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most cases be an additional safeguard against its destruction. The 
measure therefore is good as a subordinate one, but it must fall 
far short of ranking as a primary one. 
11. Procuring seed from uninfested districts —This measure 
also, is based upon the erroneous supposition that the eggs are 
deposited upon the grain. It can consequently be of no utility 
whatever as a safeguard against the Hessian fly. The measure 
has been fairly tested in several instances without success. 
12. Sun-drying the seed.—Mr. W. H. Hill, in the WVashville 
Agriculturist of 1842, states that for fifteen years his wheat crops 
had not been injured by the Hessian fly, whilst those of his neigh- 
bors had suffered more or less. This immunity he attributes to 
two causes; exposing his seed to the sun for two days previous 
to sowing it, and sowing none but the largest and fullest grains, 
the others being separated by a sieve. Doubtless stronger roots 
and a more vigorous growth is obtained by sowing large, plump 
seed. We think that effectually drying the seed in the sun can 
have but one effect, that of retarding its germination a short 
time—an end that may be equally as well attained, and with less 
trouble by deferring the sowing until a somewhat later period. 
13. Drawing elder bushes over the young plants:—We have 
here one of the fancies of a former day, it being supposed that 
elder possessed an odor or some more occult property, which 
rendered it peculiarly repulsive to insects. A trial of it against 
the Hessian fly, however, soon demonstrated that it possessed 
little or no virtue of that kind in reference to this insect. If any 
benefit ever resulted from it, it was probably only by dislodging 
and brushing off some of the eggs from the blades of the wheat. 
14. Sprinkling fine salt, ashes, or caustic lime over the young 
plants.—The first of these measures was proposed, from its ap- 
pearing at one time that wheat growing upon points of land ex- 
posed to the sea air was less injured than that growing back from 
the coast. Neither of these remedies however, have been attend- 
ed with success, in any case on record, and they probably are of 
no service whatever, except as they may slightly increase the 
fertility of some fields. There is no likelihood that the fly, its 
eggs, or larve can be materially discommoded by them. 
