Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-07-24

ure stalks and the larvae develop
about the heads, SO sapping them that
hey may never emerge from their
1t is probable that the bulk
Of damage to the wheat crop is eff.
'ected by the work Of the fan and the
early spring broods, and that those
lilies emerging in May do little real
damage to the crop. because they ap-
pear to confine their attacks to young
plants that spring up from the base
Of older stalks. This habit does, how
ever, increase the numbers Of the de-
structive brood.
Natural Enemies.
Certain tiny, wasp-like insects prey
on the HsssiAn fly, and when these
are present in large numbers the fly
disappears as an Injurious insect. Not
enough study has been given to these
parasites to enable anyone to say un-
der. Just what conditions they thrive
and do their work. They were pres
ent and working on the fly during
this spring and early summer, at least
in the eastern edge Of the wheat belt,
but the farmer cannot afford to sit
back and wait for them to destroy the
pest. He must take hold Of the mat
ter himself.
Methods OF Combating The Fly.
Destruction OF Flaxseeds In stubbl,
The Hessian fly is now in the flax
seed stage, resting in the stubble just
above the joints between the sheath
and the stem. The flaxseeds may b.
found Just above any of the joints,
appearing from the surface of the sol
upward. They can easily be destroy.
ed by burning the stubble over or by
disking 1t Just after harvest and then
blowing 1t so deeply two to four weeks
later that none Of the straws or volur
teer wheat plants shall be left stick
ing out to form passageways for the
flies when they emerge from the flax
seeds. The latter method has the ad
vantage Of increasing the amount Of
humus.
Destruction OF Volunteer Wheat
All volunteer wheat should be plowed
under deeply before the regular croI
Is sown, so the flies infesting 1t will
be destroyed and not left to attack
the main crop.
Trap Crop:-Inasmuch as it has
been found that the flies can wait
for some time in order to secure a de
sirable place in which to deposit theil
eggs, 1t is often desirable and worth
while to SOW early a strip of wheat
about or across the prospective field
and, before the main crop Is sown, tt
pillow this fly-infested wheat under
deeply, thus not only inducing the fly
to lay their eggs but destroying theil
progeny. a
Late Sowing: BY far the most i'm
portant measure Is to be found in thu
practice of sowing the wheat only at
ter the bulk Of the flies have deposit
ed their eggs. This time, however
varies with the nature of the season
from year to year, and can be deter
mined only by experiment. Expert
mental sowings during the past yea
have shown that wheat sown afte
October 18th in southern Kansas, tina
sown after the first week of Octobe
in central Kansas, and that sown afte
september Both in northern Kansas
has been almost entirely free from IL
festation.
Useful General Practice-Where tn
succeeding field of wheat can be SOW
some distance from that of the pre-
vious year, fewer of the insects wi
be able to reach the grain to deposi
eggs. 1t is obvious that any metho
that will make healthier, stronge
iplant will mature a better crop /
spite of the fly than would be poss
BILE where plants equally infested al
neglected. Therefore, the choice
good seed, enriching the soil, and th
careful preparation Of the seed BE
are important measures in reducin
the damage due to Hessian fly.