The Dickinson press., 1915-09-25
FIGHTING THE HESSIAM FLY.
Pest Is on the Increase and Should 30
Cont ated.

lcio "ucuL SiOp WIS cut uOWu
to the extent Of several million bush
els by the deprcdations of the Hessian
fly, says the Iowa Homestead. This
pest seems to be OH the increase, and
in those localities where it has made
its appearance wheat growers can we'll
afford to take certain precautions
against its spreading.
The real damage to the wheat Is not
done by the mature fly, but rather by
the maggots or larvae. In a contribu-
ton to the Iowa Agriculturist Professor
r. l.. Webster points out that in some
cases rs many as fifteen or twenty
maggots will appear OF Il single plant.
In this case so much nutrimcnt is tax
en- up by these pests that the wheat
dies, and if the entire crop is not Il to-
tai loss it is so greatly injured that
the yield is materially cut down.
These insects causc wheat to lodge SO
badly that it is almost impossible to
take it up with Il binder.
In discussing control measures Pro-
lessor Webster advises the blowing un-
der Of infected stubble. After harvest
is the best time to take measures
against the Hessian fly. All summer
Is spent III the 1aXseed stage on wheat
stubble, where the insect can easily be
reached.
Stubble may be burned over soon aft
er harvest. This destroys a large per
centage Of the insects. There are,
however, some undesirable features
| about this measure. 1t does not get
all the faxseed, since some are on the
| plants below the soil. In Kansas, ac-
| cording to Messrs. Headlee and Parker,
blowing wheat stubblc under was
found a more efficient Measure han
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 disliing
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 at
a time in the fall when most Of the
flies have disappeared.
Late sowing benefits only SC far as
the fall generation 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 fall 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-
comes heavily infested in the spring.
This is usually due to infestation from
other nearby wheat.
Some fifteen years ago, in Ohio, F.
M. Webster gave approximately safe
dates at which fall wheat may be
seeded and escape severe injury by the
Hessian fly. More recently, Headlec
and Parker gave similar dates for the
wheat growing section of Kansas.
From the Kansas dates and also from
observations by Professor Webster in
southwestern Iowa it appears that
wheat sown Oct. 1 in the southern tier
Of counties should escape the fall
brood of the fly. For the latitude of
central Iowa this date would be about
Sept. 25.
Do not follow wheat with wheat, ad.
vises Professor Webster. Many cases
Of severe infestation by the fly occur
when wheat follows on old wheat
stubble. This is because the insect is
carried over in the stubble or in vol
unteer wheat that comes up in the
stubble. The chances for damage are
always less where wheat follows some
other crop than wheat.