Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-09-12
Combating Insects with Disease.
From In Planter,

EIbiu LIZ tuuWie
A few weeks ago we published an
article in reference TO destroying
chinch bugs in sorghum fields by in
Producing insects infected with con-
tagious disease. by the Kindness Of
Mr.. NJ. b. Clement, of Sterling, Kan,
we have received small bundle Of
forage stuff, having many dead bugs
attached 10 the leaves where they died
from the effects of contagious disease
intentionally introduced.
In this case, as we are Informed,
myriads of chinch bugs Matched in a
wheat field, and as soon as they were
able to move about, migrated to Il Q
adjoining corn and cane fields, literal
" covering the plants and destroying
them, row by row, as they advanced.
A few chinch bugs which had been
exposed for twenty-four hours to in
lection, by being put into Jar con-
tanning diseased chinch bugs, were
scattered among the destroying insects.
In five days after the introduction
of the contagious disease, the destruc-
ton Of the crop ceased, the myriads
of moving insects were motionless,
and it was difficult 10 find any living
chinch bugs in the field.
AS chiuch bugs sometimes injure
sorghum, by invasion in countless
numbers from the wheat fields where
they principally breed, it is matter
of interest TO sorghum growers to
know whether there are any practical
BILE means Of preventing the losses
caused by these insects, and for this
reason repeated experiments have been
made this season in this line at the
Sterling Sorghum Experiment Station.
When young the chiuch bugs mi
crate on foot in countless numbers.
When winged they fly. Having
double means of locomotion, there ap-
pears 10 be no way TO bar their ell
trance into field OF cane. 1t appears
to be impossible TO poison these insects
in wholesale way. They live
through the coolest winters, they
thrive through the hottest and dryest
summers. They find Il home in the
foot stalks, or the funnel-shaped parts
of the sorghum leaves which encircle
the canes and suck the sweet sap of
the cane. A very moderate estimate
Of the loss caused by chinch bngs in
Kansas for single year is FIJI for
each man, woman, and child in the
state.
The legislature of Kansas appro-
priated several thousand dOllors 10 I've
expended under directions of Prof.
Snow, IN cultivating and spreading
contagious chinch bug diseases. IT,
fccted hugs have been sent by thou-
sands all over the state of Kansas, and
the evidence which is now accunlnlat-
irg seems to point very strongly to the
welcome fact that the losses caused 10y
chinch bugs may be greatly reduced
by cultivating contagious chinch bug
diseases, and by causing infected in
sGcts TO spread the disease.
Prof. Galloway, of Washington, is
now propagating myriads of germs of
a disease which is deadly to the cater
pillars. 1t is said that when diseased
caterpillar is stabbed with needle.
and the needle is PIT into gelatine or
extract OF beef, the germs of the dis
ease are transferred to the liquid, aud
soon every drop contains thousands of
the germs of the disease. 1t is he
lieved that, having the germs OF dis
ease, a farmer can prepare quantities
of snch solution aud can distribute il
in his fields with an atcmizer. Any
worm touched must die, and must
give the contagion TO other worms.
II may he that the cotton boil worm
may thus be checked. BY cultivaiimg
disease we may, perhaps, be relieved
of the plague of flies and other noxious
insects.
The ethics of the twentieth century
may consist in avoiding diseases which
now afilict humanity and in giving
deadly disease 10 all living creatures
whose interests conflict with ours.