Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-02-02

information given in journal recently authorized by
the Society be published by its secretaries in an
abridged form and Of earlier appearance. In the pro
cecdings Jus, printed for November and December
lsio, find the subject mentioned, In some para
graphs Of which here suhon copy.
The committee, consisting OF mr.. Nuiial mr.. Lea,
and mr. Coates 10 whom was referred communica-
ton by Miss Mafgare,ta II. Morris the Cecdomyia
desiructor or Hessan Fly. reported in favor Of pubh
cation, which was ordered accordingly.
The committee express the opinion, that should the
observaonsDi miss Morris be ultimately proved to be
correct they will even,ua,e in considerable benefit 10
the agricultural community, and, through tito the pub
lie Miss Morris believes she has established that the
OF this destructive insect is deposited 10y thep pa
rent IN the seed Of the wheat, aud not previously
supposed, IN the stalk cum. She has watched the
progress Of the animal since June 1896, and has sat
sfed herself tina, she has frequently the larva
within the seed She has also detected the larva, al
various stages of It's progress from the seed to between
the body of the stalk and the sheath of the leaves
In the latter situation it passes into the pupa OF fax
seed state. According 10 the observation of miss Nor
rs the recently Matched larva peneraes the centre
OF the straw, where may be found of pale geensh
white seml-iransparent appearance, in form somewhat
resembling a silkworm From one 10 six OF these have
been found various heights from the seed the third
joint They would seem to enter the pupa state about
the beginning of June.
This fly not observed by miss Morris to inhabi
IL any other plant than wheat.
"To prevent the ravages of this destroyer OF the
grain will be proper to obtain fresh seed from local
tiles in which the fly has not made its appearance -
BY tins means the crop OF the following will be
unnjured but in order TO avoid the inoduc,ion OF
struggling insects Of the kind from adjacent fields is
requisite that whole neighborhood should persevere
in this precauiion for years in succession
This result Obtained in part in the course Of tn
als made by mr. Kirk, of Bucks county, Pa, with
4 some seed wheat from the Mediterranean, in and since
the year 1887 His first crop was free from the fly
but 1t was gradually introduced from adjacent fields
and in the present year the mischief has been consider
Iahl AS MtoO that hn nx hls
made its appearance in Susquehannah and Bradford
counties; seed wheat free from the fly, might he ob
, tanned from these and probably from other localities
1.-The committee recommend that the conclusions o
miss Morris may be subjected to the only eflicen
testrepeated observations and effective trials Of Tho
precaution she advises"
Believing the above to be an observation of yer,
considerable importance and sincerely hoping that
peated trials and examinations may confirm its correct
ness have pared the present notice for the Cab
ine in order to bring before the agricultural com
]. munity.
r Miss Morris's observations and differences agre
very well with what we know of the habits of many in
secs. Thus they are general rule, not produces
till their food is ready for them while their eggs ap
V pear approach the seeds of plants in the power
: enduring long delay and violence before the
, lose their vitality and faculty of development. Tn
: eggs of silk worms kept for various periods,
still retain the susceptibility of being Matched. How
long this power IN some insects may be capable OF en-
during has notbeen ascertained but the presumptio
v
# certain, (un observations made,) that tn
a period may moi 55a one Q; magnitude The lower ami
mails are said by naturalists to approach, III cOsiu
ton, much more nearly to Vegetable sthan to the NOR
complex beings of their class and this is acknow
e edged to be strkingy exemplifed in the instance
! have been reciting Something analogous may be pei
VI ceived in the instance Of the common fowl; in whic
II Species the eggs first laid are allowed to remain ii
IL enough accumulated for the parent to commenc
/ sitting and without in any way inurng the product
That highly and Justly distinguished American natu
- rast, the late Thomas Say, has left us an entomoop
e cal description of the Hesslan Fly in the first voum
e OF the Journal of the Philadelphia Academy of Natur;
Sciences. He appears never to have identified the in
- sect in earlier portion OF It's life than the iaxsee
! state Thus, he describes the arva, first state
" maggot of the animal, resembling the pupa or see
ond state except in the dark, reddish brown color
the latter; and alleges that, "when taken from I'll
m culm, it is almost inert exhibiting very little motion
/ the eye" This in 1917 and that eminer
1t writer principally occupied in the task, then new
of describing and classifying American insects in the
perfect forms, is entirely credible that he might hav
~ erred in relation TO their earlier stages; is it wor
derul that in twenty three years further dissovere
: should be made, and his account corrected. VIII;
~ Say calls the larva, will if miss Morris be
" be considered the early period of the pupa
The discovery of miss Morris, then, appears prime
III paly resolve itself into the fact Of the egg being d.
posted in the seed; and into the history of the pal
green larva, the primary stage OF the an
70 mails existence. The account OF its periodical chang
given 10y Say is couiessedly conectured; and IL
l. sufficiently explains the preservation of the specie
is through the winter. His words are, rhe history
IS the changes Of this insect is probably briefly this" ii
then proceeds TO describe the parent insect in depos
n ing its eggs within the sheath OF the leaves near III
root Of the plant the fixed mode of life of the laxsee
worm when crowded. and the death of the plant. II
then adds the following notice, which ends the recital
OF The perfect fly appears early in June lives but
ID short time, deposits its eggs. and dles-the insect
from these eggs complete the history by preparing e
n the winter brood. The words would seem impl
a. that there brood- OF these flies for
g mer and for winter. If "preparng for the wnt,
re brood" means laying the eggs which produc
them, why not the flies seen In the end Of October
before which time the sheaths Of the leaves and ii
straw itself OF the winter wheat do not exist, and
which period fly of any description is 10 be IN,
i in the fields IT. the other hand 'ihe insects sal
p ~ June, themselves 1.-THE winter brood" they al
IS to be found in the s,ubble after harvest and cann
IN possibly be the individuals that found ne,
spring IN the damaged stalks Of the new crop.
s. According to the facts believed 10 be ascerainel
$ Miss Morris, the difficulty once disappears II
ID fly lives only ten days, during which time It deposit
1e It's eggs. The eggs remain unaltered TIL the whe
sprouts, and the young is then below the suraC
nj the 4rth in a sinh talr j.