FIG. 7.—PIECE OF UNDER SIDE OF WARBLED HIDE; WARBLES ABOUT
HALF SIZE.
From a Photo by Messrs. Byrne, Richmond, Surrey.
FIG 8.—BREATHING TUBES OF MAGGOT (TO WHICH THE SMEAR IS APPLIED),
MAGGOT, AND PRICKLES OUTSIDE SKIN OF MAGGOT (ALL MAGNIFIED).
[A leaflet which Miss Ormerod circulated widely says:—From £3,000,000 to £4,000,000 are lost annually through these pests. One-half the fat beasts killed in this country are afflicted with this grub. The farmer loses on his stock from poorer condition, and from death; from less yield of milk, and damage to all, especially to fattening beasts, and cows from their tearing full gallop about the fields, besides loss to the butcher of from a halfpenny to a penny per pound on warbled hides. Look at the under side of the newly flayed hide of a warbled beast and see the grub cells (fig. [7]). Maggots may be squeezed out, or easily killed by putting a dab of cart grease and sulphur, McDougall’s Smear, or anything that will choke them in the opening of the warble, and the fly may be prevented from striking by dressing the beasts’ backs in summer.]
May I add that during the past five years I have been drawing the attention of the boys to insects, which are injurious to food crops. They are quite familiar with such pests as the leather jacket, wireworm, turnip and mangold fly, caterpillars of the magpie moth, and the gooseberry and currant sawfly, &c., &c., for hundreds of living specimens have been brought to the school, bird’s-nesting having to a very great extent been superseded by this new pursuit. The boys, having become well acquainted with the pests, were instructed as to the best methods of prevention and remedy. These boys will, in the course of a very few years, be the farmers and farm labourers of this district, and I am satisfied that even the little instruction which I am able to give them in what I may call “Practical Entomology” will then be found to be of considerable use to them.—W. BAILEY.[[53]]
Moth at rest, and with wings spread; caterpillar walking.
FIG. 9.—MAGPIE MOTH (CURRANT AND GOOSEBERRY), ABRAXAS
GROSSULARIATA, LINN.
November 24, 1887.[[54]]
Dear Mr. Bailey,—The Farmers’ Club meeting will be an exceptionally rare opportunity of pushing forward this, and some other important matters, as well as of laying before some of our leading agriculturists some important facts about a few of the pests of the corn crops of last season’s notoriety. You will think my letter endless, but I want to congratulate you most heartily on your good success in the examinations (which must be a weary work to prepare for), and also on that of your assistant master and teacher, which is indeed encouraging, and to say how sorry we are to hear of your illness. I trust, if it please God, that you may have comfortable health again—it makes such a difference.
Since my sister and I came to St. Albans we are almost like different people. We have a beautiful house (plate [XIX].) with such thick walls that we do not feel the changes of temperature, and a lovely country view along the valley. We have also met with a most kindly reception, and, last but not least amongst blessings and comforts for which we are deeply grateful, is that educated earnest clergy form a decided element in the Society. But now I ought only to add thanks and very kind regards from us both.