The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-06-29
Tile chincK.B Bug Disease.

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perimsnts have been made here and else
sMhere.to utilize diseases for fighting some
Of our most injurious insects. At. the
head Of the large army Of nox!ous insects
stands the chinoh. bug, and consequently
especial attention has been paid TO its
destruction by various, diseases but chief
~ by sporotriehu globuliferum, speg. or
the Muscar disease Of the chtnch-bug.
phese experiments have shown that ur1-
der certain favorable conditions this and
similar diseases can be- used with excel
lent results, but that we should not trust
to them alone to exterminates the. foe. To
assist farmers IN their war against eiinch-
bugs Bulletin No. 81 was prepared, which
can be had upon application to, this sta
ton. In this bulletin the life-history Of
this insect was given, Indicating the weak
points where successful work could be
done to ls;ll the bugs. The bulletin gives
full account Of the various methods OF
fighting the chinch bugs, and discusses
also the application OF the diseases tor the
same purpose. Since the above. bulletin
was prepared the legislature OF Mime
sofa, recognizing the impor tance Of this
work, has made a liberal appropriation to
continue this and other experiments for
the Benefit Of the agricultural immunity.
With q better. equipment, including nu-
merous instruments and other appliances,
lit was soon found that the. spores Of the
disease could be grown upon many SUBS
stances. so that 1t was no longer, neces-
sary to breed them upon the chineh- bugs
themselves. The entono,ogtst can now
produce every day sufficient number OF
spores to till many thousands Of small tin
boxes, which farmers can secure BY writ
Ing for them. The spores thus produced
upon corn-meal and beef-tea are very
vigorous, and soon communicate the dis
ease, to healthy bugs, providing we bring
the spores In contact with them. TO 90
SO various methods have been adopted, OF
which the best one is to mix and shake
the spores growing upon the artificial food
with water and spray this upon the; bugs.
If these are very much scattered IN the
field it is best to gather some thousands
in aslarge fiat box, so that in spraying or
sprinkfing, most Of them will come in con-
tact with spores, when the bugs can DO
scattered in the fields to carry the disease
to others The season thus far has been
a very favorable one for this purpose. and
as the bugs. are now in awakened con-
dition the spores should be applied as soon
as possible. Many farmers fail to find
the bugs in their fields, or have not taken
the trouble to search for them, 'as ne, dam:
age to the growing crops IS Visible, yet
the bugs are still with them in large num-
bers, mating and depositing their eggs
for the destructive brood which will .ap-
pear little later The favorable season
has simply retarded the bugs while help
ing the plants, and there lis but little
doubt that the small grains viii mature
before the bugs become numerous and
powerful enough to cause much, damage
But the danger to corn remains, and every
farmer should do his best to kali as many
fof the bugs as he can. For this purpose
these lines have, been written: Those
that wish to use the spores can have them
with directions for using. by writing te
the entomologist.
s-s.'-' PROF. OTTO LUGGER,
ST. Anthony Park, MINI.