January 2, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
447 
endeavoured to col'oct all tbe information that is known 
about them, and to bring this down to the latest date. 
It is believed that each monograph is a resumed of 
all that is known of its subject, of its life history, 
and the means of prevention and remedies against 
it. It is admitted that in several instances the inform- 
ation is still imperfect, and in compiling this series 
of reports I have been more than over impressed with 
the necessity of enlisting skilled workers in this cause, 
as well as of urging and encouraging habits of observ- 
ation among those who superintend the cultivation 
of tho land and those who work upon it." 
In this volume an account is given of the corn 
aphis, Siphnnophora yranaria; the wheat midge, 
Oecidomyia (Tipn/a) tritici; the barley midge, Cecidomyia 
ccrealis; the ribbon-footed corn fly, Chlorops tosniopus; 
the lined corn fly, Chlorops lineatus; the corn saw fly, 
Cephas pygmteus ; the frit fly, Oscinis vastatov ; the 
crane fly, Vipula oleracea ; the wireworm, Elater lineatus; 
tho ci ckuhaler, Melol ontha vulgaris ; the small chafer, 
Anisoplia (Pkyllopertha) horticula; tho mole cricket, 
Qryllota/pa vulgaris; the thousand-legs, Polydesmus 
complanatus ; tho antler moth, Charaas yraminis ; the 
corn tlirips, Thrips cerealium ; the oar cockle (or purples) 
worm, Vibrio (Tylenclius) tritici; the corn weevil, 
Calandra yranaria ; the corn beetle, Troyosita maurit- 
anica; the corn wolf moth, Tinea yranella; the pea 
ami beau beetles, Bruehus pisi, Bruehus yranarius ; 
the pea and bean weevils, Sitona I i acuta, Sitona crinita ; 
the pea moth, Grapholitha pisana; the beau aphis, 
Aphis f aba (Aphii-fumicis) ; the pea aphis, Aphis pisi; 
the clover weevil, Apion apricans ; the Dutch clover 
weevil, Apion flavipes.—Lmilon Times, August 1886. 
THE HESSIAN FLY. 
To the Editor of 1 ' The London Times." 
Sir,— It may interest your readers to learn that this 
most destructive insect, the Hessian Fly, cecidomyia 
destructor, has uot been known before to attack corn 
crops in England. There was a great fear at the 
beginning of this century that it had appeared in 
this country, but it was soon decisively settled by 
authorities that the injuries attributed to it were 
caused by auother iuseet, the chlorops pumilionis. 
Its ravages in America were lirst noticed in 1770, 
and as it was supposed that it was introduced from 
Germany in straw with the Hessiau troops during 
the American war, it was called the " Hessiau Fly 
and was affirmed "to be more formidable tons than 
au army of L'0,000 Hessians." 
This insect is of the same genus as the wheat 
midge, cecidomyia tritici, though it is essentially 
different in its mode of attack. The Hessian Fly 
confines its injury to the joints of the straw, causing 
a disorder analogous to that of root-fall and " gout " 
in tho stems ; while the wheat midge, as most farmers 
know to their cost, produces the red maggots which 
so seriously damage the ripening ears of corn. 
The Hessiau Fly is of a dark-brown oolour, and in 
shape and appearance is rather 1 i Ice a tiny gnat. 
It is about the tenth of an inch long, having a wing 
expanse of from the eighth to the ninth of an inch. 
The female places its luht red-coloured eggs not 
much, larger than pins' point, and of a cylindrical 
form, in groups of from three or four to !!0, by 
the side of the ribs or divisions of the upper surface 
of the leaves of the coin p'nnts. Aeeor liiif; to Packard 
and other American entomologist.*, there aro two 
broods, the first laying eggs in April and May, and 
the Mi'in I in September mid October. 
In tho o mrso of from four to ken days, according 
to tho weather ii tl iences, larvio enme from the eggs. 
These aro mnggots without feet tho fifteenth of an 
inch, or a little more, in length, nearly translucent, 
hut after a time showing green stripes under their 
skins. Directly after they are hatched thoy attach 
themselves, Packard says, bead downward-, to tho 
stems of tho corn plant, close to tho second joints 
above the roots, and vick the sip from them, causing 
ener d weakness and disorder, as well as sotting up 
a local untaliou ocoisiouicg di .caso io tho joints. 
These larvaj work mischief in this way for five or 
six weeks and then change to incomplete pupm of a 
chestnut colour, rather longer than the larv:e, re- 
sembling small and rather elongated flix seo Is. On 
this account they are called "flax seeds" in America. 
This is exactly tbe description of the pupas which 
Miss Ormerod discovered in the wheat aud barley 
plants near Hertford, audit is for these that farmers 
should now closely examine corn crops showing auy 
symptoms of disorder. 
As these pupa; — as they may be termed for practical 
purposes, though they do not put on the perfect 
chrysalis form until a short time before transforma- 
tion — rest in the lower parts of the straw, it ia 
obviously most desirable that they should not be 
carried with the crop into stacks and barns, 
and that measures should be taken at once to 
prevent them from changing to flies which might, 
in favourable conditions, affect wheat plants this 
autumn, or from hibernating in pupal, or semi-pupal, 
form and attacking wheat aud barley plants in tho 
coming spring. 
To effect this, corn crops that are in the least 
degree affected should be cut high above the second 
joint from the root. The stubble should either be 
collected with scrupulous care and burnt, or it should 
be deeply ploughed iu and every particle carefully 
covered over directly after harvest. All manure 
brought from London, or other towns, or warves, in 
which there is any long straw should be immediately 
mixed and subjected to heat. 
It is supposed that the insects which have done so 
much mischief to crops near Hertford were brought 
upon the farm with the straw in tho manure obtained 
from London, and that tho infected straw may have 
been brought from America, or Canada in packing 
or cases. 
It is possible that they may be disseminated with 
seed corn. In the Hertford case, however, the seed 
corn was home grown, so that the attack could not 
have originated in this way. Still it is most important 
that seed corn should bo minutely inspected before it 
is sown ; also that the corn grown in fields infected 
with these insects should, on no account, be sown 
or sold for seed. 
These are simple means of prevention involving but 
little trouble and expense, and it is hoped that they 
may bo adopted in all cases where these " flax seeds " 
are found, <ind that every effort will be made by 
farmers to stamp out this insidious and destroying 
enemy. 
May I add that I have just received information of 
au attack of this insect on corn crops near Romford. 
— I am, Sir, your obedient servant, OnARLEs "Whitehead, 
Barmiug-house, Maidstone. 
Tea Drinkers' Disease. — Saya Dr. J. E. Taylor in 
his " Notes on Popular Science " in the Australasian : 
— Attention has recently been drawn to tho 
appearanco and spread of what is called tho " tea- 
drinkers' disease." There can be no doubt whatever 
that immoderate tea-drinking proves as bad as 
immoderate alcoholic imbibition, and, as regards its 
cumulative efJeots on tho race, perhaps even worse. 
The new disease has been called by the singularly 
inappropriate name of theism, from tho French 
name for tea. It exists in three stages. In the 
first, the symptoms arc congestion of tho aphalic 
vessels, ccrobral excitement, and animation of tho 
face. These are succeeded by a roaotion of mental and 
bodily depression. Nervous irritability, cardiao 
troubles, ifco., are added to the list. Nutrition is 
disturbed, nightmares aro engendered, nervous 
tremblings follow. It is a fearful list of com- 
plaints from what wo havo considered a harmless 
habit. It might havo been added that tho casci 
aro so rare as to bo soaorely soon by one physician 
out of ton thousand.— Eu. T. A.] 
