Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1845-05-01


and partly in the summer and autumn following
Those pupe which become such about June.
evolve the winged insect partly during the next
autumn and partly during the year succeeding.
The Hessan fly is attacked by numerous
foes, which, in various stages of its existence,
destroy large part Of every generation
Whether it has. in its winged state, any ene-
mics, except the ordinary des,royers Of flies, |
know not. The eggs, while lying on The leaves
of the young plant, are visited by very minute
four-winged insect, ia species of plalygas,er,)
which lays in them its own eggs. From later
observation, it appears that, occasionally, as
many as five or six eggs of this parasite are
laid in single egg of the Hesslan fly. The
latter egg ha,ches and becomes pupe, as usu-
al; but from the pupe case, instead Of The Hes
sian fly, issues one or more of these minute
parasites
The pupa, while imbedded in the stalk, are
attacked by at leas, three dlfferen, minute par
asies, -four winged hymenop'era,) which, bor-
ing through the sheath of the stalk, deposle
their eggs in the body within; and the latter is
finally devoured by the parasite larvae. These
are the principal means by which the mulripli-
cation of The Hessian fly is restrained within
tolerable limits.
Although the loss annually sustained by the
wheat growers of this country, in consequence
of the ravages of the Hessan fly, is severe, yet
it is well nigh impossible to ascertain even its
probable amount As long since as 1900, Dr.
S. l.. Mitchell, Of New York, affirmed lha, the
"nsect is more formidable to US than would be
an army of 10000 Hessians" In 1904, Pres
denl Dwight, Of Yale College, remarked that
"lhis insect is feeble and helpless in the ex-
ireme, defenceless against the least enemy, and
crushed by the most delicate touch yet, for
many years it has taxed this country, annually,
more, perhaps, than million of dollars" AT
the present day, the amount of the injury in
flicted, probably exceeds what ii was forty years
since; and 10 discover some feasible mode of
exlermina,ing the insect, or al leas, of arresing
lis ravages, is an objec, Of great importance to
this country.
Various remedical measures have, from time
to time, been proposed most of which will
here state.
lst. Sleeping the seed-wheal in elder juice,
solution fnre. boiling water, or other liquids;
or rolling in lime, ashes, or some other sub
stance, in order 10 kill the eggs. But as the
eggs Of the Hessian fly are not on the seed,
they will never be hurt by such processes. So
far as these means give vigor TO the plant, they
may be of some liIlle service.
ID Sowing seed obtained from places in
which the insect has no, made its appearance,
american Museum, iv, SD This recommen-
dalion also assumes the error, that the eggs are
laid on the grain, and will be found, as it has
often proved, useless as respects this insect
Sd. Abs,aning rigldly throughout the whole
grain-growing region of North America from
planting wheat, rye, barley, or oals. for one,
two, OF three years, and thus siarve out the in
sect! This plan might be effec,ual, bu, would
obviously involve some Inconvenience.
4th. Manuring the land very highly, so lha,
the plants will grow vigorously, and The sooner
out of the way of The insect, and also better able
TO resis, it. This proposal has some merit, but
does no,hng towards destroying the insect.
5lh. Sowing some variety of bearded wheat;
!
&C., supposed to have harder and more solid
stalk than common wheat, and better able to
Withstand The impression Of the larvae. sug-
geslion of some value, but, equally with the
4th, leaves the insec, unframed
9th. Fumigating the wheat field and sprnk-
ling the young wheat with infusion Of elder aud
with other sleeps, lfsuccessful, which is quite
uncertain, i, is plain tha, these measures are
mpraclicabe on large scale.
7th. Sowing winter wheat very late in the
autumn, so that the fly shall have mostly dis
appeared before the plants are large enough TO
be attacked No doub, this plan is TO some ex-.
tent useful, bu. ihe wheat sown late is in great
danger Of pershing during the winter. Tho
1 hy will of course attack IL IN the spring vet