13 



attributed to earth-worms, might possibly have been due to Tipulid 

 larvae. 



April 24, of the present year, Mr. J. G. Kingsbury, of the Indiana 

 Farmer, called my attention to reports from Mr. T. H. Kendall, in refer- 

 ence to the ravages of an unknown worm which had been observed some 

 lime previous in the wheat fields in the viciuity of Farmersburg, in the 

 extreme northern part of Sullivan County. 



A visit to the locality on the 26th, and especially to the fields of Mr. 

 Kendall, revealed the nature of the depredator and effect of its ravages. 

 The insect was, at the time, the most abundant in the pupal stage, these 

 pupae, after the manner of the TipuUdce, in general occupying vertical 

 cells in the ground. Larvae w^ere, however, present in considerable num- 

 bers, both in the earth and on the surface, and not only about the wheat 

 plants, but also about stray clumps of timothy, of which there were a 

 considerable number scattered over the field among the wheat. For 

 reasons which will appear further on, the numbers present in both 

 stages did not correspond at all with the reports of Mr. Kendall nor 

 with the amount of damage clearly attributable to the pest. The most 

 seriously injured fields were those which had been in clover the previous 

 year. 



Of two fields, adjoining each other, one sown on oats stubble, the 

 other on clover sod plowed early in October, the latter was damaged 

 fully fifty per cent, while the former had escaped uninjured. Another 

 field, a short distance from these, also in clover last year but plowed 

 late in August, was damaged only about fifteen per cent. A clover field, 

 adjoining the first two, had been completely ruined, but this might have 

 been in part due to the winter, although the insect was present in 

 abundance. A close inspection of the most seriously injured fields 

 showed large areas of grain totally destroyed, while other areas among 

 them were little injured. 



The ])lants themselves have not been thiown out by the frost, but 

 were well fixed in the soil. The day was rainy, and many of the dead 

 plants had a green appearance like that of wetted hay, and did not at 

 all resemble those killed by frost or freezing, indicating that they had 

 withered. 



Mr. Kendall stated that up to the first of February his wheat was in 

 fine condition, but after that time it began to die, and continued to do 

 so rai)idly until about the first week in April, since which time the 

 depredations had gradually ceased. Soon after the trouble began he 

 had observed the larvae in myriads, both above and below ground, but 

 they worked below, not cutting off the plants, but apparently wound- 

 ing them and sucking the juices. 



In working about just beneath the surface of the ground they raised 

 ridges like those made by the mole but about the size of straws, and the 

 earth immediately about the plants was often worked up as if by ants 

 or earth-worms. 



