Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-27
Aarifultural.


A TRrE CHARAcTxR OF THE WHEAT Fly,
OR MIDGK.-On none of our insects has
greater amount been written within the last
five years, and yet there is great amount
ofignorance in regard to it. Many persons,
who ought to know better, still call il the
"weevil,p rame to which it has no more
title than the ''bumbIe-bee" The true
''weeviP is a beetle, and devours the grain
in the barn or granary-never in the field.
The present insect is two-winged fly; the
larva, as all know, a small, orange-colored
maggot, found in ears of wheat. The eggs
are laid by the parent insect when the wheat
comes in bloom, she taking care to deposit
them between the glumes or chaff of the
embryo grain English writer's are in doubt
as to what they eat, although it is their
opinion that it is the pollen. When these
lsrvas are numerous, the embryo does not
develop, or it has at best, stinted, shriveled
appearance. Some persons in this country
think that they eat the grain, but this is
mistake; Others, that they absorb the nutri-
ment from the grain, but the skin of the
grain is left unbroken, and they are never
found clinging to its surface, leech-like.
Closer observations than have been made, as
yet are necessary to proper knowledge of
this point.
They doubtless destroy the pollen grains,
and this, of itself, is almost sufficient to ac-
count for the abortive condition Of so many
of the germs. For all practical purposes,
however, it is sufficient to know that the
grain is lost to the farmer. His crop is
spoiled, and the question is, how to prevent
it2 There are several ichneumon parasites in
Europe, but are they really found here?
Their absence would account for the enor-
nous increase of the midge. DR.. Asa Fitch
recommends importing these parasites. 1t
can very easily be done, for if small guam
tity of English pup@ be procured, a consid-
cradle number will produce parasites. Fields
that are now cropped with wheat, and in
which this fly occurs, should not be sowed
with the same grain for two or three years;
nor should any field close to it. Deep plow-
ing in the fall is also an excellent plan, for
the pupe and Larvae are buried too deep for
resurrection. The chaff of infested wheat
should be burned or boiled. Small birds de-
YOUR great quantities of the Larvae and pupe,
and should be encouraged in well-doing
Ohio Farmer.
THE CULTIVATION OF WINTER Barley
The cultivation of winter barley, says the
Genesee IN. W Farmer, is much on the in
crease in this section. 1t differs in no respect,
botanically, from the spring variety. 1t is
spring barley that has been sown in more
Southern latitudes in the fall till it has be-
come capable of standing the winter.
Our severe winters here do not injure
winter barley when it is sown on dry up
lands. Like winter wheat, it does not sue
coed on low, moist land. II should be sown
as early as winter Wholesome farmers
think q few days earlier, though many do
not SOW till after they have got in their
wheat. Ii requires the same culture as win
ter wheat. When sown on good SOIL prop
erly prepared, the yield is large. The SAM
pie is better, under such circumstances, than
spring barley, and weighs more to the
bushel, and commands, consequently, q
higher price.
A correspondent in Kentucky recommends
sowing winter barley after oats, rather than
after winter wheat, for the reason that the
land, having been plowed in the spring, can
be got into better condition than that which
has not been plowed iUr twelve months
Another advantage is, that when the barley
is put in about the lst of September, all the
scattering grains of oats will grow with the
barley, thereby helping to cover the whole
surface of the ground before hard weather
sets In; and when the frost comes, the barley
will be SO firmly rooted and matted over the
surface that 1t will not suffer from severe
weather, while the oats will be killed out
and leave the barley to occupy the whole
ground in the spring. He sows generally
about the 1st Of September, but if thu
weather is very hot and dry, prefers to defer
it till cooler weather.
MODE OF IMPROVING LIGHT AND HARD
WORN LASDs.-A contributor to an Eastern
journal writes on this subject;
II would be Of little service to expenC
much thought or labor upon improving
worn-out lands, unless at the same time We
inform ourselves how TO keep such lands il
good condition after we have renovated
them, for in Il relapse the last estate is worsl
than fba fret Land which IL oIia1
OUT in New England is usually of that warn
and generous nature which, whenever rail-
enough falls, yields Immediately such stor
of fertility as it has to the hand of the hus
bandman, be he careless or careful-unlikl
the more tardy returns from cold and ten a
cious sells. Warm, sandy soils will ALLOW
themselves to be skinned early and late il
the season, and owners enough are fount
who will mercilessly rob them until edibl
vegetation becomes extinct.
Thousands of acres in New England ar,
every year treated as cruel drivers use wha
are called "free'' horses-driyen TO death
Indeed, fine spirited horse broken down by
hard work and bad fare, with his bones al
most protruding from his CALLED skin, and {
piece Of New England plain land, or hillside
pasture, driven to the last extremity o
boxes" excites in my bosom nearly the SAM
emotions ofsorr0w and pity. Such animalgar
often found on such land, but thereare man
farmers who would be ashamed of owning
skin-and-b0nes horse, who will make M
scruple of faying their old fields with crol
ofrye whenever a stand of mulleins give
evidence that the yield Of grain will pay th'
abor. - s.saf ~ -
II is important to avoid, in attempts ts
improve exhausted lands, the culture of sucl
crops as have always attended its impoyer
ishInent Indian corn and oats are enormou
consumers Of fertility, hut under the skin
ming system rye is mainly relied on 10 re
duce old heldB TO their last gasp. Back
wheat doesn't shave nearly as close, and few
men have the hudihood 70 attempt raisinI
oats of corn without some show OF manure
msrk 9gt lys nvm the list Of crops for you
old heids pray you