92 
NATURAL ENEMIES. 
The seed-corn maggot undoubtedly has many insect enemies, but 
none appear to have been recorded. 
June 21, 1897, we received from Mr. E. F. Bouchville, Boligee, Ala., 
a large number of flies of this species with their bodies distended by 
a white powdery growth caused by the presence of a fungus disease, 
identified at the time as Empusa americana. It belongs to the same 
genus as the house-fly parasite (Empusa muscx). 
Frequently the latter disease causes much mortality among flies living 
out-of-doors, as happened during the summer of 1891. (See note by 
C. L. Marlatt in Insect Life, Vol. IV, pp. 152, 153.) 
REMEDIES. 
Owing to the great difficulty of destroying subterranean larvae and 
the cost of the chemicals that are used for this purpose, such as bisul- 
phid of carbon, we have to depend more upon methods of prevention. 
One of the best means of deterring the parent flies from depositing 
their eggs consists in sand soaked in kerosene — one cupful to a bucket 
of dr}^ sand — placed at the base of the plants, along the rows. This also 
kills young larvae that might attempt to work through the mixture. 
Fertilizers, preferably kainit and nitrate of soda, are also useful as 
deterrents, particularly when employed just before or after a shower 
has thoroughly wet the ground. They should be applied as nearly as 
possible to the roots, and the earth should be turned away from the 
plants for this purpose. This remedy has the advantage of acting as 
a fertilizer as well as a preventive of insect attack. 
As soon as plants show signs of wilting, and this maggot is known 
to be present in the field, the injured plants should be promptly pulled 
and destroyed. 
The above methods of control have been used with success against 
onion maggots and similar root-feeding species. 
THE BEAN LEAF-ROLLER. 
( Eudamus proteas Linn. ) 
In October, 1901, Mr. William R. Polk, Orlando, Fla., complained of 
what he described as a green leaf-roller on snap beans. No specimens 
were received at the time, but the adult insect was identified by our 
correspondent as being the indirect cause of the injury. At the time 
of writing he stated that it had been busy laying eggs, and the leaf- 
roller or leaf-curler worm, as it was also called, was " destroying much 
of his beans by cutting and curling the leaves." November 12 our 
correspondent sent specimens of the butterfly as well as larvse indiffer- 
ent stages of growth. 
