LITTLE GRAIN MOTH OR WOLF MOTH. 



11 



and this and the embryo ear being then grown to a fair size, the 

 infestation cannot do so much harm. The work of a single maggot 

 towards the base of a half developed, or nearly developed ear, and a 

 channel down one side of a fairly grown stem below it, is then very 

 different in effect to that when the length of the whole portion (ear and 

 upper joint together) are scarcely six times as long as the destroying 

 grub. If the reader will note the measure of one of the specimens 

 (one and a half inch) sent me by Mr. Adams, when the ear was freed 

 from the sheath, and compare this length with that of the grub 

 (three-eighths of an inch) figured at p. 6, he will see that this is no 

 exaggeration. 



It is of very practical use to bear this in mind, for here we have 

 the key to the benefit of early sowing so well brought forward by Prof. 

 McCracken, at Cirencester, where the March sown Barley was practically 

 free from attack, whilst that sown in May suffered to an extent of not 

 less than twenty per cent, (see my 'Manual,' p. 78), and the same 

 point has been noted by various other observers. 



Good growth and a good early start are two things specially wanted 

 to carry on the plant successfully, and though it may be said we 

 cannot command the seasons, still Mr. Willis's note, p. 10, shows that 

 even in the past bad season, and in parallel circumstances of fly being 

 about, the deficiently manured plots were those that suffered most. 



This is one of our very worst and most regularly recurring corn 

 crop attacks, and so far as we see at present, agricultural measures are 

 the only reasonable means we have of dealing with it. The winter 

 brood may very likely be in various grasses, &c., and the flies may 

 hybernate here or there; but at present we have not been able to 

 utilize these more theoretical points. 



Little Grain Moth or Wolf Moth. Tinea (jmnella, Linn. 



Tinea geanella.— Little Grain Moth, flying, magnified, lines showing nat. size ; 

 moth at rest ; caterpillar and chrysalis, nat. size and magnified ; infested corn- 

 grains spun together. 



