The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-14

naVaSeS anu 1elSOhoA NSSiP
ton.
Globe Democrats Washington Letter
An insect that is able to do 500 600, 900
worth of damage to the farmers of the
United States i'm single year may well
he regarded as the most dangerous and
destructive OF the many foes against
which the agriculturists of this coun-
try are obliged to fight for living.
THAT is the highest record up to date
of the famous Chinch- bug. which has
been such q sorrow in recent times in
Missouri Kansas and other states of
the middle west Hence. it is not sur
prising that the government should be
making a serious study of the creature
in question, or that an elaborate pub
lication on the subject should be now
in course of preparation. The latter is
from the pen of Prof. Webster, the
well-known entomologist, and will be
published shortly by the Department
of Agriculture.
Prof Webster says that the chinch-
bug first made it's presence known in
this country by it's ravages in the wheat
fields of the North Carolina farmers, in
1875. From 1S45 to 1850 il attacked Illi-
nois and portions of Indiana and Wis
consin. The loss which it caused to the
farmers in Illinois in 1850 was reck-
oned a $4,00O,000, or $40 for every man,
woman and child living in the state.
The earlier outbreaks, though the oC-
CasiOn of small money loss, were even
more disastrous; for the destruction of
the grain crops in those pioneer days
not only took away all cash profits. but
also deprived the early settlers of their
very living, and in some cases reduced
them to starvation. From 1863 to 1865
the insect was again destructive, and
it was estimated that threC-fOurths of
the wheat and one-half of the corn
crop were wiped out through almost
the entire northwest. This meant a
loss of 1000 600 bushels of wheat and
13S,O00,0O0 bushels of corn representing
total value of more than $3,0OOO00.
THE WORST ATTACK,
There was a serious outbreak of the
chinCh-bug in the west in 1868, and
again in 1871. but in 1874 the raVage5
were widespread and enormous. The
loss in 1871 in seven states viz: Iowa
Missouri. Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska,
Wisconsin and Indiana, was computed
at 30,O0000O DR.. c V. Riley computed
the loss in Missouri alone in the year
1874 at $19,000,000. The loss to the whole
country for 1874 was not less than $780,
100000 The next gerat outbreak Cc-
CURED in 1887. In this case the dam
age was estimated at $50, ,000. 600 the
heaviest losses occurring in Illinois
Iowa. Missouri and Kansas. This gives.
as the estimated loss in the thirty
eight years-1S50 to 1SS7-the enormous
sum of $267, 100000. Another chinch bug
plague reached its maximum severity
in 1886. Careful estimates of the loss
during the last seven years would in
all probability swell the amount to fully
33O,OOO,000 for the period from 1850 to
1898. During the outbreak in Ohio at
least two farmers became discouraged
and sought relief in suicide
1t should be taken into considerable
that the financial losses above esti-
mated have not fallen upon the entire
nation, but upOr the nine states named
In fact, small as it is, the chinch- bug
has cost the people of these nine states
sum of money sufficient to defray the
entire expense of the national govern
ment for a whole year. Fire excepted
there is probably no other thing that
has caused so great Il financial loss
within the same period over the same
area of country.
a WIDESPREAD PEST.
No other insect. native to the western
hemisphere, has spread its devastating
hordes over wider area of country
with more fatal effects to the staple
grains of North America than has this
one. But for the extreme susceptibil-
1ty of the very young to destruction by
drenching rains, the practice Of raising
grain year after year on the same areas
as followed in the United States, would
be altogether unprOtitable. 1t seems TO
he fact that plentiful rain DESTROYS
the chinch-bugs, if it comes at the
proper time. The years of greatest
abundance of the pest are ant to he
preceded by series of years Of drouth
Each female chinch-bug lays about
800 eggs, and the adult insect is not
produced until sixty days later The
newly hatched young are very active,
aud the first to appear may be OBJ
served with their progenitors about the
bases of wheat, corn, or grass plants.
and later al stages are seen mingline
together having little appearance of
belonging 10 the same species, SO great
~ do they vary in size and color in
thelr several stages of development. ON
hrst emerging from the chrysalis the
adult is generally of a dun pink color.
IN short time these CulOrs change It.
the normal ones of the species. which
are black as to the body, with white
wings.
From attack by enemies the chinch-
bug seems to be protected i'm some
degree by its vile odur. which is sim
liar to that the related ed-bug. How
ever, in the middle west the birds
which are its natural foes, such as tie
quail, are being ruthlessly wiped out
by the shotgun This fact may ac-
count, in measure. for it's spread~and
multiplication, but, as will be explain
ed later only i'm small degree. Var
iCus predaciOus insects feed on The
rhinch-bug, but they do not seem To be