162 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5-6 EDWARD VII., A. 1906 



DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



CEREALS. 



Cereal crops in all parts of the Dominion have been heavy and of excellent quality 

 in 1905. The unprecedented crop of about 85 millions of bushels of wheat in 

 Manitoba and the North-west has bountifully confirmed the sanguine anticipations of 

 those who justly have such confidence in the Great West. Oats, barley and other grains 

 have been equally satisfactory with the staple crop, wheat. There has been an enormous 

 increase over 1904 in the amount of fall wheat harvested in the rich lands of south- 

 A^icstern Alberta. Weather conditions, although such as to cause considerable anxiety 

 at times, from cool weather during growth, with frequent rains, proved to be most 

 propitious for the production of high quality grain. The long open autumn allowed 

 the enormous crop to be safely garnered. 



There were few adverse influences. Rust, although locally present, had little effect 

 on the main crop. Two weeks of hot weather just before harvest caused the grain to 

 ripen up all at once and rather preraaturely ; but Mr. Willing writes at the end of the 

 season : ' Weeds were too abundant in many places, but I have heard of no serious 

 damage to grain crops by pests except in the early part of the season, by cutworms in 

 Alberta and parts of Assiniboia.' In Ontario, ' while a majority of correspondents 

 describe fall wheat as of good quality, some speak of the grain as being rather shrunken 

 and light in weight.' ' Very little harm to the crop was reported from Hessian Fly or 

 other insects.' (Ontario Crop Report No. 90, for Nov. 1905). In Quebec, crops were 

 well up to the average. In New Brunswick a protracted summer drought in some 

 parts reduced crops of all kinds, but early sown wheat threshed out a good yield. 



In Nova Scotia the Secretary of Agriculture writes : ' On the whole, I think 

 the province may be congratulated upon having received a bountiful harvest. Hay, 

 oats, wheat and potatoes are the most important crops and have reached a high average.' 

 In Prince Edward Island Rev. A. E. Burke reports : ' No rust of any account on grain. 

 Wlieat, oats and other grains, a bumper crop. In a very restricted circle Hessian Fly 

 and Joint Worm attacked the wheat.' Prof. Readey writes in the August Crop Report : 

 * The wheat crop is above the average. In the vicinities of New London, Stanley Bridge 

 and Cavendish, the whea.t Joint Worm is reported as doing considerable damage' 



The Hessian Fly (Cecidomyia destructor. Say). — There is little mention of injury 

 by the Hessian Fly in Ontario during 1905, although in Prof. James's November Crop 

 Report it is stated that a few complaints were sent to his Department; but in no cai5o 

 was there serious damage. Slight attack was also noticed in Prince Edward Island. 

 A rather more considerable injury to the spring wheat crop occurred in Manitoba. 

 Several correspondents estimate the loss at about 5 per cent. All evidence so far at 

 hand indicates that the Hessian Fly in Manitoba is single-brooded, a fortunate fact 

 in this country, where such a large area is devoted to wheat. In Alberta there has 

 recently been an enormous increase in the acreage devoted to fall wheat; and, fortun- 

 ately, up to the present time, no trace of the Hessian Fly has been found in that pro- 

 vince. It will be well, however, for the fall wheat growers in the country to the south 

 of Calgary to be on the look out for this insect and be prepared to adopt the methods 

 of controlling it which have been so successful in the older provinces. Reports of the 

 presence of Hessian Fly began to come in at the end of August, and through the 

 courtesy of Mr. Geo. Batho, of the Nor-west Farmer, Winnipeg, I have been allowed to 



