The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-02-18

ARMY sanitary methods a century
ond a half ago, were not what they
are to-day. Wheat straw, brought
from Germany by Hessian soldiers,
Who came to America to fight the
coIonists, was scattered about the
camps. Later the wind carried 1t to
nearby farms.
In that straw, entomologists say,
the colonists might have observed
small. hard, brown objects, resemb-
ling fiaxseeds.
In early Spring and Autumn start
ling changes might have been OBJ
served in the fiaxseeds. There was a
pronounced disturbance in the shell.
A hole appeared at one end. A small
insect pulled itself out by stages and
before long few to where the colon
lists had planted wheat.
There it was o joined by other
insects, also travellers in the Hessian
bedding roll from the old home In
Germany. They mated. Soon after
ward the female began depositing
eggs on the first blades OF tender
wheat.
The eggs were oval and generally
three were placed on a blade. Some
times there were many more. The
insect didn't stop until it had laid
from 100 to 107 such eggs.
Three to five days later the eggs
gave forth tiny red worms that
wriggled down between the leaf
sheath and the stalk. They contin-
ued downward until they found a To-
cation Just under the ground. There
they fed and grew. Other changes
occurred and the next season the pro-
cess Just described was repeated.
That is the story of the introduc-
ton into America of the Hessian fly.
1t takes the largest toll of any insect
that attacks wheat. In 1915, accord
ing to Federal estimates, 1t reduced
the wheat yield 37,000,000 bushels.
From the beginning in the East In
Revolutionary days the insects spread
to various sections. Now 1t is found
chiefly from the eastern boundary OF
Ohio to the western section of Kan
sas. Tennessee and Kentucky also
suffer losses due to he fly.
The average yearly loss in the Ma
ton. due to fly damage. Is estimated
by the same authority at 13,00O,0 900
bushels.
Because, possibly, of the standing
of Kansas as a wheat-growing State,
the damage in the Nation usually re-
Elected conditions in Kansas. In 1916,
the year the National losses was 37,-
100000 bushels, the Kansas loss ex-
ceeded 5000 600 bushels.
But the 1916 loss was not the
largest In Kansas. Several years
earlier IL had been noted that Hes
sian fly damage was increasing there.
In 1907 the loss amounted to TO-
100000 bushels.
When the loss in a single State
amounted to 100000 bushels 1t
was recognized that methods of fly
control then in use had failed.
+. NJ. Webster, representing the
United States Department OF Agri-
culture went to Kansas. There he
conferred with e. A. Popenoe. of the
Kansas State Agricultural College,
about new methods of fighting the
insects. They decided that the De-
partment Of Agriculture and the col
lege would cooperate in experiments.
4. G. Kelly, representing the de-
partment, was given charge of the
work and the experiments began.
Wheat was planted under various
conditions. Farmers fields were
studied. A route was established
from Salina, Kansas, to Medford,
Oklahoma. IL was covered by Kelly
and his assistants every year for FIVE
years. Sometimes several trips were
made each year.. Meanwhile the fly
free date was more clearly estab-
lished in the various localities and
farmers were urged to plant about
that time, But losses continued