Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-12-25
FARM AND HOME.
A HALF-HOUR WITH PRACTi-
CAL AUTHORITIES.
chancellor Snow Of Kansas University on tho
Ilessian Fly and Its Habits Inter stiny
stock and Farm Notes House.
hold Hints.

+. IL. Snow, chancellor OF the Uni
versity of Kansas, has FOR many
months past been pursuing sys
tematic and thorough investigation o.
the Hessian fly. and what. il any
remedy against the pest may be bad.
He says:
In 1884 we had the trst invasion by
this fly of any consequence in this
state. The species appeared in large
numbers, first being heard from in May
on thu eastern border, while late in
the autumn reports showed very
general distribution OF the insect
, throughout the eastern part OF the
state. The fly is one of the most
formidable enemies which the wheat
farmer has to contend with. aud no
pains should be spared 10 wage des-
lructive war against it.
| may. briefly summarize the life,
history and habits of the Hessian fly
as follows: There are two broods. the
I first laying their eggs on the leaves OF
: the young wheat from early April to
the end of May, the second brood APP
pearing during August and the early
part OF September aud laying the eggs
on the young winter wheat, the eggs
Matching ABOUT four days after being
laid. The larvae are minute white
m ggots and remain between the base
OF the leaves and tho stem near the
roots, causing the stalk TO swell and
the leaves 70 turn yellow and die.
During the latter part OF November
they assume the FAX seed" state and
may on removing the lower leaves be
found as little brown, oval. cylindrical
bodied, little sma Ter than grains OF
rice. They remain Ia the wheat until
the warm weather In April the
j. rvae rapidly transforms into the
pupa namely: the FLAX seed" st &c.
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
FLAX seed' state is soon assumed and
the autumn or second brood OF flies
appears in August
The insects now in your wheat are
IN the magoot and also the 'hax seed"
ST ties, and are, of course, members Of
the second brood.
The remedies are mostly preventive.
After the wheat Is once up and the
fl rs are in, not much can be done.
There are several destructure insect
p rasites OF the He,sian fly whose
combined attacks are supposed at
times to destroy about nine-tenths OF
all the flies hatcned
Among the preventive measures
which may be taken are the following:
Sowing Il part OF the wheat early
and if affected by the fly blowing this
in and sowing the rest after Septem-
Der 20. This destroys the first brood
and prevents the second brood from
appearing.
Sowing hardy varieties OF wheat.
The use OF lime. SCOT or salt, also
raking off the stubhle.
IL the wheat be only partly affected
it may be saved by fertilizers aud
careful civilizations; or badly dam
aged field of winter wheat may thus be
recuperated 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 the same effect.
All these remedies were recon-
mended by the National chronological
Commission which devoted much time
and work investigating the Hessian
fly. To these recommendation OF the
commission ! would add this, namely:
to reduce to n minimum the amount of
volunteer wheat. This serves as a
convenient place for the deposit of the
eggs OF the summer brood OF tine flies.
and thereby through possible third
brood may communicate the pest to
the latter sown wheat OF the regular
crop. This reduction can be made by
changing the wheat lands at least as
often us once in two wears.