Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-09-03
THE FLY.
Its Damage to
Wheat Crops.
Experiments Made at
Ohio Station.
Times For Farmers to
Sow Crops.
Methods by Which Damage May
be Avoided.

In the fall of 1900 the Ohio Ex-
pertinent station made weekly SOW
ings of wheat from August 81 to
October 26 at the Central Station at
Wooster, and from September l to
October 13 at the substation at
Strongsville, 40 miles north. Other
sowings We're made, at both places
from September Is to October l. Ia
both tests the first sowing was prac-
tically untouched by the fly. At
Wooster, the wheat sown September
Z and II was more than half destroy
ed, and that sown September q was
practically all destroyed by the fly
That sown September % made about
tnree-fourths of crop, and that
sown after October 1, escaped injury.
At Strongsville the injury eliminated
in the sowings of September Is to 1S,
the wheat sown on the later date
being almost completely destroyed.
on wheat sown after September 20
there was but little injury.
At Columbus, wheat sown October
4 and 5 suffered but little. In the
Southern part of the State wheat
sown before October 10 was consid-
erably injured, while that sown after
that date measurably escaped.
1t will be observed that the dates
of safety from fly indicated by these
experiments are generally later than
It has heretofore been supposed to
be necessary to wait to avoid the
fly; but in 1877 Prof. A. j. Cook,
writing of the disastrous attack Of
fly In that state, observed that de-
structive attack was repeatedly OBJ
served on wheat sown as late as
September 20, and Director G., j..
Smith, of the, Michigan Experiment
Station, has reported severe injury
to wheat sown there the 10th of last
September.
1t seems, therefore, that the date OF
actual safety, In seasons of general
prevalence of this pest, is SO late as
to incur as great a risk from winter
killing as the ordinary risk from the
fly. The farmer. who will observe
closely, however, has It in his power
to reduce his risk somewhat by th5
following method: Sow a part of the
crop at Il medium early date, say
September 5 to for northern Ohio
to September Is to 1S for the south
ern part of the State; and then il
about three weeks examine the whea
plants very carefully at the point
where the well known FLAX seeds
of the fly are found. 1t will be TOT
early as yet to find the flax seeds,
but If the fly has commenced III
work the very small. white maggot
which later develop into the fla,
seeds" should be found sucking tn,
juice from the plant. These maggot
are mt first SO small that it will re
qulre close searching to discove
them, and Il magnifying glass of Low
power will be help, though not ali
solutely necessary
If the maggots are found 1t will
he wise to delay seeding Il few day
: longer; but if none are found tn
whole crop may he sown with goo,
assurance of escape.
The advantages of this method ar
not only that ii will enable MS t
discover whether the fly is presen
in injurious numbers at an earle
date, but that if the fly be presen
1t will probably be attracted to tn
earlier sown wheat and induced t,
deposit all its eggs, thus effectuall.
protecting the wheat sown later. Il,
accomplish this object a considerable
area must he sown, for we have ha(
no evidence that the tenth-acre plot
used In our experiments in early an,
| late seeding have eXerted any pro
. tectlve influence on the remainder o
the field on which they were located
On the other hand, we have foun,
! the general attack upon our fiel'
, work to be made at about the date
; when the weekly sowings were mos
severely attacked.
Numerous instances have been re
ported in which wheat sown one da
! has been attacked by fly while tina
sown the day following has escaped
These can only he satisfactorily OK
. planned on the assumption that tn
earlier sown wheat attracted the Il
' and proved sufficient in area to oC
\ cupy all the flies in the immediat
1 nelghborhood
\ In case of an Injurious attack deve
: oping upon the early sown wheat
Q should be turned under, in order
4 destroy the insects and prevent
a further attack the following sprln,
e The cost of turning under and II
I seeding would usually be small
r comparison to the loss which woul
~ result from the fall attack and frol
n carrying over host of files to pre-
L upon the crop during the spring,