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1 
ticed here at this time may be readily distinguished from a simi- 
defoimity, apparently occasioned by a failure of fertilization, 
stances of this latter injury were common at Normal about the 
st of June, where the Orescent and other varieties maturing hut 
tie pollen were badly buttoned; but here, invariably, the seeds 
i; aclienia, of the shrunken area were blighted and empty even 
diough the shells had grown to the ordinary size. 
The weather at Cobden, I was informed, had been extraordinarily 
y and cool for about three weeks, until the 14th of the month 
mg thus especially unfavorable to the growth of the plants and 
I e maturing of the berry. This drouth likewise probably stimulated 
; e development and multiplication of the insects themselves. At 
ntialia, howevei, the weather had been entirely favorable through- 
t the season, hut the injury in question was found equally pre¬ 
lent there. 
This buttoning had first been noticed by Mr. Earle, in the first part 
May, but had greatly increased in gravity within the few days pre- 
img my visit. The insects had first attracted his attention on 
e 12th of the month, although he had no doubt that they had been 
j esent for some days in scarcely inferior numbers. 
[ found in all my comparisons of different fields with each other, 
d especially of variety with variety, a remarkable difference in 
3 number of the insects, according to the variety of plant in cul- 
ation, some kinds containing two or three times as many of the 
: gs as others. In the Crescent, for example, except in a single 
dance, at Villa Ridge, but few were found; while in the Mount 
rnon and Bidwell they were excessively abundant. In one field 
j on Mr. Earle s farm, where Miner s Prolific and Crescents had 
8 n planted in alternate rows for the purpose of securing a fertili- 
'uion of the latter, a careful search and count of adjoining rows 
the two varieties, showed that the insects were two and a half 
pes as numerous in the Miner’s Prolific as in the Crescent; while 
patches of the Bidwell and Mount Vernon immediately adjoining 
3 above, they were at least three times as numerous as in the 
ner’s Prolific. The Sharpless was also badly infested, while in 
3 Downings, Wilsons, and ‘ l No. 2,” the plant bugs were only 
)derately abundant. 
j The fact was repeatedly noticed that in those fields and varieties 
here relatively few were found, the ratio of adults was much greater 
m in situations where the insect was more abundant,— clear evi¬ 
nce that the difference between the numbers infesting these various 
ids had been greater earlier than it was at the period of my visit, 
3 larger ratio of adults in some fields being clearly due to the 
|;t that the matured individuals scattered from the field where they 
^eloped as soon as they acquired wings. 
Jnly one or two cases afforded an opportunity to inquire into the 
' set of a mulch of straw or leaves upon the ground; but these 
t tded to show that this had no especial effect upon the abundance 
( the insect. The Bidwells, Crescents and Miner’s Prolific, already 
|mtioned,_ belonging to Mr. Earle, in which the numbers of the 
| ects varied greatly according to variety, had all received precisely 
' 13 same treatment as to mulching; while the field of Mt. Vernons, 
