The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-17
THE HESSIAN FLY
Causes Serious Damage to
Wheat All Over Kansas.
A Few Counties Took Warning
and Are UnmOIeSted.
CAN'T Save PRESENT CROP
Farmers Can Only Prevent
Damage to Next Years.
Method of Fighting Pest Told
by Aggie Men.

Manhattan. Kan, May 11.-Ihat
| the loss to this years Kansas Wheas
| crop will be even greater than thal Oh
1908, is the belief of George A. Dean,
entomologist in the Kansas State Az
ricultural college. In the year re-
| ferred to, Al counties had loss OF
nearly 100000.
The Hessian fly said Professor
Dean, has been increasing for sew
eral years and destroying a consld-
| cradle amount of wheat. In 1917 II
was confined principally to the north
eastern part of the state and in 1918
serious damage occurred in that e
gion. The dry summers of 1913 ana
1914 did not seriously hinder the de-
velopment of the fly and thus the IN
| festation spread over the entire east
ern half of the state causing a con,
siderable loss of wheat. Last fall and
winter and this spring conditions
were favorable for the fly and with
continuance of these favorable con-
ditions the infestation is almost GER
tain to cause a very large loss.
In several of the counties having
farm agents the warning was heedeo
and methods of control were prac-
ticed. AS a result, in these counties
very little damage is reported.
Nothing can now be done to pre-
vent the fly from injuring this years
crop. In fact, wheat that is not in
jured at this time may still be dam
aged by the fly, because indications
d
south central part of the state for a
large supplementary spring brood to
follow the main spring brood that is
now injuring the wheat"
To avoid or prevent serious uam
age next fall Mr.. Dean points out, 1t
is imperative for the farmer to put
into practice the methods of control
which have been found practical and
effective. These are the methods:
Disk the stubble Immediately after
harvest This not only conSerVeS the
moisture and makes blowing easier,
but also starts the growth of the vol
unteer wheat and has a tendency to
bring about the early, emergence of
the fly. In many cases the disk1ng
pulls out the stubb1e and exposes the
flaxseeds to unusual climatic condi-
tions, which are fatal to many OF
them. About three or four weeks al
plowed to depth of at least six
inches and all stubble and volunteer
wheat buried under at least three
inches of soil By doing this practi-
cally all the flies will be buried, and
it will be impossible for them to reach
the surface. Immediately after plow-
ing. the ground should be refirmed
and worked into a good seeded. 1t
should also be kept mellow and free
from all weeds and volunteer wheat.
The agronomy department of the ex-
pertinent station has shown that,
where the ground is prepared in this
manner, not only does it produce the
maximum yields but the crop may be
planted with safety later in the sea-
son. Delay the planting of the crop
until the fly-free date, which after
eight years of experimental sowings
has been determined to be from Oc
tober l for the north line of the state
to October 1 2 for the south line.
In average years, with proper pre-
paration of the Seedbed, the date of
safe sowing is at least as early as the
date on which wheat should be sown
to make a maximum yield if no fly
We're present
For the best results in the control
of Hessian fly said Mr. Dean, "all
farmers should cooperate and follow
the methods of planting as recon-
for the Hessian fly, like
most farm crop insects. is most sue
cessfully controlled when a concerted |
fight is made against it.