Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-10-05
From he Hiachester Regebitcen
FLY PROOF WHEAT

Mn. GALLAHER :---i observe in your
paper Of last week ih.t the Fly-proof
Wheat recently introduced IN The Valley,
md, iedeed may sly into the State OF
Vugiois, is beginning 10 attract the otten-
ton OF oar agriciAlurlsts. Believing thar
my inform tlon upon this SUBJECT, howev
or limited, may prove interesting 70 some
Of your readers, | will cheerfully state all
,bbt has come into my possession. How
the word "Wed.terrsnean" became at
iacbed 10 this species Of wheat, am IN
able TO say; but know that il vas not
originally imported from any country Dor
derIng upor that sea. The history Of its
introc 1ction Iaio the United States, | Will
state in few worIs. Several years ago
an American gentleman who was tray,l-
ling in Holisnd received and accepted an
invitation TO dine wal, d number Of Hes
~ iDs, TOR ihs circumstance occurred 10
The iiesse "a tfy,) wnen the cOpyiis
ion turned upon the agriculture Of the
two countri $. Il was asked Of tn = m r.
an, why, with our fine cam lie and soil,
we SO ofien failed 10 having good wheat
cropsl The latter rep'Ied that It WIS
doubtless lC great measure attributable
to an insect which Il was supposed was
introduced into the United States ia the
wheat sent from HalI nd during the Rev
dictionary Wor for the subsistence ef the
British Army, which was known in this
country as The Hessida Fly The Hes
SINS were amused at the reply, Iu, nd
mitej that spme kinds OF heat in thai
country were liable TO injury by insects
while there was species IN very gtnef.
al use that resisted thoir attacks
The American gentlemen was pre- ent-
ed with some Of tn ; wheat, which he
brought to this country and spwed upon
fHs farm in Delaware. Subs qn ntlv, q
snail quantity vas forwarded TO the IA.
tent Office at Washington, VII re il at
fraetrd the attention II James Il. Italia.
itrro, Esq. Ga son Of the late Representa-
tive in Congress from the Northern Neck
district, by whom 1t was introduced into
Virginia, and lis ability 10 rcsit the at
lacks of the Fly successfully tes,el. You
viii therefore perceive That tn n me
"HedaeyrInean," given to this VIII at, has
M mors applicability tEan i, has to our
Common Indan corn. There may have
been species Of wheat introduced INFO
this country from some one { the States
b rdoiing on the Medu' rranean sea, but,
il So the "Fy Proof Wheat" is ano' her
article.
That this wheat is hy- roof | cannot
be permitted to doubt, m I, being fly proof,
submit TO our iatmar whether II is not,
therrtGre, less liable to suffer from the rust
ihan the common kinds. 1t is my opin-
ion that the latter evil may he fairly laid
ITO the charge of The llessian Fly, for this
season the 1y attacks the stalk of lie
wheit before il is pointed, mi of course
in young nn1 tender state: the first
shoe: is either killed or so much damaged
that lateral branches or suckers are thr wn
ont from the root las we observe from
the root Of a tree after the tree h S beer
cut DOWN which are so late in maturing
that the he At of summer catches the wheat
gre n AMI tender and liable To be destroy
cd by few hours Of suliry W att En-
TINS | ais believe to be tte cause Of
wheat rip ming SD irr gularly Throughout,
field, as soml tunes occurs to such de-
gree that farm 'rs have hem known to
.delibcrati for days before commencing
the wheat harvest.
Thus you will perceive that charge
almost every evil to which our wheat crops
are subject, to the Ilessian Fly and il
seems that if indeed this evil was inflicted
uron us by the lIessians during the Rrvo-
.lutoaary War, besides having drubbed
them pretty we'll at that ,imo for their in
terlercnce IN our affairs, we are al last
in 'ebled TO them for a preventive Of its
perniclous effects.
From all can learn ((or am n ilher
a ftrner nor n miller, though have paid
some attention to the farming int rest
nad only regrt that my zeal has not been
rewarded by corresponding d"gree Of
benefit to tn ise interests from all can
learn, | am induced to believe that this
wheat Wi not yield as well, either in
qualify or quantity OF -four, as the favor
tic kinds sowei in the Valley bat pre-
sumo this matter will be thoroughly test
I'd this FIJI by our milltrs, when The re.
1t will be ma lie public. Let this result
be what it may, this wheat has been prov
e,l to yield we'll; and il il is what its adj
vocates claim for it, thd is, Ey. Proof,
and therefore less liable to be injured by
tho rust, it IS a des.derAtum long sought,
and one that VIII be Of immense advan-
nge to III, whole country.
Yours, &c I.
Mr.. David HnIllngswo;th, practical
end pyreripocI a miller in renlv IN in