Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-08-20

the last of October. according to latitude. the
maximum emergence occurring during the last
two weeks Of September or the first week In
October. depending on the locality. This second
generation infests volunteer wheat and al wheat
sown before the nyfree date. The "naxseeds" Of
the second generation remain on the plants Of
fallsown wheat till April Of the next year. when
adults issue from them and begin another season.
No farmer need be In the least uncertain ~ to
the extent to which his wheat II infested In the
fall An infested plant stands straight upward
in the drill row. with broader leaves of darker
green color. does not tiller. and therefore does
not spread out and cover the ground between the
rows The Hessian ny attacks wheat rye and
barley. but not oats.
Last year during the period from late May un-
til October the department Of agriculture issued
repeated warnings and advisory statements to
the public press in its weekly news letters. tell
ing farmers that there was impending danger Of
q serious outbreak Of the Hessian ny during the
year 1915. These warnings. based on observa-
tons made from field stations throughout the
entire area of the threatened outbreak. were not
for the purpose Of creating undue alarm. but
were fully justified, in view of the great abun-
dance Of the Hessian hy at that time and the
almost entire absence Of the particular species
Of parasite or natural enemy that is most in.
huential in holding the pest in check. II 10 to
be hoped that farmers generally viii profit By
during August. but wait until the date Indicated
on the accompanying map - to the proper time
for planting in their locality.
Nowhere. either in the East or West should
wheat be sown on wheat stubble II this course
can possibly be avoided However. In the East
AZ well ~ in some portions Of Iowa and Missouri
the wheat stubble is universally seeded to tim
walton of these stubble fields 10 rendered i'm
practical. though in most cases II would be far
better to sacrifice all except the very best seed
ing. Neither can the fields be burned over with
out destroying the young seeding and where
these conditions prevail the only practical
method that the farmer can use 10 that Of delay
ing his wheat sowing until the flies have made
their way from the stubble to the fields and died
there without being able to ind any plants upon
which to deposit their eggs.
It should be borne in mind that the most prac.
tical and effective methods Of controlling the
Hsssian fly are identical with the best methods
OF producing the maximum yields Of wheat Il
Is entirely possible for the farmer to nght the
Hessian nay by the process Of good farming In.
volving thorough cultivation. good seed, and q
rotation Of crops. The most serious objection to
most practical and effective method that can be
employed to control this pest in the neld-name-
ly. late sowing-is that there is danger of 20
delaying the growth of the plants that they do
not become sufficiently advanced to enable them
to withstand the winter
Much Of the delay In the growth Of latesown
plants In the fall can be eliminated by paying
close attention to the preparation Of the soil and
to the quality Of the seed but II the soil lacks
In fertility or has been poorly prepared q SLIGHT
attack, that vigorous plants overcome, n fatal.
because Of the badly nourished condition Of the
plant itself. The best advice that can be given 10
to begin the preparation Of the field in the fall
precisely ~ though 1t was expected to SOW At 4
very early date. but instead Of sowing use the
disk harrow and the roller. even after It appears
to be waste Of labor to till the field further.
When . finely pulverixed. compact seed bed
has been secured. the seed should b selected.