The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-09-21
VALUABLE
TO FARMERS
ARTICLE ON HESSIAN FLY AND
WHEAT MIDGEs
BY n. A. GOSSARD
Issued by the Ohio Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station.
BY n. A. GOSSARD

The Ohio Agricultural Expert
ment station issued a press bull
letin on the Hessian Fly and
Wheat Nudge. The article
was written by H. A. Gossard, ento-
mologist. The article was furnished
the Palladium by Major Tough.
Hessian Fly and Wheat Nudge.
In answer to inquiries sent out by
the Station, Hessian fly is reported
for this season in &c counties and
wheat nudge or cred weevil' in SO.
The combined damage Of these two in
sects 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 2S.7 while the
average percentage Of fallen straw
was 5.3. The nudge was found
present in 10 per cent. of the kernels
or all varieties. The average yield
from the Station plots as compared
with the average for the past light
years was but little affected; butsam-
Piles and estimates sent us from 9TH
er localities indicate that in some in
stances the damage was severe, be-
ing great or even greater than SO per
cent in some fields.
The parasites of the fly was OBJ
served to issue in abundance during
the early part of August, but enough
/" faxseeds' remain impoverished to
furnish sufficient flies to cause ser
ious damage next year if other condi-
tons prove exceptionally favorable
to fly developments. Conditions in
all respects, relating 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 hus-
bandry CT the entrance of new fac
tors into the situation may result in
much loss. This possibility of excep-
tional damage renders advisable a
brief statement of the most approved
methods of guarding against the fly.
l. The preparation Of the field,
getting it into such a condition of
filth 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 ap-
pearance and thus be obliged to
breast the attack of the full brood,
this point is yet more important.
2. Unless the full brood Of flies is
very late in appearing, sowing should
be deferred until after their disap-
pearance. Perhaps no better plan
can be devised to determine when the
flies have appeared than for each far
mer to SOW a small "observation
plot" Of wheat during the last week
in August in the northern border
of the 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 equip
ment, with an ordinary magnifying
glass such as may be obtained from
his druggist or Harrison Cole, Column
bus, Ohio A good double tense with
rubber case should be obtained for
about so cents. The adult flies, small,
dark. mosquito-like insects may be
seen by the sharp observer in Sep
TENDER or at least in early October,
alightins npon the upper sides OF the
leaf blades where the eggs (the
* fiaxseeds'' are not eggs) are de-
posted in the blade creases or furrow
Sometimes the eggs are found on the
inner surface of blades not over one
inch high and too young to have turn
ed upward. With the magnifying
glass it is not difficult to find these
reddish EDUCATIONAL eggs
and when they have once been found
it will be but a few days until the
brood of flies disappears. Wheat
may be safely sown at once as soon as
the eggs are found in any numbers as
the flies will have disappeared before
it has time to terminate and get up
through the ground.
The flies should be looked for as
early as the first week in Sept. 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