The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-09-12
wheat and the Hessian Fly.

The insect known by the common
name OF Hessian fly is widely dis
tributed pest. and is sometimes so
abundant over certain regions that
farmers are compelled to abandon the
cultivation of wheat. 1t has been
known for over century, and, while
first discovered attacking wheat near
this city. 1t is now found almost every
where. from Maine to r. ansas, and will
obably, sooner or later, appear in all
the whea:-growing regions oil the United
States. As cary as 1881 it almost to-
tally destroyed the wheat crop in east
ern onn Island ana there has been
scarcely a season since in which the in
sect has not appeared in some one or
more places. seriously iniuring the
crop. and sometimes destroying the
plants for several years in succession.
and then suddenly disappearing as
mysteriously as it came.
he Hess;an fly is a two-winged in-
sect, and belongs to group OF minute
flies which are all me re or less injurious
to plants. There are several species
known to be destructive to cultivated
plants. but this wheat pest is probably
the worst of the family. 1t is double
brooded. one brood appearing late in
the summer. and the other early in the
spring. but the summer Or fall brood is
generally the most destructive. The
flies come in August and September.
and depos their eggs upon the young
wheat plants very soon after they APP
pear above ground. The eggs hatch in
a week or ten days, and the grubs
crawl down the Leaf and feed upon the
stalk, causing it to wither and die.
The carly spring brood alta ks the
VIII, at in the same way. but the plants
often outgrow the injury at this season.
The presence of the HessIan fly in
wheat field is soon made apparent by
the number of plants that turn yellow
and die, and if these are examined the
grubs, or the bright chestnut-colo: ed
pup which resemble small tlaNseed,
will be found imbedded in the crown of
the plant. or within the folds of the
leaves. Various remedies and proven
tives have been tried, but all fail in
some seasons while successful in others.
/ ate sowing, or after the flies have
been killed bv frosts, is quite COM
monty practiced in the Northern States,
and by many farmers is considered the
best preventive. Entomolog SITS who
have closely studied the habits of this
insect recommend late sowing. even at
the risk of having the wheat in jured by
the frosts and cold of winter. In our
more Northern States. wheat sown
about September ~ will not usually
appear above ground before October /,
at which time the flies will have mostly
disappeared. OF course there are ex-
ceptiOns to this rule, and, if the weather
happens to be very warm during Sep
TEMPER, the lilies may live and deposit
their eggs on tn wheat plants in Octo-
Der. but they will not be very unbund-
ant In the report of the "Ohio Agri-
cultural Experimental Station for
1881, we find the following very prac-
teal suggestions in regard to the best
the for sowing winter wheat in order
to escape the attacks of the fly:
winter wheat may be sowed too
early in the season or it may be sowed
too late, so there must be certain
time. neither too cary nor too late:
Many factors must be considered in
designating the best tine to sow. The
condition of the soil, and exposure, the
presence of the Hessian fly, etc, must
all be duly considered. he best time
for sowing wheat in Central Ohio Is
from September 10 to Sc ptember 80. :"
In few instances very early sown
wheat is reported to have been less in
jured by the fly than when sown in the
intermediate or late season. and 1t is
supposed that the reason of it was that
while the fly attacked it, the plants
were Q: owing so rapidly that they es-
capped serious injury. But where early
sown wheat has escaped only less in
jured than late, it may be considered
as an exception to the rule. and where
the fly is about farmers should put oil
sowing their winter wheat until there
have been a few light frosts or at least
Utilize cool nights.--N. \. Sun.