36 
CORN AND GRASS. 
half through. This was one of the cases of injury noticed at p. 34, of 
which the cause is not at present clear. 
On the 8th August, Mr. D. D. Oibb, writing from Ossemsley Farm, 
Lymington, Hants, mentioned that he found, on examination of Wheat 
and Barley on Major W. Murray’s property at Ossemsley (Christ¬ 
church) and Wootton (of which he had the management), that he had 
proof of presence of the Hessian Fly in both places ; and he further 
noted:—‘‘From the boisterous and wet weather the crops present a 
tangled and twisted appearance, and it is therefore difficult to pick 
out infested plants, as these in many cases do not present such a 
blighted appearance where they are attacked by Hessian Fly as from 
other causes.” 
The following note, with which I was favoured, on the 5tli August, 
by Sir J. T. Stewart Bichardson, Bart., of Pitfour Castle, Perth, is of 
especial interest, regarding effects of soil on amount of presence of 
the Hessian Fly:—“ The damage by Hessian Fly both to Barley and 
Wheat in this district this year is very considerable. The puparia in 
the Wheat straws seem to have fallen out to a large extent, but those 
in the Barley seem all yet firmly lodged in the straw. The attack is 
only on the crops in the black land, and not on the clay; so much so 
that in one Wheat field the damage is great at one end, and the clay 
end is free.We have had no attack since I wrote to you in 
1887.” 
On the 8th August, Mr. Eardley Mason, writing from near Alford, 
Lincolnshire, mentioned :—“ The Hessian Fly is doing more harm 
than I at first thought probable, comparing this year’s attack with 
those of previous seasons. The harm is less in respect of the actual 
loss of grain than in the entangled state of the crop, where there is 
any considerable amount of fly, rendering the harvesting anything but 
clean. Cut-off ears strew the ground, and are seldom gathered up.” 
The latest note of observation of the presence of Hessian Fly in 
the standing crop was sent me, on August 20th, by Mr. Arthur Smith, 
from Smallford, St. Albans :—“ I am writing just to inform you that 
the Hessian Fly is in existence in the Wheat here, but have not yet 
discovered any in Barley. The damage done is small.” 
Where direct estimate of amount of injury is given in the above 
observations it will be seen that the highest sent (on the 30th of July) 
only amounted to “Barley: number of attacked stalks in a square 
yard about two in well-grown crop, ten in shortish thin crop. Wheat, 
say from two to five in square yard.” The other returns, excepting 
that from the neighbourhood of Perth, in which the damage is noted 
as very considerable (but even in this case is mentioned as only 
occurring on kind of land specified), stand as follows :— 
“ Barley : damage slight, a few stalks here and there broken down. 
