April, '17] PARKS: HESSIAN FLY SURVEY 249 



A COUNTY-WIDE SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF 

 TIME OF SEEDING AND PRESENCE OF VOLUN- 

 TEER WHEAT UPON THE EXTENT OF 

 DAMAGE BY THE HESSIAN FLY 



By T. H. Parks, Extension Entomologist, Kansas State Agricultural College 



During the season of 1916 the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) 

 took a heavy toll from the wheat fields of central Kansas and pushed 

 farther west into the state than had previously been recorded. The 

 injury in the northern part of the state extended westward almost to 

 the 100th meridian. The greatest injury occurred in the central part 

 of the state, where this survey was conducted, and covered five counties 

 in the heart of the hard wheat belt. The Hessian Fly Train, ^ operated 

 in 1915 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company in 

 cooperation with the Kansas State Agricultural College, had made 

 numerous stops in this section. The lectures given on this train, to- 

 gether with newspaper articles published at that time, served to set 

 before the farmers a general understanding of the importance of apply- 

 ing the best known control measures in preparing the seed-bed and sow- 

 ing the 1916 wheat crop. 



The entomologists of the Kansas Experiment Station have always 

 emphasized four things: (1) Thorough preparation of the seed-bed; 

 (2) Destruction of volunteer wheat; (3) Sowing after the fly-free 

 date, and (4) Cooperation among growers. 



In the past, the farmers of Kansas have probably observed number 

 three first, forgetting that along with this should go number one to in- 

 sure a good vigorous plant in order to offset the disadvantage of a short 

 growing season in the fall. Frequently this wheat fell before the attack 

 of the spring brood of Hessian flies. Other growers who have paid 

 more attention to securing a good seed-bed along with sowing late, have 

 suffered loss because of the presence of volunteer wheat in the seed-bed. 

 Cooperation comes last of all and is usually delayed because of lack of 

 confidence, due to the failure to control the fly in individual cases by 

 applying only one or more of the other three recommendations. More- 

 over, cooperation in all of these practices is often made difficult, due to 

 the fact that Kansas farmers operate large acreages. To finish in the 

 proper time seeding is frequently commenced early, and the earliest 

 sown wheat becomes infested by the fall brood of flies. 



McPherson county, central Kansas, was chosen as a county in which 

 to conduct an extensive Hessian fly survey. This was in the nature of 



^Dean, Geo. A., Jour. Econ. Ext., vol. 9, No. 1, 1916. 

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