550 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW'YORK 
a few holes about the hills with a sharp stick was an easy way 
to entrap these worms, as they would fall into such holes, and 
being unable to crawl out of them, would perish—some of the 
holes being found half full of worms thus gathered in a single 
night. A writer in the Michigan Farmer, whose communication 
was fully noticed in the Country Gentleman of June 7th, 1855, 
bears strong testimony to the efficacy of this measure. From 
my own observations it appears that these worms are never able 
to crawl the length of their bodies up a perpendicular bank of 
earth, before they loose their foothold and fall. I hence pre¬ 
sume the measure above spoken of will be effectual. Indeed, if 
my supposition is correct, that these worms mostly come from 
the surrounding fields, to the places where we notice them, I have 
thought that a single deep furrow, struck around the outside of 
a field or garden, when the worms are first beginning to appear— 
any break in the land-side of the furrow being repaired with a 
hoe—would form a barrier over which it would be impossible 
for them to make their way—thus protecting the whole field 
effectually and at a very trifling cost. I hope in one or two sum¬ 
mers to complete my observations so that I can speak with more 
confidence upon this subject than I am able to do at present. 
Crowded together and covering the stem which hears the ear; small dull- 
green and reddish lice, slightly dusted over with a fine white powder. 
The Maize Arms, -Aphis Maidis , new species. 
In August, the person who is selecting soft corn for boiling, 
will sometimes come to an ear, the stem of which is entirely 
covered with vermin. On examining them they are perceived 
to be small plant-lice of a lurid green color, intermixed with 
slightly larger dull reddish ones, and an occasional individual is 
found among them having wings and a black body. They are 
thinly dusted over with a fine white powder, like meal, and 
scattered about among them are seen the empty skins which the 
larger ones have shed. Each individual is stationary, with its 
beak inserted into the stalk, sucking its nourishment therefrom. 
They continue upon those stems where they have once established 
