WHEAT MIDGE. 
35 
“ On Sunday fortnight (June 17th), I first observed it, about three 
or four days after the Wheat-ears began to appear. It was then flying 
about, resting on the heads and depositing its eggs. 
“ The day before yesterday (July 1st), I examined some heads, and 
found a good many very small Wheat Midge grubs crawling about, 
chiefly inside the outside chaff, but very few actually attacking the 
grain, which was just beginning to form. There were a large 
number of Wheat Midges flying all about amongst the Wheat-stalks, 
but being rather early in the evening they had not mounted to 
the heads. 
“ I then searched the hedge-sides, amongst the grass, and found 
it as full of them as the Wheat. Wishing to know whether this was 
their hatching-place, or whether they came from an adjoining field, 
which is now Clover, but which had been Wheat the previous year, 
I went into this field, and at once observed a cloud of Midges rise 
when disturbed, which on closer inspection proved to be Wheat 
Midges. I should estimate them as ten times as numerous as in 
the Wheat. 
“Here in all probability was their hatching-ground, and these 
Midges were about to make their flight to my adjoining field of Wheat. 
A number of old Wheat-cliafl scales were visible on the ground, and the 
Clover-roots looked delightful cover for the chrysalids. 
“In order to fortify our conclusion that this was the hatching- 
ground, we next examined a field of permanent grass, just ready for 
cutting, to see if there were any Midges there, but after a good deal 
of time spent we could not find more than one or two, probably 
blown over from the adjoining field. 
“We examined some dung-heaps, thinking the hatching might be 
taking place there, but, though there were lots of other Midges, we 
could not make sure of a Wheat Midge. 
“ This certainly goes far to prove that it hatches wherever it falls 
at harvest-time. 
“ I have been in the habit of sowing my grass-seed with the 
Wheat crop, so as to keep my Barley free of grass, and hence obtain 
a better quality; it is possible that this custom may have rendered 
me more liable to the Wheat Midge attack than if the Wheat had* 
been sown without seeds, and the stubble had been ploughed in. It 
would be very interesting if some evidence could be collected on this 
point of sowing seeds with Wheat, and the coincidence of worse 
attacks of Midge. 
“ I daresay there may be districts in which the true four-course 
system—of Barley, Seeds, Wheat, Roots—is strictly adhered to, and 
it would be a most valuable piece of information if the attacks of 
Midge were found to be less in those districts, What I fear is 
