THE HESSIAN FLY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1766, 14 February 1888, Page 2

THE HESSIAN FLY

«~ Per Pkess Association.)

Wellington, February 13

Government have received a report from Mr Huds n on the Hessian fly, m whioh he states the peat has ravaged ihe wheat orops ou five or cix farms at Rangttlkel. He tblnks it would be advisable to is >late the district as muoh aa posoible In order to prevent the spread cf the peat to other parts of the cilouy. Some of the insects together with their Urv» and several of the Injured wheat atalka were sent to the Agent-General by the Toogarlro, with lnatructiona that he ehou'd obtain the opinion of Miss Ormerod and Mr R. H. Meiup, two well-known entomologists, as to nhsther the settlers at vlarion arerLht m supposing that tbe Hessian fly has made its appearance m tbat district, ff Sir Dillon Bell liuda that it la the Heailan fly he is io make an f ffort to obtain some pupae of Insects, whio'* are bred m Amerloa, to prey upon tbe flj. . It Is believed that the insect, whioh la causing much concern tn Rangttikel district ju*t now, was brought fr< m tho United Btatea In Borne packing oase straw.

We very much fear that this Dew pest, wh'Oh his made its appearance m tue Rangtt'kel dl-sttict, will provo a very serious thing fir New Z >alanrf farmers no less promptly and vigorously dealt with This is wha< the" Waog^nui Herald " baa to say ab>ut It : — Dr Hector m rnolying to Mr.S.cely as to the Hessian fly pest says :— " Can you wire the extent of the •rea affected ? The stubble should be ent high and then born', and ploughed m deeply without delay." With retard to the extent affected, we understand that the fly haabt'en at work from Bonny G en to thu Dunsinane eatate, and that it has done ita work In a very effeotlve manner, Aa to the remedy suggested by Dr Hector, who Is to bear the oosr. ? I;, is quite evident that Individual farmers oould not, aft" ..rd it What, then, should be done ? Tne Government, must grapple with it tn the same way aa the V ctormn aud. other Governments have grappled with the scab pest. The matter to one whiob o >nperns, not the individual farmer (only, but the Whole fldmron>'l y.