HESSIAN FLY. 121 



ravages entirely warrants. The accounts of the 

 dreadful havoc it had made in the crops in 

 America caused much alarm in this country. 

 Happily for us, this apprehension was ground- 

 less. The American wheat-midge usually 

 passes under the name of the Hessian fly, be- 

 cause when it was first noticed, the idea pre- 

 vailed that the Hessian troops brought it with 

 them in their straw from Germany. The year 

 1 11^ was the period of its being observed as 

 committing serious devastations. Indeed, such 

 were the injuries it inflicted on the wheat-crops 

 in America, that a question was raised", whether 

 the culture of this grain could be any longer 

 carried on in security. It seems, however, that 

 the work of destruction does not now prevail 

 to a very great degree. Autumn is the season 

 when these attacks commence : no sooner do 

 the plants appear above ground than they are 

 devoured. Frost causes the flies to desist ; but 

 in the genial days of spring they come forth 

 again. They lay their eggs in the interior of 

 the stem, which is so weakened that it cannot 

 support the ear when the gi*ain begins to swell, 

 and consequently the plant falls and perishes. 

 " All the crops," says Mr. Kirby, " as far as 

 it extended its flight, fell before this ravager. 



