66 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. [March^ 



country, his ravages were extensive and alarming ; but his ap- 

 pearance is now of comparatively rare occurrence. Two broods 

 are hatched in the course of the year. Late planting, both in 

 respect to winter and spring wheat, seemed sometimes to carry 

 the wheat beyond the time when from the habits of the fly, 

 the plant was most exposed to injury, or when the fly was in 

 a condition to inflict the injury ; but no certain protection 

 against this destructive insect is known. In some of the re- 

 ports, the wheat is stated to have been injured by the Hessian 

 fly ; but I believe in all these cases, from some confusion of 

 names, the grain insect is referred to. 



Grain Insect. — The grain insect, as he is termed, is com- 

 paratively of recent appearance. He has extended his devas- 

 tations very widely over the country. The reports abound 

 with complaints of the injuries produced by him. In the re- 

 port, which I had the honor to submit to the Senate by their 

 order on the subject of Spring Wheat, I referred to this insect ; 

 and notwithstanding luimerous cases of injury to the crops are 

 reported, I am confirmed in the conviction, that a perfect rem- 

 edy is within the reach of the farmers. 



In the year 1835, I had the pleasure of submitting to the 

 agricultural public through the columns of the New York Farm- 

 er, then pubhshed in the city of New York, what I believed 

 one of the most important discoveries ever made ; and whose 

 value must be to the country that of untold millions ; that is, 

 an etfectual security against the ravages of the grain insect. 

 Letters received by me from the interior of New York, Sara- 

 toga, and Rensellaer counties, and from some of the most in- 

 telligent wheat growers in that part of the country, spoke of 

 the ravages of this insect as utterly discouraging ; and expressed 

 their serious apprehensions that the cultivation of this crop 

 must be abandoned until the pest should be stayed. One farm- 

 er in Rensellaer county, who had sowed thirty bushels of 

 wheat, on threshing his crop obtained seven only ; and the re- 

 sult with many others was similar. In a journey afterwards 

 to the head waters of the Connecticut, and thence into the 



