WHEAT. 97 



rery easily attracted by light, and this propensity 

 has been taken advantage of for their destruction m 

 great numbers. When they appear in the summer, 

 it is most commonJy but for a few days, on the even- 

 ing of which, by kindhng large fires of brush, sha- 

 vings, &e., all the bugs of the vicinity will be at- 

 tracted by the light, and perish in the flames. 

 Thousands may be destroyed in this way, and thus 

 new deposites of eggs in the soil be prevented. 



But the insects that attack the wheat while grow- 

 ing and in the ear, are by far the most formidable 

 enemies of that grain which the farmer is com- 

 pelled to encounter ; and of these, two are the most 

 conspicuous, and have made themselves known 

 and dreaded wherever they have appeared by their 

 frightful ravages, viz., the Hessian-fly, the Tipult 

 tritici of Linn, and Mitchell ; tlie Cecidomia or Ceci— 

 doijiyia destructor of Kirby and vSwainson ; and the 

 wheat-fly, the Cecidomia tritici of the later writers. 

 The Hessian-fly has been known in this country for 

 more than half a century, and has at times destroyed 

 entirely, in many places, the wheat-crop, so as to 

 leave nothing for harvesting. This fly deposites its 

 eggs in the young grain, both in the fall and spring, 

 near the joints of the root, within the leaf. Here 

 the worm is hatched, and preys on the juices of the 

 tender stalk ; and, when they are numerous, the 

 plants turn yellow and die from this abstraction of 

 sap. The larvae remain in the ground over the win- 

 ter, and assume the form of the perfect or winged 

 insect in May, or in season to depdsite their eggs in 

 spring grain. As they undergo two transformations 

 within the year, no effectual method of destroying 

 them has yet been discovered ; though it has lately 

 been said that feeding the plants as close as possi- 

 ble to the ground, if the insect is discovered in the 

 fall, will save the field from their ravages. Sheep 

 are the best for this purpose, as tliey gnaw the plants 

 close, and their feet injure the roots less than other 



