92 WHEAT 



CHAPTER VIII 

 WHEAT ENEMIES 



WEEDS 



Weeds damage wheat both by reducing the 

 yield and injuring the quality of the grain. The 

 most objectionable weeds associated with wheat 

 fields are chess or cheat, wild oats, cockle, wheat- 

 thief, and wild mustard. All of these are annuals 

 and readily controlled by careful preparation of 

 the seed bed and a proper rotation of crops. 

 Weed pests become troublesome only where 

 wheat is grown continuously in the same fields. 

 The growth of weeds is a protest of nature against 

 the practice of continual grain cropping. There 

 is no remedy except rotation of crops, and clean 

 cultivation or clean summer fallow. 



INJURIOUS INSECTS 



It is impossible in this discussion to more than 

 touch on this part of the subject. The insects and 

 diseases which attack wheat often seriously injure 

 or destroy the crop, and in some cases there is 

 little or no means of preventing the damage. 



CHINCH BUG AND HESSIAN FLY 



Of the insect enemies the chinch bug and the 

 Hessian fly are perhaps the most destructive. 

 The remedies to stop their ravages are preventive 

 only, such as burning over the stubble land, which 

 allows the chinch bug no cover for hibernating, 

 and destroys the Hessian fly, since the insect 



