164 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 
63 VICTORIA, A. 1900 
province, farmers are very much interested in the matter and would like to know some- 
thing of the habits of this insect—whether it is likely to assert itself in next year’s crop, 
whether the discontinuance of wheat growing for a season would be necessary to exter- 
minate it, or whether such omission would be of any value in eliminating the pest, &c., 
&e. Any information you could give us would be very gratefully received, especially 
at this juncture—the eve of another seeding.’ 
‘Delmer, September 13.—In South Oxford the fly was very injurious, destroying 
fully one-half of the fall wheat remaining, after an unusually severe ‘ winter killing "— 
there was scarely a wheat field that was not injured more or less ; the earlier sown 
suffered most. In North Oxford damage was much less, in West Brant, also much less, 
ditto in West Norfolk, in East Elgin middling severe, quite severe in East Middlesex ; 
and again, in North and West Middlesex not so severe.’—Cuas. BrapBuRN. 
‘Winnipeg Man., August 26.—Herewith I am sending: you specimens of an insect 
that has done considerable damage on the farm of Mr. James Little, Stonewall. The speci- 
mens were forwarded by Mr. Ira Stratton, of Stonewall, who says that about one- 
quarter of Mr. Little’s wheat has been cut down by these insects. Would you kindly 
let us have any information at your command regarding this pest, and what measures 
should be adopted to prevent its recurrence next year?’—Hueu McKe iar, Chief 
Clerk, Dept. Agriculture. 
‘Macdonald, Man., August 26.—I notice since starting to cut my wheat that 
quite a lot of the straw is broken just above the second joint, although the heads seem 
to be well filled ; of course the sap is not altogether stopped as the straw is not broken 
completely off. I find on examining it that there is a single maggot or worm ina 
brown shell, between the leaf and stem just above the joint, that has caused the injury. 
Can you tell me what it is and if it is likely to be worse another year? There is from 1 
to 7 or 8 percent of the straw affected with it’—Hunry KirKwoop. 
‘ Portage la Prairie. Man., August 28.—Inclosed find wheat joints which I have 
cut from my field. The wheat is bent down just above the joint. I find by opening 
the straw that there is an insect on the upper side of the joint. The grain in the head 
appears to be all right, but the straw and head are not as large as the balance that is 
standing. My heavy wheat does not appear to have been affected. Would you kindly 
let me know through the Vor-west Farmer what it is, as 1 presume there are other 
fields throughout the province affected the same way ?’—CuHas. CUTHBERT. 
‘Winnipeg, August 29.—At several points throughout the province I have 
noticed this year in the wheat fields that a greater or less proportion of the straws 
appear to break about the first joint from the ground, and, where this is very bad, it gives 
almost the appearance of their having been broken down by hail, except that most of the 
straws seem to lean in one direction as though they had gone down under pressure of 
high winds from one quarter. I am told by some parties that a little worm about } 
of an inch long is found in the straw, at the first joint. The appearance of the head 
is entirely different from what we call “dead heads” as the grain is maturing in the 
heads, some of them still being comparatively green, although I think in every case 
the grain will be shrivelled, and the heads seem to be shorter and smaller than the 
average heads in the field. I saw two fields of this out at Melita alittle while ago, and 
yesterday at Otterburn saw a great deal of it, and I understand from the farmers at 
Emerson, that it is very prevalent throughout that district. I was also speaking to a 
man from Plum Coulee, who told me he had to set his binder much lower than usual in 
order to avoid cutting off the heads that were broken down, and I am inclined to think 
that this trouble, whatever it is, is very prevalent throughout southern Manitoba.’ 
“ Winnipeg, Oct. 11.—I fancy the damage done by the Hessian Fly has been 
pretty serious in some localities, but, as people were not acquainted with the insect or 
were not looking for it, not many noticed it ; perhaps, too, they attributed the shortage 
to a wrong cause. I understand that its attacks were very bad in the Stonewall 
Carman and Niverville districts.”"—-G. H. Greie, of The Farmer’s Advocate. 
‘Winnipeg, Oct. 3.—In response to your request for information on the Hessian 
Fly in this province, by Mr. McKellar’s instructions, I made an excursion to Stonewall 
on Friday and Saturday last. There is no doubt whatever that the fly is all through. 
