The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1919-07-18
GOVERNMENT ADVISES
WHEAT GROWERS
How to Avoid Hesslan Fly.

cit should be borne I'm mind that ile
most practical and effective methods
of controlling he Ilcssian fly are iden-
teal with the best methods OF produc-
Ing the maNimum yields OF wheat. *
does not seem TO occur TO the average
farmer that II Is possible for him 10
fight the Hessan ily by the process Of
good farming. involving thorough cub
tivation. good seed, and rotation Of
crops. II has been said, and with
truthfulness, that outbreaks of this
pest are more often the result of poor
farming than otherwise. The most Sc
rious objection 20 the most practical
and effective method that can be en-
ployed TO control this pest In the
held-namely, late sOwing-is that
there IL danger of so delaying tie
growth Of the plants that they Go not
become sufficiently advanced TO en-
able them to withstand The winter.
The farmer Is thus placed, as II were.
between Scylla and Charybdis. aud
must risk the rayages Of the HesSiaa
fly on the one hand or the freezes OF
winter on the other
"Much Of the delay I'm 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. \ thoroughly
vigorous wheat plant VIII not onS
Withstand n slight attack of the Hes
sian fly but il frequently occurs that
such light attack Is rather beneficial
than otherwise. for the reason that
the killing of the FIRST shoot that Is
thrown up from the kernel forces thc
plant TO tiller, and in rich soil The
result Is to produce more grain; but
n the soil lacks fertility and has been
poorly prepared, this slight attack
thar vigorous plants overcome IS fatal
to weak plants. because OF the badly
nourishcd condition Of the plants. Tire
best advice that can be given is TO
begin the preparation of the field in
the fall precisely as though IT was ex-
pected TO SOW at a very early date,
hut instead OF sowing use the disk
harrow and the roller, even after it
appears 10 be q waste OF labor % till
the field further.
"Nhen a finely puiverized compact
seodbcd has been secured, the seed
should be selected, and this should bc
done with the point In view that un-
naturally shrlveled or otherwise i'm
perfect kernels cannot produce healthy
wheat plants. When The kernel sprouts
It at once sends fibrous roots down
into the soil from which TO draw ncur-
ishment for :hc young plant. and II
little or no nourishment Is secured
what the condition OF stunted calves.
pigs or other farm animals which are
underfed.
wheat plants cannot secure prompt
and ample nourishment If the roots
must make their way about among
clods due To poor prcpcration Of the
soil. or in soil that lacks IN fertility.
The farmer. then. should begin the
preparation of his soil with the object
of delaying the sowing of the wheat
and afterwards Of pushing the growth
Of the plant 20 the utmost until the be-
ginning Of the cold weather. There
are farmers who grow wheat cOntinu-
ously year after year but who rarely
lose crop on account of Hessian fly
attacks. and even more rarely does the
pest originate in their own fields."-
Circular 81. u. 9. Department of Agri-
culture.