The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-09-06
HEssIAN FLY AND WHEAT Mipes
Discussed by II. A. Gossard, Eptomolo.
gist at Wooster Experiment Station

Discussed by II. A. Gossard, Eptomolo.
| gist at Wooster Experiment Station
In answer to inquiries sent out by
the Station, Hesslan fly is reported for
this season in &C counties and wheat
midge or "red weevil' in so. The
combined damage of these two insects
to the crop is estimated to be not more
than 10 or Is per cent. for the state.
AT the station the average percentage
Of stalks of all varieties infested with
| fly was 28.7 while the average percent
age of fallen straw was 5.3. The
midge was found present in 10. per
cent. of the kernels of all varieties.
The average yield from the Station
plots as compared with the average
for the past ten years was but little
affected; but samples and estimates
sent us from other localities indicate
that in some instances the damage
was severe, being as great or even
! greater than 80 per cent in some
! fields. ...,--
The parasites Of the fly we're observed
to issue in abundance during the early
part of August, but enough "haxseeds"
remain unparastized to furnish suf-
ficient flies to cause serious damage
next year if other conditions prove ex-
ceptlOnally favorable to fly develop
ment Conditions in all respects, re-
lating to fly, parasites and season, may
| be considered about normal thus far;
hence, while no special alarm need
be felt it should not be forgotten that
careless husbandry or the entrance OF
new factors into the situation may re.
suit in much loss. This possibility
Of exceptional damage renders advis-
able q brief statment of the most ap-
proved methods Of guarding against
the fly.
l. The preparation of the field, get
ting it into such a condition Of tilth
and fertility that the plants will get a
good, strong start in the fall, even If
sOwn late, is a most important item;
and if the fly comes so late that the
crop must be sown before it's appear
ance and thus be Obliged to breast the
attack of the full brood, this point is
yet more important.
2. Unless the fall brood of flies is
very late in appearing, sowing should
be deferred until after their disappear
ance. Perhaps no better plan can be
devised to determine when the flies
have appeared than for each farmer to
SOW a small observation plot" of
wheat during the last week in August
f, +h., % h.,
state, the first week in September in
the central part and about the middle
of September in the southern part.
Each farmer should provide himself,
as part of his equipment, with an or
dinary magnifying glass such as may
be obtained from his druggist or Har-
rison Cole, Columbus, Ohio. A good
double lense with rubber case should
be obtained for about so cents. The
adult flies, small, dark, mosquito-like
insects may be seen by the sharp OBJ
server in September or at least in ear
ly October, alighting upon the upper
sides of the leaf blades where the
eggs (the "faXseeds" are not eggs)
are deposited in the blade creases or
fuTrOws. Sometimes the eggs are
found on the inner surface of blades
not over one inch high and too young
to have turned upward With the
magnifying glass it is not difficult to
find these minute, reddish, elongate-
oval eggs and when they have once
been found it will be but a few days
until the brood of files disappears.
Wheat may be safely sown at once
as soon as the eggs are found in any
numbers as the flies will have dis
appeared before it has time to germin.
ate and get up through the ground.
The flies should be looked for as
early as the first week in September in
the northern tier of counties during
the first three weeks of September in
the northern half of the state, and
during the last week in September and
the first ten days of October in the
southern half. Since the flies may
come either earlier or later than these
dates the utility Of the Observation
plot" suggested Is apparent.
When the flies come so late as the
last weeks in September in the north
ern part of the state and not until in
, OCIODer III Lhe souIHeEH NAIL Ihs ldriu-
or must decide for himself from prev
ious experience on his particular farm,
whether it is best to take the risk of
injury from the fly or from weakness
of plants due to late sowing. 1t Is
doubtless better in some instances to
let the wheat stand the attack than to
have it sown extremely late.
, 8. When the fly appears at about
the usual time it is important for all
hte farmers of neighbOrhood to co.
, operate in late sowing so that no
early sown field will furnesh flies for
, the entire ncighborhood.
4. The larvae of the wheat midges
to appear next year are now buried
in the earth not far from the surface.