APPENDIX. 
129 
time some insect within, but no Hessian Fly presence; and Mr. Riley 
noted regarding the state of the straw, “ The straw they are packed 
in appears to me to have been put through a bruiser to soften it and 
shorten, so that if there were chrysalids in it they would get crushed.” 
.Very large quantities come weekly yet, about 100 tons freightage 
from Galicia, Southern Russia, and Belgium.” 
On Nov. 29tli, Mr. Riley informed me that the straw, of which he 
had sent some samples, was that of Rye, and that large quantities of 
eggs were imported from Bohemia and Silesia, as well as from Galicia : 
“ they are still coming in large quantities, 120 tons a week.” At 
the same date Mr. Riley favoured me with information which Mr. G. 
Becker, the chief importer of foreign eggs, had been good enough, on 
Mr. Riley’s request, to furnish us with. 
Mr. Becker mentioned, relatively to preparation of packing material, 
that there were important differences between the western and south¬ 
western districts of Russia, which do not forward through Riga, and 
the central, eastern and south-eastern districts, which last send their 
goods through Riga. 
The former, that is, the western and south-western, go to Hamburg 
either direct through Russia, or through Galicia (Austria), and this 
traffic, being a very quick one, does not pay any particular attention 
to the straw if it only appears to be dry. 
The other districts, however (the goods having to pass over enor¬ 
mous distances), use every possible caution to have perfectly dry 
straw, and for that purpose it is dried in heated rooms in racks." 
From the above information it may be considered that a portion of 
the straw accompanying the eggs is necessarily so treated that it 
is unlikely in the extreme that Hessian Fly infestation can be imported 
in it, and, further, that where the straw is, firstly, cut so high as in the 
natural course of things to leave the puparia, or flaxseeds, remaining 
behind on the stubble in the fields ; 2ndly, where it bruised to the 
extent to which this is done in the samples sent me, so as to make it a 
soft mass, and no longer firmly connected stems and sheaths; and 
Brdly when, as is shewn, the packing straw, whether artificially dried 
or not, must be dry , which is a very unfavourable state for development 
of Hessian Fly, there does not appear to be much likelihood of trans¬ 
mission. But should it be necessary, it is shewn by the above 
observations that there is a practicable way of putting an end to 
all danger of infestation by extending the practice, now carried on to 
some extent, of drying the straw in heated chambers. 
