174 SKETCHES OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 



selected by a very small four-winged black fly, called an 

 ichneumon, as a place in which to deposit its eggs. In 

 July and August the ichneumon busily explores the 

 wheat-ears, and when it finds one infested with these 

 caterpillars, it insinuates itself between the chaff, pierces 

 the body of the caterpillar by means of a sharp point at 

 its tail, and deposits a single egg in every one it is able 

 to reach. In a short time this egg is hatched, and a 

 minute maggot begins to feed on the internal parts of 

 the caterpillar. In this way the ichneumon effects the 

 destruction of a vast number of caterpillars, and is the 

 instrument in saving a large portion of the crop. There 

 are three kinds of ichneumon which ply this useful task 

 of destroying the caterpillars of the wheat-midge. The 

 chrysalis of the wheat-midge often lies secreted during 

 winter among the chaff, and it has been suggested that 

 multitudes might be destroyed by burning or scalding 

 the chaff after the grain has been threshed out. 



In addition to the insects already named, there is the 

 destructive wire-worm, which continues in the larva 

 state for two or three years, and is busily at work 

 during nearly the whole of that period feeding on the 

 roots of plants. Where wheat is sown upon clover leys, 

 old pastures newly broken up, or pea and bean stubbles, 

 it is often attacked by this insect, and sadly wasted by 

 it. The wire-worm is the grub of an insect called the 

 click-beetle, from the power it has of springing to a con- 

 siderable distance with a clicking sound. As a grub, 

 this insect is of a long worm-like form, and tough skin, 

 and of a deep yellow colour, except the head, which is 

 brown. Diligent hand-picking has been successful in 

 getting rid of this creature when it infested turnips ; 

 as many as fifty worms having been found in a single 

 turnip. Hand-picking is, also, perhaps the best method 

 when wheat is attacked ; but other remedies have been 

 suggested, such as the sowing of white mustard-seed in 

 the infected field, orthe burying of slices of potato fixed on 

 ske^Yers, which are pulled up at intervals and the worms 



