Ill 



THE SAME OK A RELATED SPECIES REPORTED INJURING CUCUMBERS IN 



HOTHOUSES. 



Numerous complaints have reached this office of injuries to green- 

 house plants of various kinds by this or related species of Sciara, but 

 as it has been found impossible to obtain specimens of the adult the 

 exact identity of the species remains in doubt. Injury to cucumbers 

 grown under glass was a frequent subject of complaint. One instance 

 of this nature may be cited as an example. November 28 and Decem- 

 ber 3, 1898, Mr. W. F. Preston, Dixon, 111., wrote at considerable 

 length, in regard to injuries by an insect which we identified as a 

 species of Sciara, and which, he stated, was injuring cucumber vines 

 in forcing houses in that city. There were, he said, at that time four 

 plants for the growing of hothouse cucumbers for the Chicago market. 

 Stable manure (horse) was considered the best fertilizer, and it was 

 thought both by our correspondent and the writer that the presence of 

 the insect was in part due to this manure. The small gnat-like fly 

 with bluish wings was recognized as the parent of the maggot. As a 

 remedy our correspondent had tried limewater, tobacco water, carbolic 

 acid and water, bisulphide of carbon, sulphur, kerosene emulsion, fir- 

 tree oil, and other substances, with no effect. Brine killed the insects, 

 but also destroyed the vines. The insect was described as having 

 cost the cucumber growers many hundreds of dollars during the year 

 1898. Messrs. Long & Co. made similar complaints of injuries in the 

 same locality, our correspondence covering the subject extending from 

 1897 to 1900. 



March 26, 1900, Miss Josie K. Carter, Bristol, Tenn., wrote in 

 regard to the larvae, which, judging from the description, was a spe- 

 cies of Sciara, that was very troublesome to cucumber vines in that 

 vicinity. The little thread-like worms were described as attacking the 

 vines just under the surface of the earth and peeling the roots, making 

 them look as if hot water had been poured over them. 



LITERATURE OF THE FICKLE MIDGE. 



The fickle midge was given its English as well as Latin name by Fitch 

 in his second report on the insects of New York (p. 255), the descrip- 

 tion appearing as Molobrus inconstans, and drawn from individuals 

 which had attracted his notice in December from the singular manner 

 in which they ran about upon the paper on which he was writing. 

 Flies were found at this time upon the windows, and it was believed 

 that they had hatched from the earth in some flowerpots which were in 

 the room. The fly was described as advancing two or three inches and 

 then abruptly pausing or moving backward a step or two and instantly 

 running in another direction for the same distance; then it would back 

 up again and start off on another course. 



