HESSIAN FLY. 
81 
“ As far as I huve examined the fields in this district, and from 
what others have told me, I should say that nearly every Barley field 
in this district of Forfarshire was infested ; the Wheat is not so bad, 
and the oat crop seems free. The heads of grain do not seem any 
worse ; they are quite full. Whether this arises from the harvest here 
being quite a month earlier, I do not know ; but of course if the heads 
had to lie on the ground for a month, as in ordinary years, the grain 
in them would be spoilt. When first I examined the fields there 
seemed to me more ‘ seeds ’ than I found to-day, in each specimen. 
Either the fly has been hatched or the ‘ seeds ’ may have been shaken 
out by a gale of wind we had a few days ago. On the whole I think 
very little damage has been done this season, owing to the very early 
harvest.” 
The following notes—by Mr. W. Gillespie, of Athelstaneford, 
Drem, and of Mr. J. Smith, of Bilsdean, Cockburnspath—refer to 
attack in the South-east of Scotland. “ Cockburnspath is on the 
boundary between East Lothian and Berwickshire. Bilsdean is about 
a mile and half distant, on the sea-shore of East Lothian, and about 
sixteen miles S.E. of Drem and Athelstaneford, where the ‘Hessian 
Fly ’ appeared on Mr. Gillespie’s Barley.” 
With regard to damage from attack, Mr. W. Gillespie, writing 
from Athelstaneford, Drem, N.B., about August 12th, mentioned:— 
“ My Barley is not much the worse, the grain itself is no worse, but 
where the heads are down the reaper may not pick it all up ; the head 
on the damaged stalk to all appearance is as good as the others.” 
August 13th. Mr. W. Gillespie forwarded me some more speci¬ 
mens of infested Barley-straw from Athelstaneford, with the note:— 
“My Barley is all more or less damaged with it, but not to a great 
extent, the crop being fully matured before the attack of the ‘fly.’ 
.... I examined a field of Wheat yesterday to see if there was any 
‘ fly ’ in it, but could find nothing.” 
The following communications, at dates of from 18th to 28th of 
August, refer to observations of Hessian Fly attack in the S.E. of 
Scotland, and were forwarded by Mr. J. Smith, of Bilsdean, Cock¬ 
burnspath, N.B. 
In the first accompanying specimens of infested Barley, Mr. Smith 
noted :—“ I have also noticed Hessian Fly attack in Wheat.” 
On the 24th Mr. J. Smith reported more particularly that since 
writing he had an opportunity of visiting some farms lying high on 
the Lammermoors, probably as high as any where Barley is grown, 
and found them worse infested than those lying near the sea-coast:— 
“I still believe this attack extends over a much wider area than has 
yet been taken notice of.” 
On the 28th of August Mr. Smith further reported that “ The 
