The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-07-11
HAS YOUR WHEAT
BEEN INFESTED WITH
The HESSIAN FLY
Farmers Invited to Cooperate In De.
struction of Pest That is Liable to
Cause Considerable Damage
to Crops This Fall.

"Has your wheat been infested by
the Hessian fly this season." is a
question that the U. S. Department of
Agriculture is now asking farmers.
The information is desired that there
may be general cooperation between
all concerned in reducing the dvaesta-
lions of the fly. There is every indi-
cation that the pest will be unusually
troublesome to the crop this fall.
Every wheat grower in the country
who suspects that his crop has been
infested in requested to send his name
to the Departments Bureau of Ento-
mology at Washington, D. c., with a
request for a question blank. The
questions to be answered are merely
as to whether the wheat growers crop
was infested at certain seasons. The
farmer will then be asked to forward
some of the infested wheat plants for
examination, postage to be paid by the
Government. He will also be asked
to give his name, address, and the
nearest railway station.
The Department is cooperating with
various State Experiment Stations in
this campaign against the Hessian fly,
and in some cases the infested straw
will be sent by the farmer to local
stations for examination. The wheat
grower can learn just where hi SAM
pie of straw is to be sent when he
sends his name to the Department, in
dicating his willingness to send the
sample. The Department encourages
the sender not TO be afraid to forward
too much of the straw, even though it
has to be sent by parcel post. The
sent, but enough above the ground
what is known as the ''faXseed" stage
when the larva is incased in hard,
brown skin and somewhat resembles
flax seed. The insects will remain
for considerable time in the "faX-
seed" state during drought and will
only emerge after rains have moisten-
ed the soil. Dry weather in the late
summer tends to keep the insect in
that stage which is fact of special
Importance in the North where the
wheat must be sown early enough to
enable the plants to stand the winter
Probably no other insect causes
more damage to the wheat crop in the
United States than the Hessian fly,
although there are certain years when
the chinch bug exceeds the fly in its
devastations. During the seasons
when the fly is especially abundant
hundreds of thousands of acres of
wheat may be either totally destroyed
or so badly injured as to reduce the
yield 80 to 70 per cent. The none
tary losses run far up into the mil
lions.
A number of years ago there was
in Kansas general cooperation between
grain dealers, millers and farmers to
restrict the raVages of this danger
Gus insect. According to their own
estimate, Ger million dollars were
saved by prompt action and thorough
measures. This year the Department
hopes to secure general cooperation
throughout the country in combating
the pest. There are indications that
Its raVages may be severe. Already
IN Iowa and Oklahoma there have been
threatening outbreaks of the insect.
Not only are Federal and State or
CARNATIONS of the Government COOP
Grating in this campaign but others
such as the National Millers' Fedora
ton are working to secure better con-
troll over the Hessian fly. The indi-
vidual wheat grower is asked to send
his samples of infested straw before
the middle of September, and sooner
If possible, as after that, the fly will
have Matched and have entered into
the wheat.
Late sowing of the seed and burn
ing of the stubble when not seeded to
grass or clover are the only me6 sures
known to date that are effective in
controlling the Hessian fy-that is,
for winter-wheat growing sections. In
the spring-wheat sections, late seed
ing will not apply. On the contrary,
the earlier it is sown in the spring the
less 1t seems to suffer from this pest.
A more detailed explanation of late
sowing for winter wheat to avoid at
tack by the Hessian fly will be given
IN a subsequent article. The present
article is merely an invitation to the
wheat grower to help the Department
IN its campaign. The postcard to be
forwarded the farmer, contains enlarg-
ed illustrations of the fly in its adult
and also its "faXseed" state.
"