THE FRIT-FLY. T 
reduced. The plants harboring these worms did not indi- 
cate their presence until flowering time, but as soon as the 
head began to form, the stem above the injured joint wilted, 
turned yellowish and soon broke down entirely by bending 
over the infested spot. Allsorts of explanations were given 
at the time, such as too rapid growth of the plant on ac- 
count of excess of moisture in spring, lack of strength in the 
stem, a blistering hot sun, and numerous other ones. But 
when the infested stems were investigated it was found that 
the worm had weakened them to such an extent, that when 
the head was formed the plant became top-heavy, and broke 
down at the weakest spot from force of gravity. This 
breaking down was not observed by most farmers, but the 
damage became visible after the grain had been cut and re- 
moved, when very many heads of wheat were found upon 
the ground, which had 
broken down before har- 
vest, and which conse- 
quently were not cut by 
the reaper. These heads 
were either entirely empty 
or filled with berries more 
or less badly shrunken. 
The bent or partly broken 
stems were as a general 
rule still adhering to the 
lower portion ofthe plant. 
This bending or breaking 
had taken place most fre- 
quently above a node or 
joint about three inches 
from the ground. Just 
. below this breakage, and 
Fig. 2.—Frit-fly: a, adult fly; b, larvaor | ‘ 
MAE EO AC. pupa esting natural sizes Ong uamediately above the 
nal. joint, the culprits were 
found. In most cases but one puparium, but in a few cases 
two, three, or even more puparia could be detected. Sucha 
puparium (fig. 2, ¢) is the contracted and hardened skin of 
the larva or worm; it is of a glossy chestnut-brown color, 

