The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-06-29
AGRICULTURAL.
THE WHEAT MIDeE.


nent agriculturists, that the cool, frosty
weather which has recently prevailed
might have the salutary tendency to
check the ravages of the nudge in wheat
il not destroy the fly itsolf-the cause Of
all the mischief But the following para
graph which made its appearance in re-
cent issue of the Grand Rapids Daily Ea-
ale seems to convey different impression.
But we hope the reported appearance of
the fly in that county will prove to be
mistake. We have heard of nothing of
the kind, as yet, in Ottawa. But here is
the paragraph:
"That pest of the wheat field, the
nudge, or fly, is reported to have made
its appearance in this vicinity. We are
informed that thousands of them were
seen, one evening last week, in this city.
This insect does not appear to have been
known in America until about the year
1928, though very similar one had pre-
viously committed extensive depredations
in the wheat fields of Europe. Accord
ing to the description given of it by DR..
Harris, it is a small, yellow, or orange
colored fly, much resembling the musqui-
TO in form, but much smaller in size, the
females varying from one-twentieth TO
one-tenth Of an inch in length. The
males are much smaller than the females,
and somewhat paler in color. The par
emit fly deposits her egg in the opening
flowers of the grain, or when the wheat
is in the milky state. The eggs hatch in
eight days, when the little yellow mag
gots or worms may be found within the
chafy scales of the grain. The seed
scales Of grass, also, sometimes serve rs a
shelter for these depredators. The worms
are of bright yellow or orange color,
and never exceed the eighth of an inch in
length. They. do the greatest injury
when they commence their depredations,
soon after the blossoming of the plant, as
the grains never fall out. About the
time the grain hardens they cease eating,
and become sluggish or torpid, prepare
tory TO moulting or shedding their skin,
which takes place in the following man.
ner: The body of the maggot gradually
shrinks in length within its skin, and be-
comes moro fattened and less pointed, as
may bo readily seen through its delicate
transparency. This torpid state lasts
few days, after which the insect casts
its skin, leaving the latter entire, except
little rent at one end of it. These emp
ty cases or skins, may be found in great
abundance in the wheat ears after the
moulting process is completed. Within
two or three days after moulting, the
maggots either descend of their own ac-
cord, or are shaken out of the ears by
the wind, and fall to the ground. Near
ly all of them disappear before the mid
die of August, and they are rarely found
in the grain at the time of harvest
Having reached the ground they soon
burrow under the surface, those which
have not moulted casting their skins be-
fore entering the earth. Here they re-
main without change during the winter,
TO pass through another metamorphosis,
and reappear in the fully developed fly,
the following summer.
So much for the description of this
much dreaded insect, which we condense
from the Agricultural Report 10 the Pa
tent Office, for 1853, by Prof Clover
We do not know that any thoroughly eff
fective means of defense against the raw
ages Of the fly has yet been discovered.
The same writer mentions as among the
plans which have been tried, with some
degree Of success, the following: Fumiga-
ton with sulphur and burning weeds on
the windward side of the field when the
grain is in bloom. Air-slacked lime or
wood ashes, sown broadcast over the
grain, while in blossom, at the rate of
about one bushel of lime or ashes to the
acre, when the plants are wet with dew or
rain. Two or three applications have
sometimes been found necessary. Plow-
ing up the ground TO destroy the maggots,
is recommended; and the burning of the
refuse straw or dust-chaf, if found To con-
tain any of these insects.
We hope to hear that the fears of ser.
ious damage to wheat by the nudge, in
this vicinity, the present season, are I'M
founded. We shall be happy to hear
from the farmers Of this section respect
ing it, and also the result of their expert
ences, if any, in avoiding or preventing
its depredations.
.
HARVESTING AND THREsuING.-Bv all