Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-09-01
PROF. MELANDER TELLS
OF THE HESSIAN FLY
The Professors Reply to the Dis
cussion With Orcgon's
Officials 4

into southwestern Washington brought
out an article from Governor Cham
berlain of Oregon, furnishes us with
the following article bearing upon the
controversy:
The disparaging position taken by
the state of Oregon regarding our
recommendations for suppressing the
Hessian fly is hardly to the point. For
ten years or more the Hessian fly has
been present in the vicinity of Port
land. A short time after its discov-
cry there it was noted in Clarke coun-
ty, Washington. The main danger of
it's spread lies in the importation of
infested wheat hay or straw. Much
of this material is brought to Clarke
county to supply the government bar
racks at Vancouver, and an important
source of the supply has been the in
tested district of Oregon. OF course
it is not certain that this has been the
method of entry into Washington, but
this, together with other evidence,
makes it natural to look to Portland
as the source of infestation in this
state. AS far as known the Hessian
fly does not occur in inland Oregon
or Washington. But the danger of it's
introduction exists in greater degree
because of it's presence at the gate
way to the Columbia. 1t is even pos
sible that the various government
forts of the interior may start an in
festation. For this reason the war
department was appealed TO, resulting
in an assurance that if necessary no
wheat hay or straw for the deartment
should be purchased in infested dis
tricts. Obviously the individual far
mer living in districts where the Hes
sian fly has not appeared should bear
in mind to do likewise.
1t is not our contention that the
Hessian fly was introduced into the
United States at Portland, as seems
to be assumed by Governor Chamber
lain. For much over a century it has
been present in the eastern United
States, where it has spread till now
it robs the wheat growers of as much
as 500, 900, 900 in year. 1t was en-
tirely natural and inevitable that i'm
portant distributing centers for mer-
chandise, such as San Francisco and
Portland should serve to bring in the
pest to new territory.
In connection with its introduction
and spread in the vicinity of Port
land, | may give a recent letter re-
ceived from Prof. A. B. Cordley, the
entomologist of the Oregon Expert
ment Station:
"My attention was first called to
the presence OF the Hessian fly in
this state in December, 1897, when it
was found badly infesting a field at
Scappoose, Oregon. About the same
time | received reports of its work
IN Clark county, Washington, and
within the next year or so other re-
ports from as far up the Willamette
Valley as Forest Grove and Woodburn
indicating that it was introduced in
the vicinity of Portland several years
before it was first discovered. 1t has
now spread up the Willamette Valley
as far as Salem on the east side and
at least as far as McMinnville on the
west side of the river.
In as much as the infested district
includes scattered farms over 1000
square miles it appears impracticable
to exterminate the pest. But it may
be possible to limit its area so as to
prevent its introduction into the wheat
country east of the mountains. To do
this is just as important for eastern
Oregon as for eastern Washington.
for wheat is an equally important
source of revenue in both districts, and
it behooves the Experiment Station
of Oregon not to initiate against any
measures that promise to keep the