Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1909 — HOW TO COMBAT THE WHEAT JOINTWORM [ARTICLE]

HOW TO COMBAT THE WHEAT JOINTWORM

By H. A. Gossard.

Practically the whole of Ohio, except 15 or 20 of the northeastern counties/ has suffered more or less seriously from the wheat jointworm, the past season. The loss to the state as a whole has been in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 per cent of the crop. Many townships- report a damage of 50 to 60 per cent. In Borne neighborhoods parasites are making fine headway and irfaj save next season’s crop from perceptible damage. Insects escaping between harvest time and winter through small round holes cut in the walls of the stre t are parasites and not the adults of the jointworm. These parasites are fwo-brooded and, if numerous, will clean the stnbble fields of jointworm larvae before the opening of next season. The straw from other localities pfoduces but few parasites or none. The adults of the jointworm appear in late May or early June and seem to prefer to lay their eggs Just above the highest Joints available at the time of , their appearance, provided these stalks are not so near to heading as to preclude the possibility ol larvae within them from maturing before the ripening of the grain. In th( latter case, younger or more backward stalks seen to be hunted out and the nearly matured straws are passed by. If only one or two joints need to form above the worm 3 before heading, the kernels will have tlnr to fill and harden before the Bap flov ceases, while if three or four must form the kernels will be small, shriveled and light. The wheat grower should therefore keep these points well in mind when planning for pext year’s crop: .1. Sow from one week to ten days earlier than is customary in youi* neighborhood. Other things being equal, In every instance of which JY9 have knowledge, the early sown wheat was much better the past season, in badly infested territory, than that which was late sown. 2. Havfe the seed- bed worked into the best possible condition before seeding. 3. Sew an early maturing variety. 4. Fertilize well with commercial fertilizer, barnyard manure, or better with both. A formula containing 3or 4 per cent of ammonia, 8 to 10 per cent of phosphoric acid, and 2 to 3 per cent of potash is suggested as suited to wheat on the average Ohio farm. Apply at the rate of 200 to 300 pounds to the acre. Wheat on poor soil suffers In the same manner as late sown wheat and for the same reason, vjz., it Is late in maturing and gives the worms too long a period In which to work. 6. Sow as far as possible from wheat fields of the preceding year. Last season’s experience proved In numerous Instances that where al’ these points Fere Jobserved, fairßy good crops round be obtained, even In badly infested districts. An apple tree. ,150 years old, on the premises of Jeremiah Cue, near Bally, Pa., is bearing a good crop of Follewalter apples.