The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-07-31

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 all wheat
sown before the fy-free date. The "faXseeds" OF
the second generation remain on the plants OF
fall-sown wheat till April of the next year, when
adults issue from them and begin another season.
No farmer need be in the least uncertain as to
the extent to which his wheat is infested in the
fall An infested plant stands straight upward
in the drill row. with broader leaves of a darker
green color, does not tiller, and therefore does
not spread out and cover the ground between the
rows. The Hessian fly 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
a serious outbreak of the Hessian fly 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
we're fully justified, in view of the great abun-
dance OF the Hessian fly at that time and the
almost entire absence of the particular species
Of parasite or natural enemy that is most in
fuential in holding the pest in check. 1t is to
be hoped that farmers generally will profit by
last years experience, and in no case plant wheat
ullh6 august, u uhIl ~ ddl0 uulSdJSu
on the accompanying map as to the proper time
for planting in their locality.
Nowhere, either in the East or West, should
wheat be sown on wheat stubble if this course
can possibly be avoided. However, in the East,
as well as in some portions of Iowa and Missouri,
the wheat stubble is universally seeded to tim.
othy and clover, and, therefore, any kind of cult.
walton of these stubble fields is rendered i'm
practical, though in most cases 1t 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 is 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 find any plants upon
which to deposit their eggs.
1t should be borne in mind that the most prac.
teal and effective methods of controlling the
Hessian fly are identical with the best methods
Of producing the maximum yields of wheat. It
is entirely possible for the farmer to fight the
Hessian fay by the process of good farming, in
Voiving thorough cultivation, good seed, and a
rotation OF crops. The most serious objection to
most practical and effective method that can be
employed to control this pest in the held-name-
ly, late sowing-is that there is danger of SO
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 late-sown
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 If the soil lacks
in fertility or has been poorly prepared, a slight
attack, that vigorous plants overcome. is fatal,
because of the badly nourished condition of the
plant itself. The best advice that can be given is
to begin the preparation of the field in the fall
precisely as though II was expected to SOW at a
very early date, but instead of sowing use the
disk harrow and the roller, even after 1t appears
to be a waste of labor to till the field further.
When a finely pulyerized. compact seed bed
has been secured. the seed should be selected,