Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-04-25
Death to the Chinch Bugs.
Chetopa Advance.

Chetopa Advance.
Since Prof. Shows appointment to
tho chancellorship last April, he has
surprised even his most intimate
friends aud associates by his admins
trative ability and his intuitive
knowledge of the wants of The institu-
ton. He has always been great
student Of entomology. and for several
years past has been a valuable adjunct
to the state agricultural department.
His experiments with the chinch bugs
the past season have demonstrated be-
yond a doubt, that he is able TO exter-
inmate them completely from field of
grass, and probably from the state.
Speaking on the subject Of his investi-
cations he said:
"The ravages of the chinch hugs in
Kansas are well known. Various
schemes for their determination have
been advocated, but IL is needless TO
say that they invariably have been ut
ter failures, with possibly one or two
exceptions. / believe / now have
method that is successful beyond
doubt. 1t has proven so during the
past two seasons, at least, and l have
faith in the utter extinction OF tie
bugs, in so far as their power to de-
stroy crops is concerned. Expert
ments have been going on, not only in
Kansas, but in Illinois, Ohio and other
cereal producing sections where the
chinch bug flourishes. More than 80
per cent of these Investigations has
proven successful, and where there
have been failures l find that my ill.,
structions were violated.
"There are three diseases known to
be fatal to the chinch bug. The bac-
terial and fungus diseases are the most
deadly. have had far greater success
in experimenting with the first named.
1t affects the bug as pneumonia and
cholera would affect human being
only more. All that is necessary is TO
expose healthy bugs to affected ones,
and in from five to twelve days all
bugs that have thus been exposed will
die. This last summer / visited Ma
rion, Montgomery and Chautanqua
counties, taking with me a small jar
of chinch bugs affected with bacteria.
at various points in fields where bugs
were creating havoc / would drop a
half dozen or approximate number of
the sick bugs. At the expiration OF
five days all the bugs began to die,
and in twelve days time there was
not live bug at any place where the
experiments were made.
at was Il question with me last sea-
son whether or not l could preserve
the vitality of the disease during the
winter. Last fall l placed number
of the insects in q glass jar, and after
the elapse of the limited twelve days
all the bugs were dead. AS early as
possible in the spring | gathered few
live bugs, and to my delight / discover
ed that they became afflicted in i've
days time"
The above interview is from the
Kansas City Star of October 10Th, 1890.
Since that time the Legislature has
appropriated $500, TO enable Prof.
Snow to make all the necessary exper-
lmentS.
As chinch bugs have DESTROYED more
wheat in past years than would pay of
every mortgage in Labette county, the
above is one of the most important
matters to our farmers that was ever
discussed since the settlement of the
state. it will be hailed as most welcome
news.
The appropriation above mentioned
was opposed by Duncan Of Pumpkin,
as was everything else of interest to
the people Of his district, particularly |
the appropriation to exhibit the pro-
ducts of Kansas at the worlds fair IL
Chicago. The wild ass of Pumpkin
creek always brayed at the wrong
time, and insulted the intelligence OF
his constituents.