220 Season 0/I8I6. 



Kennett Township, Chester Co. Pa. July 8, 1817^ 



Sir, 



In looking over the newspapers, I saw published there- 

 in a request of the Agricultural Society to their fellow- 

 citizens, to favour them with communications respecting 

 the injury the wheat is likely to sustain by the effects of 

 the Hessian fly, the stunt, &c. also the ravages of the cut 

 worm, on the Indian corn. 



1st. The wheat has not sustained much injury by the 

 fly, though it is very numerous in the wheat this spring, 

 and causes a great many stalks to fall. The heads are 

 tolerably filled before they begin to fall, which does not 

 happen until about two or three weeks before harvest. 

 The fall progeny of the fly is vastly the most injurious, 

 if the wheat is put in early. 



2d. We conceive, that the best preventive to the ope- 

 ration of the fly, is to make the ground good, and to sow 

 the wheat between the eighth and fifteenth of October. 

 As to the stunt, it has done very little damage to the 

 wheat this seasoa, in the vicinity of Kennett, although we 

 have discovered no way of preventing its effects. The 

 stunt has operated worst on the highest cultivated land, 

 in the vicinity of Kennett. 



3d. We sow different species of wheat, but most ge- 

 nerally the red bearded ; we think it resists the effects of 

 the fly, and stands the winter better than other species. 



There are good crops of wheat, barley and oats in this 

 neighbourhood, and the crops of corn are coming on fast. 

 It is a fine growing season, for every kind of grain and 

 grass ; indeed we have no cause to complain of any thing. 



