12 
the insect, however, are so much more conspicuous and liable to 
attract attention from the broken and tangled condition of the 
straw as it approaches maturity in June, than they are when a 
portion of the young shoots are discolored and withered in Octo- 
ber, that there can be little doubt but it would first be observed 
at the former period. Had Dr. Mitchell, therefore, received de- 
finite information upon this point, it would doubtless have been 
coupled with the statement, that it was noticed at or before the 
harvest in that year, and consequently anterior to the arrival of 
the Hessian troops—which fact, he, confident as he was that this 
was an indigenous insect, would not have failed triumphantly to 
have stated. It is hence believed, that Dr. M. has assumed this 
date, from the current report that this insect was introduced by 
the Hessian soldiers, knowing this to have been the year of their 
arrival. 
From the “ flax seeds”’ casually lodged in the imported straw, 
only a few flies would probably be evolved, to deposit their eggs 
upon the young wheat in the autumn of 1776; nor would these 
have multiplied to such an extent in the following spring as to 
attract attention at the time of harvest. But, increasing with 
each successive brood, by the harvest of the following year, 1778, 
we might anticipate its being observed, and by a year thereafter, 
it would become so numerous, that its real character would no 
longer be in doubt. And in accordance with this, we are inform- 
ed by Colonel Morgan, that “the fly made its first appearance in 
1778:” and Mr. Clark, who in 1787 went to Long Island ex- 
pressly to gather authentic information respecting this insect, says 
in his report, “on the best enquiry I could make, during my stay 
there, I satisfied myself in the following particulars, namely ; first, 
that the Hessian fly made its first appearance there about the year 
1779, so as to injure, and in some cases to destroy their crops of 
wheat.”” An anonymous writer in Carey’s Museum, (vol. i., p. 
143,) gives the same year as about the period of its discovery. 
We therefore regard the year 1779 as most probably the date 
when its ravages actually commenced. The crops of wheat were 
severely injured or wholly destroyed by it in King’s and Rich- 
mond counties, during several of the following years; and each 
