HESSIAN FLY. 
43 
culture, Downton, mentioned that the Wheat in which he found the 
Hessian Fly on the farm was ‘ Square-head,’ but no interest or trouble 
was taken generally in the neighbourhood, excepting by himself and 
students, and he inclined to think that the attack was light. 
Oct. 28th. Mr. Francis Shaw, of Brant Broughton, Newark, 
amongst other points deserving notice, drew attention to the amount 
of Wheat which had been drilled early this autumn, a matter which 
will be very desirable to watch effects of relatively to possible en¬ 
couragement thereby of autumn brood of Hessian Fly. Mr. Shaw 
notes:— 
“ Next year will prove to us if it is to be dreaded to the extent some 
writers represent, as there will be an abundance of Wheat-plants this 
autumn upon which it can deposit its eggs, for I never knew so much 
Wheat drilled so early as this year; in several fields where it was 
drilled in September the Wheat was up in a few days. The kinds of 
Wheat which resist the attack of the fly the best are those which grow 
a stiff reedy straw, of little value as food for cattle, such as the 
‘ Golden-drop,’ the ‘ Square-headed Bed,’ 4 Chaff Bed,’ and ‘ Bivett’s 
Bed.’ The Barleys which grow the stiffest straw, although a very 
coarse grain, are the ‘Awnless,’ Webb's ‘Kinver,’ and the ‘Battledore.’ 
Those who are farming a poor weak soil have the most to fear from an 
attack upon their Barley. Here, where the soil is above the average, 
it would have been a difficult matter this last season to prove a loss 
from the fly, although it was discovered in many fields. I looked for 
it in vain in fields growing the ‘ Golden Drop ’ Wheat. My reason for 
thinking we have had the fly in this country for some years is from 
having seen the Wheat lying in the same position, at an angle of 
twenty degrees different years, without knowing the cause.” 
On Nov. 16tli Mr. Andrew Spence, of Mountboy, Montrose, N.B., 
replied:—“ Most of the farmers in this district sow white Wheat. 
Both they and the others who sow red Wheat agree that there has 
really been very little damage to the Wheat-crop by the fly.” 
The following note, with which I was favoured by Mr. W. Formby, 
sent on Dec. 7th from Morningtliorpe, Long Stratton, Norfolk, gives 
one of the very few returns I have been able to procure regarding 
amount of loss on attacked crop. Mr. Formby mentions 
“I am now able to say my Wheats were very little damaged. I 
only grew one sort the name of which I know not, but it is a red Wheat 
growing a lot of straw of a very strong nature. All my Barley-fields 
were attacked by the fly, one field in particular yielding four sacks an 
acre less than the rest of the Barley I have threshed up to the present 
time. I may say the field named was drilled with bought seed, and 
grew a finer straw than the rest of my Barleys, which in this neigh¬ 
bourhood is known as ‘Archer’s Barley,’ and certainly gives me the 
