REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 163 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



consult tlie correspondence which was sent in to his paper on the subject. The district 

 over which the Hessian Fly injured wheat crops to some extent, was the whole south 

 of the province, west of the Red Eiver, and a short way into the North-west Territories. 

 Mr, Batho, writing on October 9, says: — 



' There was some loss due to the Hessian Fly over a large area in the southern part 

 of the province; some fields about Morden, Roland and Carman were badly struck; 

 but the attack was not general in all fields in any other part of the country. From 

 most of our reports it would appear that the heavy crops escaped, but the light ones 

 were always likely to be attacked. It seems to me that this can be explained by the 

 heavy crops occurring on land which had been summer-fallowed, and where con- 

 sequently no flies had wintered over, while the light crops were on stubble land that had 

 been cropped last year and which might have been affected to some extent, although the 

 injury was not noticed.' 



' Nov. 22. — I have found out since I last wrote, that the loss from the Hessian 

 Fly is probably greater than one might suppose from any reports that have been pub- 

 lished. A farmer at Griswold told me the other day that there was considerable loss 

 in that district At Portage la Prairie there was heavy loss, and one farmer stated his 

 belief that there was a small amount of loss every year and had been for several sea- 

 sons past.' — Geo. Batho. 



There is little doubt that loss from the Hessian Fly was larger than was generally 

 recognized ; but, owing to the heavy crop of wheat all through the country, little atten- 

 tion was paid .to this matter. Unfortunately, many of the farmers of the West take 

 the mistaken view of the subject that is expressed in a letter upon this outbreak, 

 published in the Nor-west Farmer of September 5 last, where the writer says : ' I 

 think the estimate of 5 per cent not too high for the loss. Wliere I am cutting, I 

 expect 35 or 40 bushels per acre, so I do not kick about a little loss.' The writer evi- 

 dently does not appreciate that the little loss of this year may multiply, under favour- 

 able circumstances, into an enormous one next year. The article referred to in the 

 Nor-west Farmer was very timely, and stated the facts of the case plainly and well, 

 giving the life history of the insect, the best remedies, and concluding with the follow- 

 ing wise statement: — 



* The principal reason why care should be taken to destroy the pupa3 of the Hessian 

 Fly this fall, is of course to prevent the possibility of a much more serious attack next 

 year.' 



The following extracts from correspondence show how widespread the attack was 

 in Manitoba, and the probable loss : — 



' Aug. 28, Yirden, Man. — Crops are apparently good ; but, when the binder goes 

 into the field, they do not show up so well. We are able, by lowering the binder, to 

 pick up most of the grain; but the sample is not as good as the rest of the field.' — 

 A. P. Power. 



' Aug. 29, Pilot Mound, Man. — It seems to be all through the crop of wheat this 

 year.' — J. S. Moffatt. 



' Sept. 2, Wellwyn, Sask. — The insects are located between the sheath and the 

 straw itself. The damage will amount to from two to three bushels to the acre, as it 

 is impossible to pick up all heads with the binder.' — F. J. Collyer. 



* Sept. 7, Reston, Man. — I first noticed the Hessian Fly at Roland. Most farmers 

 showed no interest in the matter, saying that the trouble occurred to the same extent 

 every year. One old Ontario farmer, however, who knew the Hessian Fly, deplored its 

 appearance, remembering the harm that it had done in Ontario. At Miami I found a 

 few flax seeds in a late crop and a few at Belmont and Reston. The field at Roland 

 would ave]*age 5 per cent injury all over; but in some patches it would be more than 

 double that.' — John McBean. 



* Sept. 7, Portage la Prairie, Man. — I noticed damage from Hessian Fly seemed 

 to be much worse after two days of heavy wind towards the last of cutting. Crops on 



16—114 



