The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-05-25
TIED FARM


of Importance, and of greater or lese
success. One of these IL the plan Of
preventing the migration Of the bugs
from one field to another. A. their
migrations are performed en- Da0sse,
and as they approach . held more
or less Regularly from one side, and,
moreover, rs they generally travel
on foot, il is often possible to protect
a field Of corn, measureabiy, by
] blowing . succession Of deep burrows
across their track, or by erecting .
barrier with fence boards, placed on
edge end to end, the upper edges
being smeared with coal tar or kero-
sene. The first plan gains its par
| tial success from the fact that the
chinch-bug travels very slowly over
| the rough, friable surface left by the
burrows. This plan Is often fairly
successful, and always worth trial.
In order to render this successful,
it is essential that the plowed strip
be kept well pulverized and dusty by
rolling .and subsequent narrowing
and blowing. This treatment must
lie often repeated, as the bugs can
not travel well through the dry
dusty burrows. II they accumulate
in the bottom of the furrow, they
should be crushed and killed by
pagging a log or stone through the
furrow. .....
The second method, though SO ex :.
tensive as to be almost impractical
BILE, il effective, and still more 80,
when the barrier Is supplemented by
traps or deep holes along the outer
line Of the board wall, into which
the bugs will fall, and from which
they are unable TO get out.
An easy, and more or less effective
mode of checking the increase Of
these bugs is that of burning each
winter the rubbish in the fence cor
ners, prairie grass, corn stalks an
other protecting trash, i'm which the
bugs are at that season found. This
will destroy the adult insects That
will otherwise be soon ready to de-
post their eggs for the spring brood.
Further, it is often recommended to
restrict their growth by forsaking
for time the cultivation, in infested
districts, of the cereals, which in
in growth. 1t Is q general opinion
that a concert of action i'm abandon.
ing the planting of spring grains in
a given locality for two or three
successive years will be Of great SER
vice in checking the injurious In
crease Of these insects. Ii il at least
said to be useless to attempt raising
spring grains when the chinch-bugs
were abundant the previous year i'm
that locality, unless by some fortu-
nate combination of meteorological
causes the bugs are carried off during
the winter and spring, before they
have produced the first brood of
young, or unless the latter are de-
stroyed by continued wet weather.
DIR. Thomas, however, places no con-
iidence In this remedy, AS the loss
caused by the general forsaking the
crops of spring grains would equal
the advantage gained.
His remarks about burning pro-
tccting rubbish in winter may here
Ice proiitably quoted: 'As the bugs
from which the future generations
are Ia be developed hibernate in the
perfect state, il il evident that, Ii
these can DC destroyed, their develop
nnent will be prevented; and for each |
female destroyed, which sex Is
largely i'm excess of the males ut this |
season, numbers of the spring brood |
will virtually he eXternIinated. 1t |
should also be remembered that mt |
This time their number is reduced To |
the minimum, and they are quicscent |
= They seek shelter wherever |
il can he found in and around the |
field. so far, therefore, as il is posi- |
bic To 10 so, fire should be carried to
these surrounding hiding places. IN
timbered sections, leaves should he |
burned. Ii this methods thoroughly |
carried out, the greater portion will I
be destroyed But, i'm order that /
this remedy may be etiectual, all the
farmers i'm the infected district must
act in concert otherwise, the labor
IF one will be rendered valueless by /
the neglect of another.
lin order that this concert of action
may be brought about, 1t might be
well for the State infested by this pest
10 enact laws giving the officers Of
owns or counties authority, when
hanger was apprehended to compel
,ction. But this need not be done
as our knowledge of the
habits of the insect is sufficient. if
used, to give us warning OF
he danger. Two successive favorable
that is, dry-years are required to
ievelop them i'm sufficient numbers
o cause any serious injury"
Mr.. Riley recommends that shocks
pe made at intervals to attract the
,ugs. These traps are later to be
burned with the pests they harbOr.
lie aiso,thinks that thoroughrolling Of
h. ground upon which tile spring
.rain is planted effective in prevent
ng the deposition of the eggs about
he roots, as the parent bug finds Diff
.uity in penetrating the ground to
nv her eggs on the roots of the wheat.
Finally, Prof. Thomas says 'Clean
arniing is the best under all circum-
tances, and, iradopted as rule, will
end largely toward preventing the
Increase, not only of chinch-bugs,
,ut of all injurious insects that trouble
armers. BIT one Of The best methods
I prerentiny their increase Is diperst-
ed farming. ltalics ours. Mass-
ny crops in immense bodies, and cul-
waiting the same thing year amer
ear OH the same ground, rs Is se
ften done, necessarily tends to In
rease the insects that feed on these
rops. The only offset i'm this case il
like increase of the peculiar para
ties that prey upon these insects ,
ut, i'm the case of the chinch-bug,
allure has favored man with no such
-iends, as it has no true parasite. 80
ing a. this violation of natural laws,
nd might say, Of the true theory of
ne farmers profe>sian Is continued, |
, long will II be necessary to war !.
it'll increasing hosts Of insect foes"
The Bulletin closes with a reference
} two or three species of bugs which
re taken for the chinch-bugs. One
these, the false chinch-bug," is .
,mmon insect i'm gardens and fields, =
here it seem. especially found OF !
lrslane: under the mats of this Z
eed it is always to be fond in
-eat numbers. 4 second, broad, fiat, !,
-ay bug Picsmdcinsrod-is SOME
mes mistaken for the true clinch-
IL. The description of the chinci,- =
", rs given in the article Of last !,
eek's Edustridiist, will serve TO dis :
nguish the true bug whenever found.
Prof. Iopenoe. y