REPORT OF TEE ENTOMOLOGIST AXD BOTAXIST 



215 



Fig. 2. — Hessian Fly : 

 injured wheat-stem; 

 three puparia — en- 

 larged. 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Among a large number of correspondents who have favour- 

 ed me with reports upon their observations on the Hessian Fly 

 during the past season, I am under special obligation to Mr. 

 John C. Wallis, of Manor Farm, Ferguson (Middlesex Co.), 

 Ont., who has kept me well posted throughout the season on the 

 condition of the infestation. The following is a resume of his 

 observations which are tolerably representative of the condi- 

 tions in the south-western counties of Ontario where much fall 

 wheat is grown. 



' December, 1000.— Wheat plants full of fly. 

 ' January, 1901. — A mild month. Hessian Fly still to be 

 found in plants above the ground. 



' February. — A furious winter month. Heavy snow and 

 plants well covered. 



' March. — Similar to February. 



' April. — Open and mild, with a very cold and dry parching 

 east winds, which have completely killed all injured wheat plants. 

 ' May 1. — Have had several wet days, but it is now dry. A 

 conspicuous absence of fly, with thinned prospects for wheat. 



' May 6. — Upon the snow going away, I made close examination and found some 

 of the flax-seeds. I have just put the twin ploughs on some 9 acres and turned it 

 under. There was an absence of winter-killed wheat, except of the injured plants. 

 The fly has worked my fields and my neighbour's to the extent of cutting out four- 

 fifths of the wheat, and, as the land is very strong, it would grow weeds, so we have 

 eown barley. Of course, I am quite alive to the danger of the fly getting into that. 

 Many farmers are drilling barley across the fields with the hope of getting a mixed 

 crop, and, if the fly should take it, we can plough it down for manure. 



' June 1. — Since the beginning of May the weather has been continuously cold 

 and damp ; the fly has made great headway. 



' June 16. — Inclosed you will find a few specimens of the work of the Hessian 

 Fly. As before stated, I found one stalk infested by no less than 55 flax-seeds. I have 

 commonly been informed of 15 to 40. There are farmers now ploughing up their 

 fields. There is but one outcome, namely, a suspension of wheat culture for a period, 

 unless something unforeseen intervenes to rid us of the pest. I have made a minute 

 examination of the growing barley, and at the time of writing have found no sign 

 of the fly in it, nor in the rye. I notice that Prof. Lochhead recommends late sowing, 

 but this, I believe, is no great safeguard. Late sowing renders the plants so much 

 weaker that the fly seems to be all the more at home in their tender, juicy state. 



'August 31. — I mentioned to you that I had sowed barley where I had ploughed 

 down deeply my wheat, which was killed by Hessian Fly. This barley came along 

 royally until it began to make the second and third leaves, when it turned yellow. 

 Upon examination, I found it thoroughly infested. This was ploughed twice, and the 

 land being mellow and rich, I am going to seed it down again with Red Poole wheat, 

 bo as to get it seeded out. On this piece I am going to depart from my early and late 

 practice and shall sow from September 10 to 13. I know that the chances of getting 

 a crop are against me, but I prefer to seed down with wheat, and, although I find that 

 no remedy is always effective against the fly, good cultivation and proper rotation are 

 essentials. Even these, however, are no guarantees of a crop. All the grain here this 

 year is surprisingly light and disappointing. Oats are very light indeed ; roots also 

 have suffered and are the lightest for years. Corn is now doing tolerably well and, 

 if frost keeps off for a time, we may get an average crop. Altogether I have not seen 

 iueh an extreme season in all my experience.' — J. C. Wallis. 



Mr. Wallis reported from time to time on the fields sown after the barley waa 

 ploughed down. He sowed at the date mentioned above (Sept. 10-13) with the soil 



