The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-03-26
TIE CHINCHBVc
INVADERS OF OUR wEsTrr,.
FIELDS.

The following synopsis Of a -s
the chinchbug by DR.. CyrBs T TTl'I %
President of the Illinois T+ri,-,--1.---l,las
member Of the United states 81! 40:
logical Commission. which tt-----,.
been prepared, gives its bis.o-La' a' ls.
acters and habits, and the MOI, --s,.
stToying it or cOuntelactfur, r. ~ u e.
He says the chiDchbug bliss. .-i-ss
oteS Say) is unquestionablv tie ~ s--
midable insect pests with ~ ---
farmers within the whea.-,'--- De
area Of the United States hst. ...---s
tend. &
The locusts Of the West are trs
creatures Of this class whose r7r-...-
tion causes more sweeping de-t--it-...--
than that Of this diminutivp ana --
ingly insignificant insect Ti,-
from this insect III Illinois alrrz Il ~
was estimated at $4,000. gl8-a-. - ~
Of S4.1O to every man. woman a-4--s.
then living in the State. Ir -..--
the maximum Of its develaursrt s-.--
summer Of 1864, in the exterssr-. %. - --
and corn fields Of the valley ~ r. -5e
sissippi, and III that single wear ~
fOurths Of the wheat and aul-harf .-.-
corn crops were DESTROYED thr---.
many extensive districts. -----
almost the entire N0rthwest ---.-
estimated loss Of more than S1aU.-.
in currency. The course Of thar
est TaYages Is in a belt In Tra--..
about line with the Junction nj I---
and Missouri, and taking in a -.,-
pOnding part Of Southern Iowa s-z h.
braska and Of Northern Ms ON
Kansas. The loss by chinchburs IN r.
State of Illinois in 1871 was uDws-4 .
SO, SOC, 600, and taking an egnsl sT---.
in Iowa and Missouri. and 49, ~
equal amount in Indiana. Ka7Ss, n
! braska and Wisconsin. the loss f--
! States alone from this one SPECIES. nj -
+ sect was upward Of so COCOON
4 As the species appear 90 have a ----.
mum of development about prz-- 81
years, the foregoing estimates -
! Thomas thinks, render Il Irafst-4 ri
the annual loss 10 the nation hr -s--.-
alton averages $50. 600 600. The f-=-
first appeared in Illinois iu l~44. MIS-
in lS4T, in Indiana and Wfsrrrz- a
1854 and in lcIl over the entire Nr-f
west. Of natural agencies which s=.
in their destruction. Dr. Thomas 81
{ that the chinchbug has no such -a-t
/ less enemies as those that pursue
army worm, plant lice. etc. Their A.
few insects that prey upon them H-
not sufficiently numerous to make -
material impression Oh the vast h-r
Of these invaders of our grain fields
! The most efficient Of these aids r---
ed is the beTDUctgr ciaetrrs. OF bands
bug, and the frog. Professor Ross 81
presses the belief that the deSt-urtf-
the frog by draining their Ha-r-
haunts IS one reason why the ctireL-
multiplies as rapidly as il does in s--
seasons, and DR.. Fitch is mentioned
suggesting the idea OF suriukliuc I'll
artificial remedies given by Ur +
Baron. State EntOmgl1gist u Iu.-
and quoted 10y Dr. Thomas. are
]. The plan of sowing gIail s.-..
in the spring as to get il advance
their depredatiOns.
?. The attempt TO save Vast a- &.
crop by preventing the migration r- d
bugs from one field To another lv --
rows or kerosene oil.
3. The method Of destroying Tie 3
. sects by burning CorustalEs and ..-
ruUDlsl III Nnlcl lleE are supposed
hibernate.
4 The prevention Of their lreelr-
any serious eNteu- 10y aiStairiuC
the cultivation Of those Grains w
which they chiefly subsist.
DR.. Thomas suggests buul -
the infected fields III the winter --
best means OF destroying them. E
he also suggests. Dr. Thomas -
cludes by saying that clean fl-Il--
the best under all circumstance. a-.
adopted as a rule VIII tend -
toward preventing the increase --. .
Of chinchbugs, but of all other l1l
( insects. He also believes in divers .
farming. MaSsinC crops in lU-.
bodies, and cultivatinE the same -..
year after year tend To iucTe3~l Tie .
seCts that feed on these crops.