72 OUR FARM CROPS. 



papers in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, 

 on the subject, contributed by Mr. Curtis, and now pub- 

 lished in an enlarged and separate form, 1 are worthy of 

 the consideration of every one engaged in agriculture, as 

 they comprise well-nigh all that is known respecting the 

 nature and habits of these minute, though formidable 

 enemies. Before, however, we take the insects proper 

 into consideration, we must describe a form of disease 

 peculiar to the wheat plant, which is the result, not of ve- 

 getable, but of animal action, and this comes within this 

 section of our subject. This peculiar form of disease is 

 that known by the names, f ear- cockle," "pepper-brand," 

 or " purples," names given to it from the changed appear- 

 ance of the ear and grain of the plant attacked by it. The 

 disease attacks the grain itself. The infected grains in 

 the first stage turn dark-green, and then a purplish-black, 

 assuming gradually a rounded shape resembling a pepper- 



1. Infected grain in the ear. 2. Vibrio, magnified. 3. Egg with worm in 

 it. 4. Diseased grain, magnified. 5. Diseased grain divided, showing worms 

 and eggs. 



corn, but generally with one or more deep furrows 011 the 

 surface (fig. 4). The husks of the chaff spread open, and 



1 Farm Insects, being the Natural History and Economy of the Insects 

 injurious to the Field Crops, and also those which infest Barns and Granaries. 

 Blackie & Son, Glasgow and London. 



