But the chief point of general interest, I think, has been what to do about the Hippobosca equina (Forest fly, fig. [18]), relative to some of our military manœuvres in the New Forest, which is its especial English locality. I do not know whether you have the infestation so far north as your country? It is very troublesome at times here.
December 18, 1899.
I should be very glad to help you if I could by reference to publications on “Silver-top” or “White-eared” wheat, but I am not aware of anything having been written on it in this country excepting my own short and meagre notes in my twelfth Annual Report, for 1888. Specimens are sent me occasionally, but—as by the time that the top of the wheat (or grass) has faded so as to draw attention to the injury, the insect, if insect was there, has gone—I have never been able to identify the cause of the mischief with any approach to certainty. I conjecture the cause to be the presence of some species of thrips. The American observations point to this, but these you probably are well acquainted with (and, indeed, it is not these you are inquiring about). In my notes I mention the peculiar manner in which the injured upper part of the stem can be withdrawn, the stem having been apparently severed about three or four inches above the uppermost knot. In the only instance I have seen in which the attack was still in progress (that is, the stem was not already parted, although it cracked asunder on being pulled), I found that at the point of fracture the straw tube had within an irregular swollen growth, what might be described as a granulated growth, filling up the tube; also the cross-section showed small open cells which had been cracked across in severing the stem. I had specimens of the attack also on barley, and at the time I was inclined, from the absence of all insect appearance, to ascribe it to some vegetable disease, but in the years that have elapsed since then it has appeared to me more likely to be attributable to thrips.
I am afraid that there is not anything worth your study in the page and a few lines of my remarks, but if you would care to see it, I would gladly direct a copy of my twelfth Annual Report to be sent for your acceptance. I would do so now, but I have not an unbound copy by me. Many thanks for your own publications which you have kindly sent me. I have read with great interest your remarks on the Argyresthia conjugella, Zell.[[82]] We have an apple attack here occasionally noticeable which agrees well with the characteristics of this infestation, but I have never been fortunate enough to identify the cause.
Yours very truly,
Eleanor A. Ormerod.
To Professor Dr. Alfred Nalepa, Gmunden, Vienna.
Torrington House, St. Albans, England,
August 3, 1893.
Monsieur,—I am very greatly indebted to your kindness and courtesy in taking the trouble to give me all the very valuable and helpful information which you favoured me with in your letter of the 28th July. I also thank you much for your permission to make some extracts in my Annual Report from the information which you have placed in my hands. This is a very great favour, and you may rest assured that I will most fully acknowledge my debt to yourself. From the study of the pamphlet which you were good enough to send me I have already benefited largely. But I earnestly pray you, do not let me intrude on your kind liberality for any work that I might be able (if you were good enough to give me the name) to purchase. My London booksellers are accustomed to procuring Continental publications for me, and I am feeling myself so greatly indebted to you for valuable information that I am quite uneasy at not being able to reciprocate as I much wish. I have delayed writing in the hope of being able to procure some specimens, but as yet I have only the enclosed (Pear leaf blister galls, ? of Phytoptus pyri) to send to you from trees in my own garden, and these I am afraid will be of little interest. Your valuable list of infestations has shown me that there are very many kinds of Phytoptus attack that I had no idea of the existence of, and I will indeed try to be of some service to you.