New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-05-29
THERE rs LITTLE DANGER.
So Says Prof. Lugger Of the Hessian
Fly Scare

ment station, does not believe that the
Hessian fly, which has made its appear
ance in some parts Of the country, and
which is just now doing its part toward
helping along the bulls in the wheat pits, |
will be of any harm in Minnesota this
year. But he pointed out this morning
to Journal man the fact that the fly is
very deadly and destructive foe to
wheat in any part of the country where
it gets into active business. The main
danger from the Hesslan fly, Prof. Lug
ger pointed out, was in those localities
where winter wheat is most scwn, though
it is known to do great damage at times
where both winter and spring wheat are
raised, and in both the crops. The rea-
son why the pest is not likely to do DAM
age in hard wheat state like Minnesota
is because of the cold weather of the late
fall, when: if winter wheat should be
sown, the frost would kill the flies.
The eggs Of the Hessian fly are laid
singly, or IN groups of two or three, usu-
ally on the upper surfaces of the leaves
of the young wheat plant, soon after it
appears IN the ground in the autumn.
Sometimes they are deposited on the
stalk or on the under side of the leaf
The egg is translucent, of pale red COL
or, and has the form of very slender
grain OF rye, without the groove along
the side. The larva matches IN about
four days after the egg is laid, if the
weather is warm, but in a considerably
longer time if It is cool. It at once
crowds down inside the sheath to it's base
just below the surface of the ground.
Here it fixes itself head downward to the
surface of the stalk, and does not there
after change its position. IT. does not
gnaw into the stalk, but gradually be.
comes lmmbedded il the stalk by alb.
sorbing its substance. In this way, by
the direct injuries to the stalk and by
absorbing for it's own growth the nour-
ishment that should go to the leaves
above, the plant is weakened, turns vel.
low and withers, and when there are ma
| ny larvae on one stalk it dies.
In tive to six weeks, the larva has
reached its full length of about three
twentieths of an inch, and has changed
from It's original pale red color to an
opaque white. 1t then changes again,
turning brown, then chestnut, enlarges
somewhat, and then passes into the pupa
or Haxseed state, the form in which it
most commonly is observed by farmers.
1t is nearly the form of a flax seed, but
somewhat more f1attened, especially at
the head end. It passes the winter in
this state.
The image or adult fly issues from the
faxseed state in the warm weather of the
early spring. It soon begins to lay eggs,
and these eggs will produce a second
crop, sometimes the third, in the same
season. The larvae Of these eggs, on
Matching, pass down to the lower Joints
of the straw above ground. Here they
grow like those of the other brood,
change to the haxseed state, and finally
issue in the adult fly state in, perhaps,
July or August.
The one remedy which, in nearly all
cases, will prevent the devastation of the
Hessian fly, is late planting. The later
the planting is in the winter wheat states
the more certain it is that the eggs will
be destroyed by the first sharp frosts of
autumn. Planting stri p of wheat along
one side of the field early is recommend
ed, so that the flies will deposit their
eggs thereon, and then the eggs can be
plowed under on this earlier wheat and
be destroyed. Pasturing with sheep in
the autumn, burning the stubble, apply
ing lime to the ground, rolling the ground
when the wheat is young, are recommend
ed as remedies, but the only certain rem
edy is the late autumn trosts.
Prof. Lugger was too busy arranging
for his departure for Duluth this morn
ing to take much time to discuss the Hes
sian fly. He had just received message
from Gov. Clough conveying the infor-
nation that grasshoppers have begun to
hatch out in the vicinity of Duluth, and
he was making a hurried preparation for
departure for that locality, in order to
find out how serious the situation is. If
he finds that there is danger of serious
spread of the pests, he will at once take
steps to eradicate them if possible. If
the pest IS found too far advanced for
successful coping with it, there may be
still chance for the grasshopper to join