The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-26
.FAVORS CHEAP WHEAT
GRAIN WEEvII. AN EARNEST Elk
H9RTER TO FARMERS NOT TO
HOLD THEIR WHEAT
CRUSADE ON CHINCH BUGS

State EntomOIOgist Lugger VIII Be-
gin in Few Days to Intrench the
Farmers OF the State Against the
TIordes of Insects-Hessian Fly Is
Worst Decentralization of Crops
an Excellent Preventive.
Prof. Otto Lugger, of the University of
Minnesota, is already preparing for the
spring campaign against pestiferous grain
eating insects. OF these the Hessian fly
is the most to be dreaded. Next in order
is the chinch bug, a blood relative of
the cimex lectularius1 of the third-class
boarding house.
In 1899 the Hessian fly (cecidomyia
destructor) was not so prominent as to
create great excitement, or absorbing in
terest. Yet Prof Lugger said to re-
porter for the G o e that it was est1-
mated the fly had done a million dollars
worth of damage In the state Of Mime
sofa alone.
Minnesota Is not renowned as a win
ter wheat state,' said the professor, land
yet to this very fact is due our compare
tive safety from the ravages of the Hes
IchoON.
there would be more flies. Ordinarily
there are two broods, or generations,
which appear in May and June and later
in September and October. They resem-
BILE mosquitoes, dusky in color and about
one-eighth of an inch in length. Four
years ago they appeared in great num-
bers in Minnesota, but, fortunately, many
of them were killed out by parasites. OF
.avot
kinds. If We raised winter wheat, as they
do south of us, there would be two broods
of the fly in one season, and, consequent
Iy, more damage. Our one crop of spring
wheat is a great defense against this in
sect.
Throughout the western portion of our
state the Hessian fly is common, and not
alone where both winter and spring wheat
is soWn. In the Red river valley it is
most abundant, where only spring wheat
is grown, and it is difficult to understand
how this insect can exist under such con-
ditions. Were it single brooded an ex-
PLANTATION would be simple. 1t seems to
have found permanent home in Western
counties, extending from Jackson, Cot
tonwood and Pipestone in the south to
parts of Manitoba. In the Red river val
ley it has caused losses from to rs per
cent on many farms"
What are the remedies?"
There are several. So far as protec-
ton of winter wheat is concerned late
sowing is recommended. This furnishes
the fail brood, which issues in September
and early October, nothing upon which to
deposit its eggs, or if deposited, it is too
late for the larvae to burrow to a safe
place in the stem to pass the winter.
Burning the stubble has been found
to destroy mary of the maggots, and the
'faxseed.' The 'faxseed' stage takes its
name from the great resemblance be-
tween the puparium and the seed of flax
in siZe color and form. Again rotation
of crops often leaves the adults with
out wheat plants on which to deposit
eggs, so that when wheat is again sown
the flies are all dead in that vicinity. In
reality it is a starving out process. Pas
turing early sown wheat in the fall Is
likely to destroy large numbers of mag
gots and 'faxseed.'
''The chinch bug" continued Prof.
Lugger, has been of immense damage
to Minnesota farmers. Weather and
health conditions Of the insect are. im-
portant factors iris fighting the pest"
There are torpedo boats and torpedo
boat destroyers. There are cFineh bugs
and chinch bug destroyers. Upon the
latter Prof Lugger Is now actively en-
ployed. He manufactures "a. disease"
which he distributes among the farmers
throughout the state, a specimen Of
canned disease which, under certain con-
dittons, is most destructive. The pro-
fessor showed the G o b e reporter some
of the spores of this death dealing dis
ease. 1t is manufactured from original
germs secured from diseased chinch bugs.
To secure it many scientific processes
are gone through. Spore In any quaint
ty can be made, canned and distributed
throughout the state at a moderate ex-
pense It's success depends on the
weather and physical condition of the it,
sects. As human beings are pred1sposed
to certain diseases, 80 also with the
chinch bugs They will contract the
disease sent among them much more
readily in damp. rainy weather than
in bright, dry, sunshiny days. One chihch
bug successfully inoculated will spread
the disease through the entire swarm,
and if, as before stated, conditions are
favorable they will all die off. Chinch
bugs begin on young corn and drift
by millions into small grain fields
The weevil is not an outdoor insect
1t is far more sedentary in it's habits
and confines it's malignancy to grain
stored in bins, elevators and mills.
"The market price of wheat" said
Prof. Lugger, has much to do with the
propagation of the weevil. This may
sound like a singular statement, but,
as a rule, it is true. When grain is low
in price it is held in store by farmers
and this affords the weevil most fruit
full pasturage. There are two kinds Of
weevil-the Oriental or rice weevil, and
the common grain weevil. Their habitat
embraces the whole globe. They are
most numerous in warm regions. In
| Touring mills they have proved great
annoyance, as many of them have been
ground into the -four. While they are
not poisonous, their wings are really in
| digestible, even ground to powder, and
nearly as injurious to the human sys-
tenn as ground glass. Chatine is word
designating the fundamental material Of
hair and finger nails. The basis of the
weevil's wings is chatine. Some millers
have complained the milfstones were
loaded when, in reality, the trouble re-
suited from the grinding, with the wheat,
| of the CLASSY wings of the weevil. When
human body is exhumed it is found
that the hair aid finger nails have not
decomposed. 1t is thus with the wings
of the weevil. They will not decom-
pose
II