ANOTHER PEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 38, 15 February 1937, Page 4

ANOTHER PEST.

HESSIAN FLY MENACE. DAMAGE TO WHEAT CROPS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. Farmers in various Canterbury districts have noticed this year the mysterious breaking over of many stems in some wheat crops. An examination has proved that the trouble is duo to an attack of hessian fly. In an interview this morning. Mr. R. McGillivray. fields superintendent of the Department of Agriculture, said that the trouble with hessian fly seemed much more widespread than usual, but it was only in isolated cases that the attack had led to serious damage. However, it was a pest that could do very great damage at times. The crop generally attacked was wheat, but he had also seen damage in barley and had been told of damage in ryecorn crops. Hessian fly was well known in the northern hemisphere, he said, and had done considerable damage at times to both wheat and barley croiw. It evidently had been introduced into New Zealand by accident at some time. Some farmers showed considerable uneasiness, but his own opinion was that effective control of hessian fly would be brought about by natural parasites which preyed upon the pest.