Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-05-09
TIE IIESSfAN ELY

we have further accounts of this des-
tructVe insect. On the James River 2
few miles below this City, on the Pamun
ky, and on the Rappahannock, we hear
OF It's ravages. 1t has appeared on the
Northern Neck (between the Rappaban-
mock and Potomac) where ii was scarcely
ever seen before. In Madison. Orange.
FauquIer, and Albemarle, Counties to the
north ana west OF us,) its visitation is dis
tresslnS-also, in the neighbourhood of
tins City. Rich land and the forward
Mhea', IN great measure escape it
The stalk of the forward wheat is pro-
badly too hard to suffer injury from
the maggot. The latter wheats suffer
immenSeiy-a 18th, 3rh, /, in some
places greater proportion will be DIES
troyed The insect already appears in
two shapes, that of the maggot, and that
OF the chrysalis or the nAx-seed state. i'm
which II no longer eats, and Of course no
longer INJURIES
we have before us treatise on the
iiessian Fly, written in 1892 BIZ Jonathan
~. ravens, once member of the Il. of
Il. man OF acute mind. He states, as
The result of his observations. there are
Two generations of this insect i'm the wear
that 1t " has no dependence, upon the
"hea' Ill gram, either for food, or as A
place IN which to deposit any nit or cyg
Tor the preservation of It's species but Is
II! me winter season cAjysaLs, and re-
mains through the whole winter i'm the
field, on the green wheat, without suffer
ihS any apparent injury from FROST or
snow, and Is transformed into Ry as
soon as the weather beromes warm O.
nonSi IN the spring" The time when
tilis transformation begins, depends up
on the temperature of the air, and there
lore varies IN the same country but he
estimates this transformation TO take
place IN an average period of about three
weeks: The fly diSengages itself from
the wheat by boring small round hole
through the brown (chrysaline) case in
which ii is enclosed, and through the
leaf OF the wheat just opposite to the
place where if is lodged, and this hole
may be easily discovered as long as the
siubble, remains entire. The fly, very
soon alter 1t comes ont, is prepared 10
spread itself i'll the field where it has lain
during the winter, or takes its flight TO
more distant places in search of wheat on
which to lay It's eggs or maggois: and it
IS at thus time that ii has an opportunity
OF gong on TO summer wheat. which
would otherwise escape without bein0 in
lured. The great variety in the fine of
lis iirst coming out, produces the like va
rlety III the time offs dcposiing tie egg
or The maggot, but this may be generajly
placed between the Goth of April and tl,e
lOth OF May Tin Long Island y but This
TOO depends upon the season. Mr.. II
says tliat " the maggCt is properly the FIRST
STATE, or mode of existence with the in
sect; for although il appears, at first. 70
resemble an Cgg, yet he is inclined ia he
lieve that the ily is vivparous, for he
never could discover HAT any transfor,na
lion took place from an egg to mao0ot.
~ resembles al first very small white
nv, amt as 1t grows larger, becomes \
sluggish, and almost inanimate mappot.
oi a White colour, and capable of very
iiIile perceivablc motion. I'm this state
me proper and most natural food of the
insect, Is the sap or juice of that kind of
green wheat Which has the most delicate
stray; next to this may be ranked the
several kinds Of wheat whose straw &c
more firm and solid, such as The varjous
sorts of bearded wheat. and fbe Great
rcd-baid, Of red chat wheat and next to
ms, may be ranked rye. TIE manner in
winch The mOggOt obtains the san. an
pears to he altogether bv suction. which
- very probably performed through some
very fine and impercepf,ble tubes I'm
Pedfe" destitute Of a5y faculty of corrod
"H 'he SOUd part OF the straw and as il
grows larger lis whole body indents Oie
STRAW, ana prevents the rise Of the SAP,
anu Inc gram either falls down, or
PSS'snes before II has grown to be
ot any considerable height
SIZE OF The maggot when full grown.
az" 'he iii'e necessary % complete ils