News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-10-20
FIGHTING TIE MESSIAH FLY.
Pest Is on the Increase and Should 30
Combated.

Pest Is on the Increase and Should Be-
/ Conbated.
! The 1915 wheat crop was cut down
to the extent of several million bush
els by the depredations of the Dessian
! fly, says the Iowa Homestead. This
pest seems to be on the increase, and
in those localities where it has made
its appearance wheat growers can well
afford to take certain precautions
against it's spreading.
The read damage to the wheat is not
done by the mature fly, but rather by
the maggots or larvae. In contribu-
ton to the Iowa Agriculturist Professor
r. l.. Webster. points out that in some
cases as many as fifteen or twenty
maggots will appear on a single plant.
In this case so much nutriment is tax,
en- up by these pests that the wheat
dies, and If the entire crop is not to-
tai loss it is so greatly injured that
the yield is materially cut down.
These insects cause wheat to lodge so
badly that it is almost impossible to
take it up with binder.
In discussing control measures Pro-
lessor Webster advises the blowing I'M
der of infected stubble. After harvest
is the best time to take measures
against the Hessian fly. All summer
is spent in the flaXseed stage on wheat
stubble, where the insect can easily be
reached.
Stubble may be burned over soon aft
err harvest. This destroys a large per
centage of the insects. There are,
however, some undesirable features
about this measure. 1t does not get
plants below the soil. In Kansas, ac-
cording to Messrs. Headlee and Parker,
blowing wheat stubble under was
found a more efficient measure than
burning it over.
Infested wheat stubble should be
disked Immediately after harvest. This
makes blowing easier and conserves
moisture. Then three or four weeks
later the field should be plowed under
at a depth of six inches, completely
burying all stubble.
Volunteer wheat allows the insect to
breed readily, and flies easily go from
this to sown wheat. All volunteer
wheat should be destroyed by disking
and narrowing.
By sowing wheat as late as possible
and yet obtaining a good start much
benefit may be obtained, although
there is danger of winter killing if
sowed too late. The idea in late SOW
ing is that the wheat may come up ut
a time in the fall when most of the
flies have disappeared.
Late sowing benefits only so far as
the fall genera ton of the insect is con-
cerned. All wheat is liable to infec-
ton in the spring, SO that late sown
wheat is open to injury then as we'll
as that sown early. But if late sown
wheat escapes damage in the fail the
chances for injury are greatly reduced
in the spring, since the majority of the
flies will deposit eggs in the field
where they emerge.
Not infrequently late sown wheat be-
lIlCStCu III 'hS oEfiihS'
This is usually due to infestation from
other nearby wheat.
Some fifteen years ago, in Ohio, f.
NJ. Webster gave approximately safe
dates at which fall wheat may be
seeded and escape severe injury by the
Hessian fly. More recently, Headlee
md Parker gave similar dates for the
wheat growing section of Kansas.
From the Kansas dates and also from
observations by Professor Webster in
Iowa it appears that
wheat sown Oct. in the southern tier
If counties should escape the fall
brood of the fly. For the latitude of
central Iowa this date would be about !
Sept. %.
Do not follow wheat with wheat, adj
Uses Professor Webster. Many cases |
If severe infestation by the fly occur
when wheat follows on old wheat |
tubble. This is because the insect is !
'arried over in the stubble or in vol !
lnteer wheat that comes up in the |
bubble. The chances for damage are |
lways less where wheat follows some !
ther crop than wheat.