EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 139 



round hole right through the sheath opposite the flax-seed. If these round holes are 

 numerous in the fall, it is better to leave the stubble standing and to allow the 

 parasites to destroy the Hies, for they will do so far more thoroughly than we can 

 ever hope to. Another way to detect the presence of parasites is to gather some of the 

 infested joints and to enclose them in a fruit jar. over the mouth of which is then tied 

 a piece of muslin. If the parasites are present, they will emerge after a time and 

 appear as minute dark, four-winged insects, usually with metallic colors and moving 

 with a quick, nervous, jerky flight, while the Hessian flies themselves are feeble little 

 fellows with two wings and a weaker flight. This last method is of little use. how- 

 ever, since by it we cannot settle the question until too late to do us any good. 



REMEDIES. 



Burning Stubble. — Immediately after harvest, if possible, the stubble should be 

 burned to destroy the flax-seeds that are present. Of course, this will destroy what- 

 ever parasites are present, and if these are plentiful it should not be done. 



Fall Plowing. — When it is intpossible to burn the stubble, and sometimes even when 

 this has been done, it is found beneficial to plow the field immediately after harvest. 

 If we wait for any length of time the flies will escape and then no amount of plowing 

 will do any good. It is well to try to influence your neighbors to do likewise if they 

 have wheat near yours, for it is very easy to infest one farm from another. 



Late Sowing of Fall Wheat. — As the flies appear in the fall, during the latter part 

 of August, and keep coming out all through September until early in October, it will 

 easily be seen that if we delay sowing our wheat so that it will not appear above ground 

 until after the flrst week or so in October, when the flies have disappeared, we shall 

 escape them. It is ustially sufficient to delay sowing until after September 20, but 

 this varies somewhat with the season and latitude. 



Traps. — ^Yhcn we delay the sowing of the crop until late in the season, as described 

 above, it is always best to sow a strip of earlv wheit a few yards wide, entirely around 

 the field, unon which the flies lay their eggs, as they will readily choose the advanced 

 wheat to that just appearing, for purposes of egg-laying. This strip must be plowed 

 under either late in the fall or earlg in the spring to destroy the young flax-seeds. 



notation of cropft is good practice and all volunteer wheat should bo destroyed. 



lo. A LEAF-BEETLK FEEDING OX PEACH RIDS. 

 {C'hrysomela suturalis.) 



In November, 1897, Prof. U. P. Hedrick, then State Inspector of Orchards and Nur- 

 series, gave us some small ])eetles (Chri/sonirla suturalis) which he had obtained from 

 Mr. Higgens of Otsego, Mich. These beetles were said to injure the l)uds of peach trees 

 in early spring, and as the habit is probably a new one to the si^ecies, it seems to be 

 worthy of notice. According to Mr. Higgens, the beetles attacked the buds in April, 

 before they had commenced to grow percei)tibly. and especially tliose buds of fine 

 varieties that had been "budded" or set in. (levouriiig siicli luids l)y wholesale. As the 

 beetle is considered, under ordinary circumstances, to l)e iiarmless. and known to feed 

 only upon herbage, weeds, etc.. of no value, its appearance was awaited with a good 

 deal of interest last spring. Mr. Higgens kindly offered to notify us as soon as the 

 beetles apjieared, but fortunately they did not come. 



The beetle in question is a small dark brown and white fellow about three-tenths of 

 an inch long and having longitudinal strijies, as shown in the figure. (Fig. !»>.) It 

 is to be found at almost any time during a thaw in the winter, passing the winter in 

 an adult condition, ready to commence work early in spring. It is to be hoped that 

 this habit of eating ])each buds is an ae(iuired one brouglit about by the scarcity of 

 more appropriate food, and that in future .vears the ordinary food of the l)eetle will 

 be present in sufiiei«Mit quantity so tliaf it will not be driven to attack our jjeach buds. 

 If, however, it appears again, a s])ray of one of the aisenites will at oni-e kill it. 



