THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



  Tasmania has an area of about 26,000 sq.
miles; its avenge length being 116, its width
155 miles. The central portion consists of a
table lead some 3,000 feet above the level of
the sea, and is dotted with beautiful lakes,
which are the sources of several rivers of con-
siderable magnitude.  The whole island
abounds in coal, and is likewise favored with
valuable mines of galens lead, copper, iron
and gold. Altogether, it is quite an attract-
ive point, and within the next ten years will
acquire a large population. Number of in-
habitants now, about 90,000.
  With her immense mineral and agricultural
resources, and with a climate exceedingly fa-
vorable, Tasmania is destined to rank high in
the family of British Colonies.

              Tke Wheat Aphis-

  [The following communication from the pen
of Prof. Glover, of the Maryland Agricultur-
al College, Entomologist to the Agricultural
Department, and one of the most learned men
in his protession of which this country can
boast, will be read with interest by all who
are not already familiar with the character
and habits of the insect vhich threatened so
much damage in some portions of this State
just before harvest.-ED.]
      DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.    }
      WASHINOToN, D. C., Aug. 11, 1868.
  J. W. HoYT, Esaj.:-The insect you mention
as being very destructive to grain is most
probably the
  AphiM arenew, (Fab.) Grain aphis or plant
louse.
  Eggs probably deposited by the unwinged
females in the autumn upon late sown wheat,
rye, &c., where they remain all winter, and
hatch the following spring.
  Insects live solitary at first upon the leaves
and stems of oats, wheat, rye, &c., before the
flowers or heads are formed; where, by means
of their suckers, they drain the sap from the
plant. At this time only females are found,
which are of a green color, and bring forth
their young alive. When, however, the flow.



ers and heads are formed they discontinue



their solitary habits and cluster in great num-
bers at the base of the chaff which envelops
the grain, and, inserting their piercers into
the plant, extract the juices which should form
the gran, causing the kernels to become more
or less shrunken and light of weight. When
feeding upon the juices of the young grain
the plant lice change their color from green
to a yellow orange and orange brown. These
elusters or communities of plant lice at the
base of each grain consist of winged females
and their young; which last shed their skins
several times before attaining their full sie.
  During the summer, female aphides give
birth to living young, without pairing with
the males. These young, when perfectly de-
veloped, produce young, likewise, without
pairing, and so on for several generations.

  The males appear later in the season, when
they pair, the impregnated females flying to
the late sown wheat, &c., to deposit their eggs
which remain uninjured all wint r and hatch
the following spring.
  Dr. Fitch mentions this insect in his valua-
ble report for 1860, as having been found all
over the New England states, in New York,
Canada and Pennsylvania. Last year it was
very destructive in Maryland, and during the
present summer literally swarmed upon a
field of oats you saw at the Maryland Agri-
cultural College, so that I had a good oppor-
ttnity of observing its habits.
         FOES OF TuE CRAIN APHIS.
  The Lady Bugs (coccineUidar)-small round
red beetles, spotted on the back more or less
with black-are also very numerous in the
grain fields, Lad, in both the larva and pups
state, feed voraciously upon plant lice, and,
therefore, ought to be protected by the farmer.
  The maggot-like larvae of the Syrphw-
small yellow and black banded, two-winged
flies which may be seen hovering in the bright
sunshine over flowers-feed also upon plant
lioe, and may be considered " benfactors.
  The larvu of Chrysqpa-delicate greenish
flies with golden eyes and wimp like the fin-
    - ".t^lioarv n      =es*lan licP'b*s



- -



* W



861



_-             -   _ _ _ _ _ __



.



eat gause--feed likewim -Fv,. F---- 1M.