HESSIAN FLY. 
23 
destroyed, simply because they are not able to get to the outside of 
the stack. 
It is difficult to see how, except on a broad scale, by arrangement 
like the above we can manage to meet the difficulty of attack spreading 
from infested straw. In any common way in which it is used it is 
open to letting the fly escape from it, and it is impossible without very 
severe loss to destroy it. The method of saving the straw which 
places the greater amount of it in a condition in which it cannot 
spread attack, whilst being stored for gradual use, seems worth 
consideration. 
With regard to chaff and rubbish from the threshing, we do not as 
yet know what amount of “ flax-seed ” is to be found in them, and we 
need report from competent inspection, so that we may know with 
certainty what amount of “ flax-seeds” are to be found in them. It 
will be eminently desirable that infested chaff should be mixed with 
wet manure, or destroyed as may be most convenient as rapidly as 
possible. 
One of the most important remedies or means of prevention of 
damage is hearty growth, which will carry the young plant through 
moderate attack, or, if part perishes, will carry the other shoots on; 
and another is the choice of hard-stemmed wheat. 
The evidence now coming in points to the possibility of the “flax¬ 
seeds ” being loosened, and more observations will shortly be sent in ; 
but meanwhile (see p. 20) it is of the utmost importance, in threshing 
infested crops, that the siftings taken from immediately below the 
machine should be burnt. 
Dressings, &c. 
Lime, soot, salt, and “ plaster ” are mentioned as being serviceable 
as dustings on young plants infested by maggots. By plaster I am 
informed burnt gypsum or plaster of Paris is intended. There appear 
to be various opinions as to real beneflt from these applications, and 
also whether they can, even when melted by rain, reach the maggot 
sufficiently to destroy it; but, in case of any dressing being useful, it 
seems likely that the mixture found serviceable many years ago by 
Mr. Fisher Hobbs might answer still better, as in this the gas-lime 
would take the place of the gypsum or plaster. The mixture consists 
of quicklime and gas-lime, each one bushel; soot, ten pounds; 
sulphur, six pounds; the whole to be well powdered and mixed and 
applied when the dew is on. The above amount was sufficient for 
dressing two acres of Turnips as a preventive for fly, and the quantity 
could be increased at discretion. This application would in any case 
be useful by promoting good growth, which is a point very much dwelt 
on as a preventive of overwhelming damage from attack; in illustration 
