197 
Hessian-fly. At Saint Genevieve, Mo., the fly was “much worse 
than for years past.” At Independence, Mo., the crop in some 
fields was nearly a failure. In Henderson county, Kentucky, while 
prevalent, only one wheat-field was “badly damaged;” while in Van¬ 
derburgh county, Indiana, “many fields were infected.” In Central 
Illinois a correspondent of the Cultivator and Country Gentleman 
states that “the Hessian-fly has been present in the lower portion 
of the winter-wheat region for several years,” and in 1877 “it ap¬ 
pears that the Hessian-fly is generally present in greater or less 
numbers over the whole winter-wheat region; that in almost every 
case it has attacked and done more or less damage to early-sown 
wheat fields.” 
In Michigan the fly, while troublesome in 1876, was also very 
generally so in the succeeding year, as stated by Professor Cook, as 
follows: 
“This year, 1877, we hear of it as more broadly distributed in 
our State, while complaints come to our ears from Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania. Since writing the above, I 
have passed through our State and also the State of Ohio, on two 
of the different trunk lines of railroads, and I find that all through 
Southern Michigan and all of Ohio, at least north of the latitude 
of Columbus and Dayton, this insect abounds in force.”* 
The following extracts from Michigan papers show the situation 
in that State this year: 
“The farmers are complaining of the ravages of the ‘fly’ in their 
wheat fields. Much damage is reported .”—Jonesville Independent. 
“Mr. James Taylor showed some wheat-stalks from his farm to¬ 
day which had over forty insects in one stalk .' 1 —Kalamazoo Gazette. 
“Wheat heading out ten days to two weeks earlier than usual 
this year, and doubtless much of it will be ready to cut in June.”— 
Portland Ovserver. 
“The ‘fly,’ or ‘insect,’ as called by the farmers, is playing sad 
havoc with the wheat crop in this county. Not over half a crop 
v^ill be realized .”—Kalamazoo Gazette. 
“The fly is very seriously injuring the wheat at Porter. One of 
the largest farmers in that township yesterday told us that a few 
weeks ago he would not have taken 8,000 bushels for his crop, but 
now he would gladly take 1,000 .”—Paw Paw Courier. 
“Much complaint is now heard from all sides in regard to the 
work of the insects in early-sown wheat. The dry weather has so 
far retarded the growth as to give the pests the power to destroy. 
There is little question that early-sown wheat is suffering greatly.”— 
Marshall Expounder. 
“Farmers from all over the county come to town looking doleful 
enough. The wheat crop promises to be almost a total failure. 
Two weeks ago everybody was happy over the prospects of an 
abundant harvest, but now flies, worms and drought seem to have 
ruined the crop and blighted every home .”—Marshall Statesman. 
“Farmers from all the adjoining towns complain that their grow¬ 
ing wheat crops are badly injured by the insects. Wheat fields 
which promised a heavy yield two weeks ago, it is thought will not 
* The Hessian-fly. A lecture by Prof. A. J. Cook, of the Michigan State Agricultural 
College, delivered at Farmers’ Institute held at PawPaw and Climax, Mich., 1878,8yo., p. 14. 
