accelerate the growth 

 of vegetation, by measures of this kind. 



8. Oats as a decoy. — It has been recommended, to furnish a 

 crop of young or of " volunteer " oats to the insect, on which to 

 deposit its eggs; and when it has nearly or quite completed this 

 operation, plowing the oats under, thus burying the eggs and lar- 

 vae, and then sowing the wheat upon their graves. To us, this 

 appears only as "a tub to amuse the whale;" or, in other words, 

 an admirable project for wheedling honest " Farmer John " into 

 late sowing, upon an enriched, well pulverized soil. We have 

 no clear evidence that the fly will deposite its eggs upon oats. It 

 certainly will not be inclined to do so if there is any young wheat, 

 barley, or rye in the vicinity to which it can resort. 



9. Wheat as a decoy. — The preceding measure suggests to us 

 another, which is well worthy of the attention of the agriculturist. 

 The facts recorded respecting this insect, clearly show that it is 

 the earliest sowed and most forward fields of grain that are most 



