The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-08-04
HAS YOUR WHEAT BEEN IN
FESTED WITH HEsslAN FLYl

4
HAS your wheat been infested with
the Hessian Fly this season." is a
question that the u. s. Department of
agriculture is now asking farmers.
Inc information is desired that there
may be general cooperation between
all concerned in reducing the devasta-
lions OF the fly. There is every in
dication that the pest will be unusual
~ troublesome to the crop this fall.
every wheat grower in the coun-
try VINO suspects that his crop has
peen infested is requested to send his
name to the Departments, Bureau OF
entomology at Washington, D. c.,
with request TO "a question blank.
Inc questions to be answered are
merely as to whether the wheat
the wheat growers crop was infested
at certain seasons. The farmer will
be asked to forward some of the in
rested wheat plants for examination,
postage to be paid by the Govern
ment. He will also be asked to give
his name, address; and the nearest
railway station.
The Department is cooperating
with the various State Experiment
Stations in this campaign against the
Hesslan Fly, and in some cases the
infested straw will be sent by the
farmer to local stations for examina-
ton. The wheat grower can learn
just where his sample of straw is to
be sent when he sends his name to
the Department, indicating his will
lingness to send the sample. The De-
partment 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 upper part
of the straw need not be sent, but
enough above the ground should be
included to get the insect in what is
known as the "fiaxseed' stage when
the larva is incased in a hard, brown
skin and somewhat resembles flax
seed. The insects will remain for a
considerable time in the ''fiaxseed"
state during drought and will only
emerge afteG rains have mOis)ened
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 real damage to the wheat
! crop in the United States than the
Hessian Fly, although there are GER
! tain years when the chinch bug ex-
ceedS the fly in it's devaStatiOns.
| During the seasons when the fly is es-
pecially abundant hundreds of thous-
| ands of acres of wheat may be either
totally destroyed or SO badly injured
as to reduce the yield so to Is per
cent The monetary losses run far up
into the millions.
| 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, over a million dollars were
saved by prompt and thorough meas
ureS. This year the Department
hopes to secure general cooperation
throughout the country in combating
the pest There are indications that
it's ravages may be severe. Already
in Iowa and Oklahoma there have
been threatening outbreaks of the in
Sect
Not only are Federal and State or
! CARNATIONS of the Government CO.
operating in this campaign, but 9TH
ers, such as the National Millers'
Federation are working to secure bet
ter control over the Hessian Fly. The
individual 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 enter
ed into the wheat.
Late sowing of the seed and burn
ing of the stubble when not seeded
to grass or clover, are the only meas
ures known to date that are effective
in controlling the Hessian Fly-that is
for winter-wheat growing sections.
In the spring-wheat sections, late
seeding will not apply. On the con-
trary, the earlier it is sOwn in the
spring the less it seems to suffer
from this pest.
A more detailed explanation OF
late sowing for winter wheat to avoid
attack by the Hessian Fly will be
given in a subsequent article. The
present article is merely an invita-
ton to the wheat grower to help the
lDepartemnt in it's campaign. Inc
post card to be forwarded the farmer
contains enlarged illustrations OF the
fly in it's adult and also its "hax
seed state.