Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-11-10
From the Southern Planter.
ON THE JOINT MORN.

ON THE JOINT WORM.
The peculiar disease, now affecting
wheat in Virginia, seems to be of the same
nature as that which attacked barley in
Massachusetts above twenty-five years
age. This disease consists Of hard, woody,
gall-like tumors ON the stem of the plant,
situated mostly in the shsathing bases OF
the lower leaves, or in the second or third
Joint, more rarely in the substances OF the
stem itself On being opened, these tu-
mors are found to contain several little
ysllowish white maggots, called joint
worm in Virginia, each lodged in n sspa-
rate cell rather larger than its own body.
These tumors by their pressure and hard
ness, obstruct the circulation, obiitsrate
the hollow of the stem, and prevent its
acknowledgement, thereby greatly reducing
the amount of the crop. The greater
part of tho maggots remain unchanged in
the tumors through the winter, and in the
following months of May and June are
transformed into tiny, blaekish, four
winged flies, belonging to the genus En-
that 4 very few undergo this change du-
we'd in Massachusetts,, these insects were
supposed to be parasites, in accordance
with the known habits and history of 9TH
ers belonging to the same family; and it
was thought that the real eulprits would
be found to be some species of Cocidomyia,
or small flies resembling the Hessian fly
and the wheat fly. Hitherto, however,
no species of CocidOmyia has been obtain
ed from the diseased barley straw in Mas
sacusetts, or from the diseased wheat
straw of Virginia. On the contrary,
both, in repeated instances, have furnish
ed large numbers Of the same kind Of
Eurytoma. If, then, this insect be the
sole cause of the disease, as Professor
Csbell and others are inclined to believe,
it becomes important to consider whether
the history of the insect will suggest any
means for diminishing or arresting it's ra-
wages.
As the disease is seated near the base
of the straw, in or near the second or third
joint, the greater part of the diseased por-
tions will be left in the stubble when the
grain is reAped. This fact has been no.
ticsd in the barley fields in Massachusetts,
and doubtless occurs also in the wheat
fields of Virginia. Most of the insects re-
main unchanged in the stubble till the
following year. If, then, we can destroy
the maggots remaining in the stubble in
the field. before they have completed their
transformations and made their escape,
We shall, in a great measure, restrain
their further propagation aud increase ;
for it is in the winged state that insects
propagate their kind. 1t has been found
in Massachusetts that ploughing in the
stubblo has no effect upon the insects,
which remain uninj ured under the slight
covering of earth, and easily make their
way to the surface when they have COM
pleted their transformations The only
practicable way of destroying the insects,
is TO burn the stu66ls containing them
Some few may complete their transforms
lions and take wing during the first sum-
mer, before the grain is rsspsd. and will
thereby escape being burnt with the stub
bls and, these, if allowed to increase,
will suffice to continue their race The
remedy, suggested, to be successful, must
be followed up in several successive years,
and if generally adoped, and thoroughly
and carefully employed, cannot fail to eI-
terminate the Eurytoma.
! Highly MANFRED and thoroughly titled
fields, by promoting a rapid and vigorous
growth of the plant. may render it less
liable to suffer from the. attacks of the in
sect. Large fields, well seeded, will pro-
badly escape better than those that are
smaller aud thinner soun, in which the
insects, when about to lay their eggs, can
penetrate easily and to greater extent.
Cambridge, Mass, Aug. 10, 1852.