Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-13
The Chinch- Bug.

PROF G. V RILEY, the State En-
tomologist of Missouri, thus, in recent
number of the St. Louis Republican,, cpl
tomizes the information concerning the
chinch-bug:
The chinch-bug Injuries by suction, not
by biting. 1t winters in the perfect
winged state, mostly dormant, princi-
pally in the old rubbish, such as dead
leaves, cOrn-shucks, cOrn-stalks and I'M
der weeds and PROSTATE fence-rails and
boards that generally surround grain
fields; also, in whatever other sheltered
situation it can Get in adjacent woods:
hence the Importance of fighting the
pest in the winter-time by burning it
with its aforementioned shelter. Such
burning will not destroy all the dormant
hosts, but will practically render
the species harmless-especia where
whole communities combine to practice
it. 1t issues from its winter quarters
during the first balmy days Of spring,
when those females which were impreg-
mated the previous fall, and which are
most apt to survive the winter, COM
menCes Ovipositing at once, if suitable
conditions are at hand. Others take
readily to wing, and scatter over our
fields, attracted by preference to grain
growing in loose and dry soil, into which
they penetrate to cOnsign their eggs.
The eggs are deposited on the roots, and
the young bugs, which are red, remain
underground sucking the roots during
the early part of their lives, or until they
are forced from necessity to travel from
one plant to another. These spring
Matched bugs, constituting the first
brood, do not as a rule acquire wings
till after wheat is cut. 1t is, there
fore, during and just after wheat har-
vest that they c0ngregate and travel
in such immense swarms as to at
tract attention. In July, as these
acquire wings, they scatter over grass,
late grain and corn fields, where they lay
their eggs; but the second brood, hatch
ing from these eggs, attract less atten-
ton and do less injury than did the
first, because of its more scattered ma
ture and the greater maturity and re-
sisting power of its food-plants ANY
thing that will prevent the mother bug
from getting at the roots of the grain
will prevent the injury of her progeny;
hence the Importance in this connection
of fall blowing and using the roller upon
| land that is loose and friable; and hence,
! if old corn ground is sufficiently clean, it
| IL IL SOOu Dldu W 1Io11ON III d CIOJOl
| grain upon it without blowing at all.
! The earlier, also, that wheat gets well
started and natures the less it will suffer
| because it may be harvested before the
! bugs ACQUIRE their greatest growth and
power for harm: hence, and from the
! greater compactness of the ground, winter
! wheat suffers less than spring wheat.
! Heavy rains are destructive to the
| chinch-bug; hence, if such occur in the
fall, the farmer ayplant with little fear
of injury the following year, while if they
occur in spring he need suffer no anxiety,
so far as chinch-bUgs are concerned
hence. also, where irrigation is practical
BILE, the pest may at all times be over
come. 1t Injuries no other plants than
grasses and cereals. In its migration
from field to field il may be checked by
a line of tar poured on the ground. or bv
deep burrows or trenches, but the tar
must be kept soft and the surface of the
urrows friable and pulveriZed.
4 HORSE named Chunk walked in the
Fourth of July procession in New Bed.
ford. Mass. He is twenty-five wears old,
and has been used by the fire depart.
ment for fourteen years.
THE tin-boxing of sardines has begun
in California. These delicate fish
abound from San Diego 10 Puget's Sound
and the boxers pay fifty cents a busheI
for them.
Co1oRAD0 is a fine place for snecu1a