Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-11-13

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on the possible damage and also for
suggestions as to how to combat the
powerful little enemy of the farmer.
The following letter was received this
morning from Prof. Snow and con-
tains much valuable information for
the farmer:
| CHANCELLOR SHOWS LETTER.
Your favor of the 9Th at hand. The
small bunch of wheat which you sent
me is affected with the Hessian fly and
also a rust. | have noted in the news
papers reports that the Hessian fly had
attacked Kansas wheat and my mail
this morning brings me other informa-
ton than that sent by you of the pres
ence of this pest. In 1884 in this state
we had the first invasion Of any conse-
quence by this fly. The species APP
peared in large numbers, first being
heard of in May from WyandOtte coun-
ty on the eastern border. Late in
the autumn reports began to come of a
very general distribution through the
eastern part of the state. The weather
which was unfavOrable for the chinch
bug, namely wet, was all that could be
desired for the Hessian fly. The fly is
one of the
| MOST FORMIDABLE ENEMIES
which the wheat farmer has to contend
with, and no pains should be spared to
wage destructive war againstit
may briefly summarize the life, his
tory and habits of the Hessiau fly as
follows: There are two broods-the
first laying their eggs on the leaves of
the young wheat from early April to
the end of May, the second brood ap-
pearing during August and the early
part of September and laying the eggs
on the young winter wheat, the eggs
Matching about four days after being
laid. The larvae are minute white
maggOts and remain between tue base
of the leaves and the stem next to the
roots, causing the stalk to swell and
the leaves to turn yellow and die.
During the latter part of November
they assume the FLAX seed" state and
may on removing the lower leaves be
found as little, brown, oval, cylindri-
cal bOdies-a little smaller than grains
of rice. They remain in the wheat I'M
til warm weather. In April the larvae |
rapidly transforms into the pupa, |
namely the FLAX seed" stage. The fly |
energies from its case about the end |
of April. The eggs laid by this first
or spring brood of flies soon hatch. The
second brood Of Larvae or maggots live
but a few weeks, the flax seed state |
is soon assumed and the autumn or
second brood Of flies appear in August. |
The insects now in your wheat are
in the maggot and also the ''faXseed"
states, and are, of course, members of
the second brood.
THE REMEDIES
are mostly preventive. After the
wheat is once up and the flies are in,
not much can be done. There are sew
eral destructive insect parasites of the
Hessian fly whose combined attacks
are supposed at times to destroy about
nine-tenths of all the flies hatched.
tho nra0nnfIUn
which may be taken are tie following:
Sowing part of the wheat early and
if affected by the fly blowing this in
and sowing the rest after September
20. This destroys the first brood and
prevents the second brood from ap-
pearing.
Sowing hardy varieties of wheat.
The use of lime, SCOT or salt, also
raking off the stubble.
If the wheat be only partly affected
it may be saved by fertilizers and care
full cultivation; or a badly damaged
field of winter wheat may thus be re-
cuperated in the spring. Pasturing
sheep and consequent close cropping
of the wheat in November and early
December may cause many of the eggs,
Larvae and ''flax seed" to be destroyed;
also rolling the ground may have nearly
the same effect.
All these remedies were recommended
by the National chronological commit.
tee which devoted much time and work
to investigating the Hessian fly. To
these recommendations of the COM
mission L would add this, namely: to
reduce to minimum the amour t of
VOLUNTEER WHEAT.
This serves as convenient place for
the deposit of the eggs of the summer
brood of the flies, and thereby through |
possible third brood may communi-
cate the pest to the later sown wheat
of the regular crop. This reduction
can be made by changing the wheat |
lands at least as often as once in two
years.
A correspondent writing me from
Jefferson county, Kansas, referring to |
the presence of the Hessian fly in his
fields, says that he intends to try
thorough grazing. He claims that it |
worked well on rye. He states also |
that four years ago he saved his wheat |