42 
CORN AND GRASS. 
given at length in the following reprint of the correspondence from the 
‘ Farmers’ Gazette’ (Dublin), Dec. 25tli, 1886, for which I am indebted 
to tiie courtesy of the Editor, Mr. W. Hooper. 
As I mentioned above, the letters and specimens were first sub¬ 
mitted to myself for examination ; but the infestation of Cheese Mites 
being then unknown to me as occurring in such a very abnormal 
situation, I did not like to rest on my own views until they had been 
confirmed by the sound authority of Mr. Michael :— 
“ Mites in a Hayrick. —Recently a small wooden box, about half 
the size of a small egg-cup, was sent us completely full of Mites, with 
the following note, intended for our query column :— 
“ ‘ I have a rick of hay, from the sides of which there are numbers 
of the enclosed dropping out. What is the cause ? Is it safe to feed 
stock with the hay ? ’ 
“Both to the naked eye and under a powerful microscope these 
minute creatures bore a very great resemblance to ordinary Cheese Mites, 
and on placing a piece of cheese near them it was soon discovered that 
they were eating it. We had heard of forage Mites being found in old 
hay, but had no personal experience of them, and thought it very im¬ 
probable that the same Acarus would live on hay and cheese. We, 
therefore, wrote to the querist, Mr. T. Robinson, land steward to Sir 
John Gough, Knockcreven, Clonmel, for further particulars, and 
received the following reply :— 
“ ‘ In reply to your letter of yesterday regarding Mites in hayrick, 
I beg to state that there cannot have been a mistake about the speci¬ 
mens forwarded to you, as I took them up and put them in the box 
with my own hands. There is no decaying substance in the rick, other 
than the hay, a sample of which I forward to you this day by parcels 
post. It is second-crop hay, which was cut about the 20th August, and 
saved without rain; but it remained some time in cocks in the field. 
The outsides got a little damaged from heavy rains. I think the whole 
rick is infested with them. They seem to be more numerous near the 
ground than at the roof, but that might be caused by the working down¬ 
wards in the hay. The rick was made about seven weeks when I first 
observed them by the sides of it. The rick heated a little for about ten 
days after it was made, but only slightly, as the hay is now coming out 
good.’ 
“ The sample of hay sent was in good condition (except that it was 
infested with Mites), and had evidently been well saved; it was, in fact, 
a superior sample of hay. Having procured another small box full of 
the mites from Mr. Robinson, we forwarded it to Mr. Albert D. Michael, 
of London, who has made Acarinology his special study, from whom 
we have received the following reply :— 
