The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-07-01


prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture
Although there is no remedy for the
HesSlan fly when once 1t takes posses
sion of crop of wheat, a great deal
can he done toward keeping the fly out
of the wheat.
Since the Hessian fly is the most de-
structive insect enemy of wheat In the
United States, control measures pay.
There have been at least seven general
outbreaks east of TIE Mississippi river
in the past 81 years. and another is re-
garded as imminent by specialists of
the bureau of entomology. The aver
age annual damage to wheat through
out the United States from this insect
is estimated at S500O0,000
How to Stop Losses.
The means of preventing loss, as
these:
Practice crop rotation. Do not SOW
wheat on stubble If it is possible to
avoid doing so.
Plow under all infested stubhle,
where practicable soon after harvest.
Plow ruined wheat as soon as possible
after it has been determined that the
crop will be failure.
Destroy all volunteer wheat by har-
rowing, disking, blowing, or some other
method.
Plow all land to be sown to wheat
as early and deeply as existing condi-
lions permit, and prepare thoroughly
pulverized and compacted seed bed.
Conserve moisture against a period
Of drought at seeding time.
Use good seed.
Fertilize.
Sow wheat during the fly-free period
as advised by your farm adviser or
state experiment station.
Adhere to these practices every year
whether the fly is abundant or scarce.
They will help to keep 1t scarce.
Community cooperation Is essential
II success Is to be attained. because one
infested field may furnish enough fSes
to damage the wheat for several miles
around.
When to Sow Wheat.
Sowing wheat during the fy-free
period means moderately late sowing.
Experiments conducted over great
many years have shown that, In most To-
calities. the safe date for sowing wheat
to escape Hessian fly injury usually
comedies with the proper time for SOW
ing In order to obtain the largest
yields independently Of Hessian fly in
jury. These dates tave been deter
mined for certain localities as follows:
In northern Michigan, soon after the
LIST Of September.
In southern Michigan and northern
Ohio, about September 90
In southern Ohio, after the first
week In October.
In extreme northern Illinois the safe
period usually occurs from September
81 to %.
In central Illinois aad Indiana, from
September Fl to 30.
In extreme southern Illinois, from
September 80 to october 5.
In central Kentucky, from October
to Is.
In central Tennessee, from October
Is TO %.
In Georgia and South Carolina, frofa
October % to November %.
In northeastern Kansas the safe pc
riod Is from October to 10.
In east-central Kansas, usually from
october 1 to 20.
In extreme southern Kansas and
northern Oklahoma wheat should not
be sown unit. the second week In &C.
tober.
This is true also Of Virginia near sea
level.
October-sowa wheat always enjoys
the greatest freedom from the fly In
Maryland. except In the mountainous
regions where earlier planting is nee
essary.
In southeastern Pennsylvania the
safe period Is during the last week OF
September. AID practically the same
corresponding delay In wheat sowing
In TIE fall should be followed to the
southwark.
These dates are only approximate,
and serve to show I'm general way
about the time when the fall brood OF
the flv disappears. All are dependent