126 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



assumes the form of the Hessian fly so much dreaded by the 

 American farmer. Very numerous have been the plans 

 proposed to stop or prevent the ravages of this fly ; these 

 possessing no great practical interest to our readers, need 

 not be detailed here, but it will be interesting simply to 

 name them. They are, (1) growing wheat in a fertile soil, 

 or making soils, otherwise poor, rich with judicious manur- 

 ing ; (2) late sowing of seed ; (3) grazing ; (4) use of the 

 roller ; (5) mowing ; (6) steeping the seed in various eub 

 stances ; (7) growing oats as a decoy; and (8) wheat as do. ; 

 (9) deep covering of the seed ; (1 0) sun-drying the seed ; (1 1) 

 procuring seed from unaffected districts; (12) sprinkling 

 salt, ashes, or caustic lime over the young plants; (13) 

 burning and ploughing up the wheat stubble; and (14) 

 using what are called "fly-proof wheats." Of wheats which 

 come under this distinction are " Underbill," " Spelta," 

 "Chmia," "Mediterranean," "Etrurian," "White Flint;' 

 " Chidham," and (bU de rile de hoe) "Early hoe wheat." 

 Of these remedies now named, some are more or less 

 advantageous, some altogether fanciful. (b) The Thrips. 

 (Tlirips cerealium\ (thrips tritici), (coleothrips trifascicata.) 

 Of these three varieties of the insect, the first, "thrips 

 cerealium," is perhaps the most destructive ; it is said to have 

 destroyed in the year 1805 one-third of the wheat crop in 

 Piedmont. The colour of the insect is black ; it has a slender 

 body with a long lizard-like extremity. In hot weather it is 

 abundant to a remarkable degree ; to such an extent indeed 

 is it present in the wheat crop, that the naturalist Kirby 

 states that he never examined a single ear in which it was 

 not found. The opinion of this naturalist was decided that 

 it derived its nourishment from the grain ; an opinion in 

 which Linnaeus also coincides. It is said to infest wheat 

 grown upon strong heavy soil more than those grown upon 

 light ones ; and crops sown late than those sown early. 

 (c) Wheat Stem Fly, (chlorops pumilionis). The colour 

 of this fly is black, at least its upper part, the under side 

 of the body being pale yellow. The maggot is small and of 

 a white colour, the pupa yellow, smooth, and shining. The 



