Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-09-01
Stnrue the Hessian Flies
How to Eliminate Them From Next Years Crop-Co-op-
GRAFTON Between Farmers Essential to Freeing Areas
of Flies-Good Cultural Methods Advocated.

Washington. d. C.-The loss IN
the 1915 wheat crop from the raVases
of the Hessian fly in some sections Will
be the greatest in several years. From
late May or June to October, 1914. the
department issued repeated warnings
and advisory statements, telling OF Tue
impending danger of a serious oul.
break of the pest during the year, 1910
IL is now toe late to do anythlng To-
ward lessening the devastations OF the
Hessian fly in this years crop. NOW
is the time. however, to begin the work
of saving from the fly the millions OF
acres Of wheat which will be planted on
the present infested area within the
next few months
In order to understand the SITUATION
fully it is necessary to know what the
fly is like, how it is capable of caus-
ing such enormous losses, and how II
transforms from the egg to the fully
developed insect. Comparatively few
farmers are able to recognize his pest.
excepting in what is known as the
"flaXseed" stage, which ever then is
often mistaken for the egg.
There are two generations of the Hes
sian fly each year. one in the fall and
one In the following spring, the latter
being h children of the former. There
fore. if there were no flies to lay Eggs
In the fall, 1t stands to reason that
lllCIe COuIu Ne IOIo 10 lay GSSS WI IN
spring.
Development Of Fly.
In the course of it's development the
insect passes through four different
stages. The adult is a small, long leg
ged. dark colored fly, very much re-
sembltng a mall mosquito. The egg is
very small. long, slender. and of a shin
ing. reddish color. and is placed by the
female fly in he grooves on the upper
surface OF the wheat leaves, both III
spring and fall. The maggot matches
from the egg, makes its way down the
leaf, and wedges itself between the leaf
sheath and the stalk of the plant where,
In some cases, a dozen or more may
De found partly overlapping one an
other. When it becomes full grown it's
skin hardens, changing to brown, and
from Its form and color it is then
commonly known as the 'flaxseed."
which is the pupal or resting stage of
the insect.
Beginning about April 1, flies emerge
from the "flaxseed' that have passed
the winter in the fall wheat, whether
early sown or volunteer. These flies de-
post their eggs OF the leaves of the
unlnfested plants. the eggs hatch into
maggots In from four to eight Jays,
and n maggots become grown in
ABOUT 2 to 30 days and then change to
"flaxseeds." This constitutes the spring
generation. After harvest the FLAX.
seed" Of this generation can be found
In the stubble just above the ground,
or often higher up where the straw has
broken over.
While, as stated, the Hessian fly
energies from the ~''flaxseed'' stage
throughout an extended period of time
within the entire area of its distribu-
ton. IN any given locality this emer-
gence of the adults in destructive bun
dance couples but a few days. The life
OF the female after she makes her way
forth from the 'flaxseed'' probably does
not extend beyond a period CT five or
six days. Thus it is that a DELAY in
wheat sowing in the fall, until after the
lilies nave appeared and largely disap-
peared, becomes Of such vital %in,nort-
ance.
The first flies Of the second or fall
generation begin to issue from the
Iiaxseeds" about the middle of August
ana continue to issue till about the last
or october. according to latitude. the
maxlmum emergence occurring during
the last w weeks of September. or the
ilrst week In October, depending on the
local1ty. h second generation infests
wheat and all wheat sown
peIore the fly free date. The "flax-
SEEDS OF the second generation remain
on the plants of fall sown wheat TIL
April or the next year, when adults is
sue from them and begin another sea-
son. "
Infested Plants and Control Methods.
No farmer need be in the least I'm.
certain as to the extent to which his
wheat Is infested in the fall. An In
rested plant stands straight upward in
Inc 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
f1esslan Fly attacks wheat, rye and bar
ley. but not oats.
either In the east or west.
snouid wheat be sown on wheat stubble
u this courses can possibly be avoided
However. In the east, as we'll as in some
portions of Iowa n Missouri. the
wheat stubble Is universally seeded to
timothy and clover, and therefore anv
KIND OF cultivation OF these st,hhle
fields is rendered impractical. though
IN many cases II would be far better
TO sacrifice all except the very best
seeding. Neither can the fields he
burned over without destroying the
young seeding. and where these condi.
lions prevail h only practical method
.nat sne farmer q use Is that of de-
laying MIS- wheat sowing until the flies
nave made their way from the stubble
70 the fields n died there without
peing able to find any plants unon
which to deposit their eggs.
Best Cultural Methods Advocates.
It should be borne In mind that the
most practical and effective methods
OF controlling h Hessian fly are iden.
tical with the best methods OF Drodnc.
ing the maximum yields Of vheaf -
Y entirely possible for the farmer to