§ MR. ROUND (Essex, N.E., Harwich)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he is aware of the existence of the "wheat bulb fly" in any of the Eastern Counties besides Essex; and 15 if his Department is in possession of any information likely to be of use to agriculturists in checking this pest?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THEBOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordI am aware of the existence of the "wheat bulb fly." It is by no means a new pest, but the injuries resulting from the operations of that fly have increased during the last four or five years, and this year they have been more extensive than in previous years. Unfortunately, the complete life history of the insect is unknown; but it is believed that its eggs are laid in the earth. Thence larva) come, which get into the stems of the wheat plants or the bulbs, and feed upon them, causing them to die or to become sickly or weak. When the plants are themselves found to be affected it will be useful, if not too late, to use artificial manure, such as nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, to push them on rapidly. My hon. Friend will find some interesting information on the "wheat bulb fly" in the annual Report of the Intelligence Department of the Board for 1890 on injurious insects and fungi.