38 
CORN. 
old plant, had entered the lateral shoots that often spring from attacked 
plants ; and in one case I found two maggots in one stem. I am con¬ 
fident the pest is much more prevalent in this part of the country than 
is suspected .” 
On April 12th, Mr. T. Spencer Smithson forwarded on to me from 
Facit, Koclidale, samples of the same attack as specimens of a larva 
which was destroying a Wheat-crop on a farm at Ingleby, near Saxilby, 
in a district a few miles north-west of Lincoln, this being the second 
season in which the Wheat on the same farm had been attacked by 
this kind of maggot. Mr. Smithson observed :—“ The grub is either 
hatched in the stem of the Wheat just above the root, or gnaws its way 
in at that point in its travels upwards. Of course the shoot dies in 
consequence, and though many of the plants throw out fresh shoots, 
the damage to the crop is serious.” 
In reply to my enquiries, Mr. Smithson obliged me with the further 
information :—“ I have learned the following particulars of the fields 
attacked this year and last by the larvas of the Wheat-bulb Fly. Both 
the fields attacked were sown on summer fallows, and on several farms 
slight attacks were to be seen on crops sown on fallows, but under no 
other circumstances. Last year the crop was manured with farm-yard 
manure only ; this year the land was limed, and no manure given at 
all. The seed was got in early, when the land was pretty dry, and the 
drilling went well, and the seed was deposited pretty deeply. Last 
year the field was attacked in strips along the north side of the lands 
which run east and west. I cannot account for this, except on the 
supposition that the sun has effect on the grubs, which prevents them 
thriving; but the difference in this case between the north and south 
sides, with regard to the power of the sun, must be very small, for the 
lands are quite low.” 
By May 1st the maggots were well advanced in size. At that date 
I received two small consignments, in both cases of remarkably fine 
specimens ; some of these—not the largest—were a quarter of an inch 
long, and fat, strong maggots ; and one in each of the stems examined 
lying lengthways, and so large as nearly to fill it up. In about an hour 
after placing these maggots on the earth, all but one had gone down 
into it. 
One of the above consignments was forwarded to me from Crosby 
House Farm, Great Crosby, by Mr. Thomas Pimbley, with the observa¬ 
tion that he had only lately noticed the maggot-attack which had 
destroyed the Wheat-plants sent, but that they were doing great 
damage to the crop. The other specimens were forwarded to me by 
Mr. T. W. Collard from Borden, Sittingbourne, with the note:— 
“ The fields of Wheat from which these stems are taken is situated in 
the Parish of Tong, and the soil is strong loam and brick-earth. 
