62 
CORN. 
attacked by some minute maggot inside the pipe, which causes the ear 
to go off prematurely ”; this attack on examination proved to be that 
of the above-named pest. 
Somewhat later on Messrs. Oakshott remarked, of this corn-pest, 
that it appeared to them “from what we have seen of further 
specimens brought us to-day, to be likely to be even more serious than 
the Hessian Fly. 
Some of the above information was given by Mr. E. Whitfield, of 
Goring Heath, near Reading, who after an interview with me, further 
reported on the 9th of August:—“ Since I saw you last Thursday I 
have examined several more pieces of corn in my neighbourhood and 
find the same pest in them all more or less (excepting in Oats). I 
yesterday searched through a field of Barley and Oats mixed; I could 
find the maggot in the Barley but not in the Oats, so that I feel 
satisfied it does not attack Oats. One thing I have remarked 
particularly in my Barley, that is, on the parts of the field where the 
best Turnips were and more corn fed by sheep, there is more ravage by 
the fly, although it was all drilled the same day and treated in the 
same way exactly. Bo you think the very long dry hot season is the 
cause of the extensive ravages of this fly ? This part of Oxon lies 
high, and the land is as a rule light poor soil, and feels drought 
severely. We have had only two showers since the 3rd of June.” 
Mr. Whitfield’s report regarding previous treatment of the land 
where the Wheat was injured, showed similar amount of attack after 
Clover; and also “ where the Clover being thin had been ploughed up 
after the hay was gathered and Mustard sown. This, together with the 
aftermath, was fed off by sheep. A good fair coating of manure was 
applied and the Wheat sown in October”; and on another Wheat-field 
on a better soil, after a summer fallow, and a fair coating of manure, and 
seed sown in November, the attack was about the same in amount. 
In the case of another field of Barley which was after Wheat (the 
latter a very bad crop), Mr. Whitfield observed that he did not notice 
that the fly was in the Wheat in the preceding year, but the amount 
of attack in the year’s Barley was about the same as in the other 
fields. All the fields were quite separate from each other on different 
parts of the farm. 
With regard to amount of damage, it was mentioned by Mr. 
Whitfield:—“ Some of the ears appear to be full and not much the 
worse, whilst others have only thin corns in them; the straw being 
laid down, much damage arises from the machine cutting the ears off; 
the straw also would be rendered unsaleable for plaiting purposes, 
being filled as it is with dust.” 
The prevalence of this crop-pest near Birclimoor, Woburn, Beds., 
was reported on Aug. 3rd by Mr. Edward Blundell, who remarked 
