Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-07-22


sian fly. Some estimates place the
total loss at slightly more than ten
per cent of the estimated crop. as
based upon the acreage sown. The
attack has been most severe in CEN
trail and southern Kansas, but, with
the exception of the extreme north
and the extreme west, the fly has at
tracted attention throughout the
wheat belt
When we realize that the habits
of this insect are such that the use
OF proper cultural methods at the
right time will largely prevent 1t
from causing noticeable damage. it
it plain that information of this sort
should be in the hands of every man
who has recently suffered from its
ravageS.
Habits and Life History.
Where the Fly Is Now.-Just now
the flies may be found as small,
brown, long-oval, seed-like objects,
about one-fifth of an inch long. lying
between the sheath and the straw,
just above the joint, where the straw
breaks over, or they may be found
packed in with many of their fellows
about wheat heads which never
emerged from their sheaths
Indications of Its Work-At this
time perhaps the most characteristic
evidence of fly appears in the brokn-
down wheat straws. These stalks
are usually broken rather close 10 the
ground.
What 1t Will Do This Summer, Fall
and Winter.-With few exceptions
the fly will remain as q quiet, brown
flaxseed until next September and
October, then the long-legged gnat.
like adults will emerge and lay their
long-oval, reddish eggs lengthwise in
the grooves on the upper sides of the
leaves of the volunteer or early-sown
wheat plants. These eggs, which are
just large enough to be seen with the
unaided eye, soon give forth tiny red
dish larvae that wriggle down inside
the leai-sheath until they reach the
joint. Here they rasp the tissues
OF the stem. feed, and grow
1t is usually the central stalk that
is worst infested, while the tillers,
many of which grow up after the
flies have deposited their eggs, will
be almost or entirely free. The mag
gots soon lose their reddish color
and turn white, tho majority reach
ins maturity and Transforming into
brown faXseeds before cold weather.
Thus they pass the winter, safely
tucked in between the sheath and
the main stem just above the joint.
ground.
indication of Fall Work. In the
late fall the presence of the fly is in
dicated by the form of the plant. The
stalk infested with maggots has no
strong central shoot, but appears
leafy and bushy. The first effect OF
the fly is to make the wheat tiller
freely, covering the ground and giving
the field deep green color, thereby
decefving the inexperienced into
thinking the prospects for wheat I'M
usually fine. Later, if enough flies be
present, the deep green will be ex-
changed for sickly yellow appear
ance, and it is then evident to every
one that something is wrong.
What 1t Will Do Next Spring and
Summer.-With the coming of spring
the long-legged, gnat-liko flies will
crawl out of the flaxseeds and fly
about over the wheat, depositing eggs
on the blades. (In the spring OF 1903
the flies came forth in March and col
lected in some wheat fields in suff-
Gent numbers to redden the soi,)
From the eggs laid at this time will
come the maggots that feed on the
wheat, weakening the stems and caus-
ing them to break and fall over be-
fore harvest. Some of these maggots
will reach maturity and transform in
to f1aXSeedS, from which will come
adult flies in May. These flies will
deposit eggs on the blades of the
most immature stalks and the larvae
develop about the heads, SO sapping
them that they may never emerge
from their sheaths. 1t is probable
that the bulk of damage to tho wheat
crop is effected by the work of the
fall and early spring broods, and that
those flies emerging in May do little
real damage to the crop, because they
appear to confine their attacks to
young plants that spring up from the
base of older stalks. THIS habit does.
however, increase the numbers of the
destructive fall brood
Natural Enemies.
Certain tiny wasp-like insects prey
upon the Hessian 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
under just what conditions they
thrive and do their work. They were
present and working on the fly dur
ing the spring and early summer, at |
Man Lost His Foot.-Frank Weber, |
aged 10. a plasterer from st. Louis,