Evening star., 1895-08-22
1NJuR1NG WESTERN CROPS.
Incccts Which Are u Source of TrOu-
bic and Loss to Farmers.

InGCctS " h1Ch Are ~ source OF lrOu.
bic and Loss to Farmers.
From the st. Paul Pioneer Press.
Prof. Otto Lugger, who, in his official
capacity as state entomologist, has to do
with the destruction of insects injurious to
the welfare of the Minnesota agriculturist.
has returned from visit to the Red river
valley, where he has been waging war on
the cecidomia destructor in common par
lance known as the Hessian fly. He was
at the state capitol yesterday, and in a con-
versation with Pioneer Press reporter he
recounted at some length his battles with
grasshoppers, chinchbugs, etc, during the
early summer.
The grasshoppers Prof. Lugger says, are
practically done for in Minnesota. so far as
this season is concerned, but the farmers
are now confronted with the question Of ex-
termina ting the larvae Of the hopper. The
grasshopper, and, in fact, nearly all insects
cease to live after propagating their species
They quit eating and gradually waste away
and die. The eggs. however, are left to
hatch out and produce young hoppers with
a voracious appetite for the destruction Of
next years harvest. These grasshopper
eggs may be destroyed by ploughing them
under after September 10, and Prof Lugger
urges all the farmers in the state. who were
plough under their stubble as soon after
that date as possible, as by doing SO they
will be going a long way toward extermlnat-
ing the next seasons crop of grasshoppers
The chinchbugs, Prof Lugger says, have
not done very much damage. Hundreds Of
acres of wheat have been saved by injecting
the bugs with the germs of sporotrichum
of which Prof. Lugger las shipped out an
average of 2G0 boxes per day during the
wheat and small grain-growing season just
passed. Each Of these boxes contained mil
| lions of germs. The boxes are about the
size of dollar, are half an inch in depth,
ard may be mailed in an ordinary envelope
The chinchbugs are now attacking the corn
crop in the southeastern portion Of the
state, and again the sporotrichum Is doing
good work in causing their destruction. A
clipping from the Scott County Argus, pub
lished at Shakopee, states that on the farm
of Peter Oster, on the Spring Lake road,
the corn was black with chinchbugs. That
was last Friday. He sent for some Sporo-
trchum, and two days after he used 1t the
chinchbugs were dead by the millions, and
his corn field has been cleared of the black
pests. Prof. Lugger says that If the farm
ers generally would use more of the disease
germs it would not take long to kill off
every chinchbug in Minnesota.
There is now actively engaged in the de-
struction of the local spring wheat crop a
new insect which feeds on the upper joint
of wheat, and the heads, instead of filing
turn white, the grain shrivels and is almost
| worthless. 1t works something like the
HeSSian fly. 1t is bright green, with golden
eyes, Is about half the size Of the ordinary
house fly, and is a very pretty insect. The
like of it has never before been seen in Min
nesota, and T-of. Lugger says he never be-
fore saw or heard Of the insect He has
several specimens on exhibition at the state
experim tai station. and is looking up its
| family tree with view to finding a name
| for it. The bug, he says. has never before
made it's appearance in the United States,
so far as he knows, but he says 1t may be
well known in Europe. although he is not
| acquainted with 1t. He Is studying the in
| sect with the intention of finding some way
| of fighting it should 1t prove a serious
menace to the Minnesota farmer In large
| fields, Prof. Lugger says, he has seen one
| tenth Of the ears of grain turned white from
| the ravages of this nameless green fly.
The Hessian fly, which is at work in the
| of the standing grain and extracts all the
| sap from the joint. causing the wheat stalk
| to break over and the kernels to wither.
| The Hessian fly resembles a mosquito in
shape and is successfully fought with spo-
| rotrichum.
The potato bug, while not dangerous this
| year. is preparing for next season, and
| Prof. Lugger says the farmers should fight
| them now If they want to keep out the pest
| and save their potato crop next year. The
| female bug is now engaged in laying its
| third brood, having previously disposed of
| two broods. Each bug lays about six hun
seen that very few bugs may be response
bic this season for large army next year.
| Prof Lugger advises the farmers to care
| fully destroy all the eggs possible, as that
| Is the only way to rid the state of the po-
| tato bug.