FRIT FLY. 
41 
It was also reported from both North and South Devon, and from 
Taunton, in Somersetshire. More inland, I had notices of it from the 
neighbourhoods of Cirencester, Reading, Tetswortli, and Oakley, near 
Bedford; and, later on, specimens of the injury caused by it to Oats 
near Norwich. 
It will be observed that in the case of the greater part of the 
attacks reported, that they were mentioned as occurring not meiely to 
special fields, but over districts, or neighbourhoods, or that many 
farmers in the neighbourhood written from were suffering : near 
Launceston it was feared half the crop would be destroyed; another 
note from the neighbourhood of St. Columb mentioned that the crop, 
which promised to be heavy, would only be a third; and in a rather 
more detailed observation, with which I was favoured from the Royal 
Agricultural College, Cirencester, it was mentioned by Mr. McCracken, 
Professor of Agriculture, that a large area in that part of the country 
had suffered, and he roughly estimated the loss on one field near the 
College at 90 per cent. The first notice of something being amiss 
with the plants appears to have been taken about the end of May. 
One observation notes that the crops came up and looked well until 
the latter part of May, when growth appeared to be checked ; another, 
that the injury was first noticed about the beginning of June, with 
special mention of the rapid change in appearance of the maggot- 
gnawed plants from their previously healthy or even luxuriant con¬ 
dition; and another observer reports the injury being first observed 
when the crop was from a foot to eighteen inches high. 
About June 27th the maggots were turning to chrysalids amongst 
the outer leafage of the destroyed shoots, and towards July 9th, 
Frit Flies were appearing from the chrysalids. So far as appeared 
the attack only affected Oat-plants, and notably, not Barley-plants. 
It was noted in one case as “ a peculiar fact that in ‘dredge-corn’ 
(i. e., Barley and Oats mixed), the maggot will attack the Oats and 
leave the Barley”: in another instance mention was made of the 
damage being “ on Oats drilled about the middle of April, . . . the 
other part of the field being planted with Barley, which does not 
appear to have been attacked.” 
Relatively to time of sowing of attacked crops, alluded to above, I 
had very few observations; but it was noted by Prof. McCracken, in 
his letter from the Royal Agricultural College, that “ Winter Oats and 
all early spring-sown fields seem to have escaped.” 
From reports sent in autumn, it appeared that in some instances 
the attacked Oat-crops recovered partially. In the words of one 
observer :—“ The crop of Oats has proved heavier than was expected 
at one time. The wet weather was favourable to the growth of the 
straw, so the side-shoots came to maturity, though generally very 
