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Fxo.-n the Report of the Commissioner of Patents.) The Hessian Fly. OBSERVATION'S COMMUNICATED BY E G. HER RICK, LIBRARIAN OF YALE COLLEGE. The insect commonly called the Hessian fly. which has for so many years ravaged the wheat- fields or our country, appears to have been wholly unknown here before the American rev olution. It lsusually stated thai the insect was jbt noticed in the year 1776 or 1779, on Sta- ten Island and the westerly end of Long Island, and was generally supposed to have been in troduced among straw brought hither by the Hessian troops in the service of Great Britain. The ravages of the insect soon attracted gene ra! attention ; and as early as the year 1788, serious apprehensions were excited in England that the destroyer might be conveyed thither in lome cargo of wheal. The alarm there was so feat, ihat ihe government took up the matter ; "the privy council sat day after day, anxious ly debating what measures should be adopied to ward off the danger of a calamity more to be dreaded, as they well knew, than the plague or pestilence ; expresses were sent off in all directions to the officers of the customs at the oii'ports. respecting the examination of carpoes: i , a a - despatches written lo the ambassadors in France, Austria, Prussia and America, to gain 'hat information, of the want of which they ere now so sensible ; and so important was 'be buiness deemed, that the minutes of the council, and the documents collated, filled up wards of200 octavo pages." (Kirby and Spence, ' 50) On ihe 25th of June of that year, an wder in council was issued, prohibiting the en 'rance into Great Britain of wheat raised in any of the territories of the United States; intend '"2, by this measure, lo keep out the much- Jreaded enemy. Soon after the arrival of the news of this order, the supreme executive coun cil of Pennsylvania addressed a letter of inqui pv to the " Philadelphia Society for promoting Agriculture." who promptly replied that the plant of the wheat alone was injured, and that 'he insect was not propagated by sowing the E'ain which grew on fields infected with it. fie prohibition was doubtless based on the er roneotss representation of Sir Joseph Banks and Pr- Blagden, which thoy continued to enforce rren after they were belter instructed by Dr. urrie. Ii i8 sufficiently remarkable, that, al- f 'hmigh tfee wheat was prohibited an " entry," it ws allowed to be stored ; so that the Hessian fly. if concealed among the grain, would, after "f. have had a good opportunity to escape into 'e country. Jo fight or ten months, the gov- ""nient bought the imprisoned wheat at prime l0 kiln-dried it, and resold it at great loss, Jnd almost immediately took off the prohibition Memoir of Currie, ii, 65.) In the course of a few years after this, the Nsian fly was found in every part of our r,untry where wheat was cultivated. From 'he period of the revolution down to the present no insect in the land has received so much '"'he -attention, or has called out so many 'fires of pages of observation and speculation. hese are to bo found scattered through maga ,nes, agricultural journals, and common news V'pers. But, in defiance of them all, the lies- ,n fly continues lis destructive work, and is H-ibably as little under the actual control of ",?fi as u was half a century ago. Whether this in&ect was an original inhabi The whole art of STROUDSBURG. MONROE COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1845. tant of the country, or was imported by the Hes sian soldiers, is a question not yel settled. At the time of the discussion which led to the pro hibitory dnler, an extensive inquiry in Europe resulted in the conclusion that the insect was whojly unknown there. Yet. in the year 1834, it was found existing in several places in south ern Europe, and injuring the wheal in the same manneras in ihis country. This imporlant dis covery was made by my friend, Mr. James D. Dana, who had previously been engaged with me in the examination of the Hessian fly, and was well qualified to decide upon the case. (American Journal of Sciences, xli, 153.) More over, we have an account from the vicinity of Geneva, in Switzerland, reported by Duhamel, of an insect destroying the wheal there as long since as 1732, in the manner of the Hessian fly; and an account, in 1723, by Raddi, of what is probably the same insect, in various places in Italy. No traces have been detected of any in sect of the habits of the Hessian fly, in our country, earlier than the year 1776 ; and if this insect is a native of North America, what plant sustained it before wheat, rye and barley, were imported On the other hand we have no proof that the Hessian fly was ever found in Germany ; and n is certain that if the wheat were reaped in the ordinary manner, nearly all the available insects would be left in the stub ble ; and further, the siraw alleged to have been brought by the Hessians must have been that which ripened in the summer of 1775, and from which most of the insects which it contained would have escaped before August, 1776. On a question of such uncertainly, no one need quarrel with another's opinion. The first scientific description of the Hes sian fly was published in the Journal of ihe Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, for July, 1817, (No. 3, i, 45.) by the late dis tinguished entomologist, Thomas Say. He there gives it the systematic name of the ceci-' domyia destructor ; and to this description adds a few remarks relative to its habits, and fur- nishes, also an account of another insect, by j which the fly is often destroyed. - Without o- ing into a minute and tedious technical descrin- tion, the following account is offered, as proba- bly sufficient to enable an observer to identify the insect-in its various transformations : The Hessian fly is a two-winged insect, with head, eyes, and thorax, black ; the head is small and depressed ; the palpi (or mouih feeders) are three or four jointed the basal one being ihe smallest ; antennae are about half as Ion as the body, and consist each of from 14 to 17 oval joints, besides the basal joint which appears double ; the wings are large, hairy, rounded at the tip, and have each two or three longitudinal nervures ; the abdomen is of a tawny red, and furnished, irregularly, with many black hairs ; consists of seven rings and segements, besides the ovipositor, which is of two sides, and of a rose-red color ; the ovipositor, when extended to the utmost is about one-third as long as the abdomen ; the length of body, from the front of the head lo the end of the abdomen, about onc eighth of an inch ; the legs are long and slen der, pale red and coveied sparsely with dark hair. The male is equal in size to the female, but generally less black, wiih antenna: "some what longer, and about ihreo-fourths the length of the body. The joints of the antenna: are globular, and slightly separated from each other. Several other species of the genus cecidomijia, or one closely allied to it, are common in this region. But the Hessian fly is the largest and darkest of our species, with which I am ac quainted. The oggs are laid in the long creases or fur rows of the upper surface of the leaves (i. e. the blade or strap-fhaped part) of the young wheal plant. While depositing' her eggs the insect stands with her head towards the point or extremity of the leaf, and at various distances between the point and where the leaf joins and .surrounds the stalk. Tho number found on a single leaf varies from a single egg up to thirty, or even more The egg is about a fiftieth of an inch long, cylindrical, rounded at ihe euds.glossy an'd trans-lucent, of a pale red color, becoming, in a few hours, irregularly spotted with deeper red. Between its exclusion and iis hatching, these red spots are continually changing in number, hize, and pooiuor.; and sometimes neah alldjsappear. Government consists in the art of being A little while before hatching two lateral rows of opaque white spots, about ten in, number, can be seen in each egg. In four days, more or less, according to ihe weather, the egg is hatch ed; the little wrinkled maggot, or larva, creeps out of the delicate membranous egg-skin, crawls down the leaf, enters the sheath, and proceeds along the stalk, usually as far as the next joint below. Here it fastens, lengthwise and head downwards, to the tender stalk, and lives upon the sap. It does not gnaw the stalk, nor does it enter the central, cavity thereof; but, as the larva increases in size, it gradually becomes imbedded in the substance of ihe stalk. After taking its station, the larva moves no more, gradually loses its reddish color and wrinkled appearance, becomes plump and torpid, is at first semi-translucent, and then more and more clouded with internal while spots ; and, when near maturity, the middle of the intestinal parts is of a greenish color. In five or six weeks (varying with the season) the larva begins to turn brown, and soon becomes of a bright ches nut color. In this state, the insect bears some resemblance to a flax-seed ; and many observers speak of this as ihe flaxseed state. The larva has now become a chrvsalis. or nuna. and takes ( no more food., The pupa within gradually cleaves offfrom the outer skin, and, in the course of two or three weeks, is entirely detached from it, so that ihe skin of the larva (now brown and hardened, and of a sort of leather texture,) has become a case or shell for ihe pupa inside. The pupa shell is, of course, in size and form, like the larva: it is oval, bulging out beneath, and of the same curve above as the outside of the stalk ; divided by cross lines inlo twelve segments, and is about an eighth of an inch long. Within this shell the pupa gradually ad vances towards the winged state ; it contracts in length, but not in breadth ; and its skin ap pears covered with minute elevations. Just uefre evolution, we find the pupa invested in a delicate membrane, or scarf, (which, not long previous, was its outer skin,) through which ma parts of the future fly may be distinctly aeen- finally, this scarf splits along the tho rax or oack ani1 tlie '3.8ect comes forth, both ,rom ,,lJs aild ,lle PlIPa shell 3 Perfecl lwo" from this and winged fly. This is, in brief, the history of an individual which has been so fortunate as to escape all the numerous enemies with which its lace is surrounded from ihe moment the egg is depos ited ; but of these, more hereafter. In the northern and middle States, at least, winter wheat is sown in September or October. Soon after the plants have appeared above ground, the Hessian fly begins to lay her eggs upon them ; and this operation is continued du ring several weeks, according to the season. The eggs laid on the green leaves are in a few days hatched, and the young larvae crawl down the stalk, and take their stations ; generally clustering around the stalk at the nearest joint below. Here, by sucking of the plant, they in crease in size, become full and hard, and, pres sing deeply into the stalk, they impair its growth ; and if their number about one joint is large, the stalk is killed. Frequently the plant, although impoverished, advances far enough lo head out ; but when the grain begins to fill, its own weight, or perhaps the' wind, causes the stalk to break down. The injury done to the wheat is occasioned by the exhaustion of the sap, and by the pressure on the yielding-stalk. In five or six weeks the larva: stop feeding, the outer skin turns brown, and within this brown and leathern case tho pupa: pass the winter generally a little below the surface of the earth. In April and May the fly is again found depositing her eggs on the same wheat, (viz: that from grain sown the preceeding au tumn,) and also on the s-pring wheat which has just, come up. These egi.s hatch, and the larva: therefrom operate in the same manner as those of the autumn previous. Thee larva: become pupae about the middle of June. The flies which lay their eg.s in the spring are probably in part from the pupae which became sueji laie in tlu, preceeding auiniii, and partly from pupa: contained in stubble left tho'Sprece iug summer. The period of the existence of the. Hessian fly in lie pupae or flax-seed slate is cxceudingly.anable. After much observa tion, my own opinion is, that, in general, pupa? which become such late in the autumn evohe honest. Jefferson. the winged insect partly during the next spring, j and partly in the summer and autumn following, Those pupa: which become such about June, evolve tho winged insect partly during the next autumn and partly during the year succeeding. The Hessian fly is attacked by numerous foes, which, in vaiious stages of its existence, destroy a large part of every generation. Whether it has, in its winged state, any ene mies, except the ordinary destroyers of flies, 1 know not. The eggs, while lying on the leaves of the young plant, are visited by a very minute four-winged insect, (a species of platygaster,) which lays in them its own eggs. From later observation, it appears that, occasionally, as many as five or six eggs of this parasite are laid in a single egg of the Hessian fly. The latter egg hatches and becomes a pupa:, as usu al; but from the pupa: case, instead of the Hes sian fly, issues one or more of these minute parasites. The pupae, while imbedded in ihe stalk, a"re attacked by ai least three different minute par asites, (four winged hymenoptera,) which, bor ing through ihe sheath of the stalk, deposite their eggs in the body within; and the latter is finally devoured by the parasite larvae. These are the principal means by which the multipli cation of the Hessian fly is restrained within tolerable limits. Although the loss annually sustained by ihe wheat growers of this country, in consequence . of the ravages of the Hessian flv. is severe, vet - M J 1 J it is well nigh impossible to ascertain even its probable amount. As long since as 1800, Dr. S. L. Mitchell, of New York, affirmed that the "insect is more formidable to us than would be an army of 20,000 Hessians." In 1804, Pres - ident Dwight, of Yale College, remarked that this insect is feeble and helpless in the ex- treme, defenceless against the least enemy, and crushed by the most delicate touch; yet, for many years it has taxed this country, annually, more, perhaps, than a million of dollars." At the present day, the amount of the injury in flicted, probably exceeds what it was forty years since; and lo discover some feasible mode of exterminating the insect, or at least of arresting its ravages, is an object of great importance to this country. Various remedical measures have, from lime to lime, been proposed ; most of which I will here state. 1st. Steeping the seed-wheat in elder iuice. solution of nitre, boiling water, or other liquids; or rolling in lime, ashes, or some other sub- stance, in order to kill the eggs. But as the eggs of the Hessian fly are not on the seed, they will never be hurt by such processes. So far as these means give vigor to the plant, they may be of some little service. 2d. Sowing seed obtained from places in which the insect has not made its appearance, (American Museum, iv, 57.) This recommen dation also assumes the error, that the eggs arc Iaid"On the grain, and will bo found, as it has often proved, useless as respects this insect. 3d. Abstaining rigidly throughout the whole grain-growmg region of iNortn America irom planting wheal, rye, barley, or oals, for one, two, or three years, and thus starve out the in sect ! This plan might be effectual, but would obviously involve some inconveniences. 4th. Manuring the land very highly, so that ihe plants will grow vigorously, and ihe sooner out of the way of the insect, and also better able to resist it. This proposal has some merit, but does nothing towards destroying the insect. 5vh. Sowing some variety of bearded wheat, &c, supposed to have a harder and more solid sialk than common wheat, and better able to withstand the impression of the larvae. A sug gestion of some value, but, equally with ihe 4th, leaves the insect unharmed. 6th. Fumigating the wheal field, and sprink ling the young wheat with infusion of elder and with oilier steeps. If successful, which is quite uncertain, ii is plain that these measures are impracticable on a large scale. 7th. Sowing winter wheat very late in the autumn, so that the fly shall have mostly dis appeared before the plants are large enough lo be attacked. No.doubt this plan is lo some ex-J tent useful, but the wheat sown late i9 in great danger of perihhing during the winler. Tho fly will of course attack it in ihe spring, yet one attack uill do less damage than two, V'-J.-V LrjA No. 47. 8th. Sowing oats early in the autumn on the. intended wheal field, it is supposed the fly will'-' lay its eggs on the plant : then let them bov ploughed in, and the wheal sown. The fly having nearly exhausted itself on (lie oats, tho.-7 wheat will suffer less. This olaii may possi- , bly be of some partial utility. 9ih. Drawing a heavy roller over the young ' wheat both in autumn and spring. Tins rpro- cess may be useful in crushing many eggs aml larva:. .; 10th. Permitting sheep and other animal tun graze the wheat-fields while the insects ato laying their eggs. By these means, larger numbers of ihe eggs will be devoured wiih tho leaves. 11th. Burning the stubble immediately after harvest, and ploughing in the remains. This ., is by lar ihe most practicable and effectual -mode of exterminating the insect, or. at least ofA, checking its increase. In the stubble are ma ny pupae of the fly, at this time completely in our power; if, in reaping, the stubble is left high, the fire would sweep rapidly over a field, and destroy nearly all iheae pupae; the few which escaped ihe fire, would, by the plough; be buried so deep as lo perish in the earth ; mere ploughing in of the stubble must be high ly useful. If the two recommendations last named were thoroughly put in practice overthe whole country not only upon wheat, but also j 011 r)'c barley, and any other plants attacked I .t TT . y ,ne "ftasian tly Hie ravages ol Hits in I " sect would, in all probability, ere long, become scarcely worthy of notice. It may not be improper, in this place, to stale . that the foregoing account of the habits of the 1 Hessian fly is derived from my own long-con tinued observations, and that I have moveover. endeavored to consult all ihe papers of any im- j Prance which have been published on ihe ; suoject. There are in the United States, besides tho Hessian fly, several other insects which attack the wheat while jn the field. Those persons who assert that the former lays its eggs on tho grain in the spike or head have undoubtedly mistaken for the Hessian fly some one of these other insects. The following brief notices of. the more imporlant of these enemies, I have abridged from the accounts comprised in Dr. T. W. Harris' " Treatise on some of the insects of New England, which are injurious to vegetation;" (Camb. 1842: 459 pages, 8vo.,) a work of great interest and value, In ' the inquirer will find a faithful digest of a" reliable information we have on the nu- merous insects which injure our plants, fruits, and trees ; and, in addition, he will learn the means of defence, so far as any have been dis covered. The book ought to be in the hands of every intelligent farmer and orchardist. 1. A grain moth, (Angoumois moth alucita cerealella, Oliv.) probably the same as described by Colonel Carter, in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, volume i, 1771, and by J. Lorain, in Mease's Archives of Use ful Knowledge, volume ii, 1812. It is about three-eighths of an inch long when its wings are shut. The upper wings are of a light, brown satin color and lustre, covering the body horizontally above, but drooping a little at tho sides. The lower wings and the rest of the body are ash-colored. The moth lays her eggs usually on the young and lender grain in the field; each caterpillar from these eggs selects a single grain, burrows into it, and remains con cealed, devouring the meal within. Subjecting the grain to a heat of 167 degrees Fahr., for twelve hours, in an oven, will kill the insect. 2. The English wheat fly (tipula tritici, Kir by,) is a small orange-colored two-winged gnat, which lays its eggs in the head of wheat while blossoming. The maggots from those ess fwe without feet, tapering towards the head, at fiiM perfectly transparent and colorless, but soon be- Comma nrnntlP-Vullnw nnrl tuhan mature ivav ' ' " Q J UIIU V 11 l 1 1 IllUtUI V ) V each about an eighth of an inch long. lth supposed they devour the pollen, and prevent the setting of the grain; the maggots fall from the spike to the earth, within which they un dergo their final transformations. This insect (or one very similar to ii) has done much dam age in the Northern Stales and Canada; for several years past; but no effectual mode of pre venting tho mischief, or of destroying the in sect, appear to have been devised.
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