276 



THE HESSIAN FLY AND THE WHEAT-HEAD FLY. 



He gave to the Hessian fly the characteristic scien- 

 tific name of Cecidomegia destructor, because the 

 destructive maggot hatched from the egg of this in- 

 sect is at the joint of the wheat stalk, which there 

 enlarges or swells somewhat into a gall-form. Hence 

 it is that the insect has been called the wheat gall- 



Jiy- 



In October, in this State, the fly is seen to deposit 

 its eggs upon the leaf of the young plant a little 

 above the ground. There the egg changes into a 

 maggot which finds its way to, and its home at, the 

 joint. There in the next spring it grows and de- 

 si roys the force of the plant so that the seed is not 

 formed and the culm is weak, and takes on the ap- 

 pearance to which the farmer has given the descrip- 

 tive name of " crinkled " wheat. Then the maggot, 

 or larva changes into the chrysalis, from which, ere 

 long, comes forth the fly, to deposit new eggs in early 

 summer, which pass the same round and send forth 

 the fly which lays its eggs in autumn on the winter 

 wheat. 



This view involves two broods in a year, which 

 seems to be maintained by Dr. Pitch, of Salem, who 

 has written so fully on the Hessian fly, and by oth- 

 ers; yet, it seems not to be decisively proved, as the 

 spring fly may be only a portion which had not been 

 developed at the usual season. At least, more ob- 

 servations should be made, and mistake shown to be 

 wholly improbable. It is possible another insect 

 may have been taken for this. Consult Dr. Pitch's 

 several papers on this subject in the American 

 Quarterly Journal of Jlgricultnre for 1846-47. 

 We are indebted to Dr. Pitch for an extended view 

 of these depredators on this great necessary, the 

 " staff of life." 



Dr. Emmons mentions two methods of preventing 

 the great increase of the Hessian fly. The one is 

 " burning the stubble " after harvest, and the other 

 is by " deep plowing " to bury the chrysalis so deep 

 that the insect never can emerge to the light of day. 

 The latter is certainly practicable; — the former must 

 be effectual. 



A third method has been employed in our country 

 where the ravages of this fly have been very destruc- 

 tive, viz : ceasing to sow wheat for two or three 

 years, so that the insect may die out for want of its 

 peculiar home. This requires general agreement of 

 the agriculturists over a large section. 



The other insect destructive to wheat is also a 

 Cecidomegia; but, as it lays its eggs in the heads of 

 wheat and in contact with the kernel, which the mag- 

 got or larva devours, it is named Cecidomegia tortici, 



or, literally, the gall-fly of the wheat seed or kernel 

 itself. This insect was named in Europe, where it 

 has long been known, and from which it was doubt- 

 less imported in the straw and chaff, or perhaps 

 wheat, into our country. It is said to have been 

 first mentioned in the AVk; England Farmer for 

 1820, and was detected in this state in 1828. To 

 distinguish it by some common name from the Hes- 

 sian fly it might be named the Wiieat-Head Fly, as 

 in the head of wheat the maggot works ruin; while 

 the other might be culled the If heat-Stem Fly, as 

 the maggot ruins the stem or culm itself The terms 

 Fly, or Wheat Ply, are not descriptive, as each is 

 a fly, and each destroys wheat in its own peculiar 

 way. 



The maggot in the wheat-head is readily discov- 

 ered, as it is yellow, and the chrysalis into which it 

 changes is a bright yellow. In due time the chrysa- 

 lis falls to the earth, where it lies till the next season, 

 when it hatches into the fly itself, to repeat its work 

 of destruction. 



As the C. tortici feasts on the kernel in its soft 

 state and on the milk, it has no means of piercing 

 the hard shell of the seed; and if the maggot is de- 

 veloped too late, it will die of starvation in contact 

 with the seed. Hence it is not a weevil — as that 

 eats the ripe and hard kernel of seed, as the rice 

 weevil. 



Multitudes of the chrysalis are soiretimes thrown 

 out with the chaff in the cleaning of wheat, and may 

 be destroyed by the burning of the chaff. Hogs 

 also fatten on this animal in this state, while they ef- 

 fect its sure destruction. 



There are several other species of Cecidomegia in 

 our country, which are not known to be destructive 

 to wheat. 



It is an interesting fact in the Divine constitution 

 of the animal world, that other animals devour those 

 which may become dangerous to the interests of man. 

 Thus the destroyers are held in check by others, and 

 the balance of even insect life very nearly and more 

 constantly maintained. The Hessian fly is preyed 

 upon by several insects, and its young are often de- 

 stroyed by other maggots before its destructive pur- 

 pose is attained. 0. D. 



To Relieve CnoKEn Cattle. — Mix a spoonful of 

 gunpowder with enough hog's lard to form a ball 

 the size of a hen's egg — open the animal's mouth, 

 and after pulling out the tongue lightly, chuck the 

 ball of lard and powder into the throat, let go the 

 tongue, and the work is done. I have tried this in 

 two instances, and it produced immediate relief.— 

 Country GentlemaTi. 



