The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-04-19
LOOK OUT FOR INSECTS
IN YOUR WHEAT

In response to urgent inquiries
from Mr. T NJ. Mills, County Demon
stration Agent for Newberry County,
regarding an outbreak of some In
sect on the roots of wheat in several
sections of the county, Charles w
Curtin, Special Field Agent of the
u. S. Bureau of Entomology, has VS.
5ted the wheat fields attacked and
aas found a rather severe Hessian
lily infestation. Mr.. Curtin is working
In direct cooperation with Professor
A F. Conradi of Clemson Agricultural
college and is one Of the many agents
of the government Department Of
Agriculture and Clemson who are
endeavoring to see greater food crops
produced this season.
Infestation of one of these fields
the worst one of those examined
indicated fairly heavy dag:age, al
though the Agent feels no unusual
danger is to be experienced. AS u
matter of fact practically all the
damage occurred during last fall and
very little, if any, this spring. The
injury has not bee3 caused by any
insect now working actively because
the Hessian fly las it was found in the
stalks of wheat was all in the resting
OF pupal stage. In some stalks the
number of these pupae or puparia,
as they are called, ran up as high as
six or seven while in others there
would be only one.
The most careful search failed to
lind any other insect apt to cause
the injury indicated, and the Agen:
feels that the worst Of the attack ID
over, although it is hard to give defn-
1te information in this regard. With
the increased sowing of wheat In
Newberry county and other counties
OF South Carolina if is to be expected
that this worst of the wheat pests
should increase unless adequate
measures are taken to prevent this.
Farmers should not lose all hope 81
crop simply because portions CT
their fields do not come up as good
as they might.
Now that the crop is infested, moth
ing can be done to control the insects
directly. and there is only one way
in which farmers can stave off the
effects of this Hessian fly attack
Last fall would have been the logica!
time to counteraes the fly but as th'tt
time is past. the farmers must do
what they can now. Any single plant
which has been attacked, however
slight the attack nav have heon. Is
naturally weakened anC cannot pro
Sducn yhe ere;~ that ,>>->>al hna i'm
7pfant can Brt only few of the
plants eva~oined had been entirely
KILLED indi 2ating that there is still
hope.
Recon- audations Forcing the
wheat is. the only chance the farmer
has TO res+ore the injured plants TO
near norma; condition again. Nitrate
of soda is tie very best possible fer
ailizer t. ha applied. using at the
rate of 13-f00 lbs to the acre. Or
dinarily t',e margin of profit On whit
IS SO slight as to make a farmer mes
itate about applying such fertilizer
as nitrate Of sode to such crop, but
moro than monev considerations
must be given to the matter this
wear. Farmers must realize that the
amount of flour in the country VIII
be limited. this coming fall. and South
Carolina will be dependent more
Thxn ever on her own ability to SUP
ply home needs. If the 100 lbs. re-
conn" ended are applied as soon as
possible. and especially to the worst
f~:osted areas. enough extra bushels
OF wheat should result to have made
the fertilizer use a good investment,
both financially and patriotically. It