AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT 8TATION. 225 



effect, that orchards in grass are less affected This is reasonable, 

 because the maggots are weak and cannot enter the ground under 

 such conditions and would be forced to remain above ground 

 about the roots and would be more subject to mishaps. Earning 

 the grass would certainly destroy many. 



2. If the orchard is in cultivation, deep spading or plowing in 

 the fall or spring would probably destroy them. The maggots go 

 into the ground less than an inch. The flies are weak and could 

 not reach the surface from any great depth. Stirring the sur- 

 face of the ground in the spring to expose the pupae to birds and 

 other predaceous animals has been suggested by Prof. Riley. The 

 above remedies are based upon the supposition that tlie maggots have 

 been allowed to go into the ground. If the windfalls have been 

 gathered carefully as they should be none would be left to enter 

 the ground, and these preventive measures useless. 



3. Orchards on sandy soil and in sheltered places with a 

 southern exposure are worse affected. In planting orchards such 

 conditions might be avoided. 



4. Prof. Riley in Amer. Agric, July, 1872, suggested "cov- 

 ering the ground thickly with salt, ashes, lime or other substances" 

 to prevent the maggots appearing, but we do not know that these 

 applications have been tried. 



5. Prevent by legal enactment the importation of foreign fruit 

 from localities known to be infested. The pest was undoubtedly 

 introduced into the State by importation of apples, and each year 

 there is a new invoice from Massachusetts in imported early fruit. 

 We saw in the Orono market, July, 1889, a barrel of early sweet 

 apples from Massachusetts literally alive with nearly full grown 

 Trypeta maggots. 



They may be found in Bangor or in any other railroad town in 

 the State when early foreign fruit is exposed for sale. Is an Act 

 to prohibit the importation of early fruits practical? We protect 

 our game by an Act. Infected cattle are destroyed by law. Is 

 the protection of our game and cattle more important than the 

 protection of our fruit? We have no means of accurately telling 

 the annual loss to fruit growers by this pest, but it must be con- 

 siderable in the State. To many it amounts to from 10 per cent, 

 to 75 per cent, of the crop There are only a few entrance ports 

 and early fruit could be readily inspected, and if found infested 

 confiscated and destroyed or the importation of early apples could 

 be entirely prohibited. If fruit growers, knowing the facts, are 



