The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1899-04-17
DESTRUCTIVE PESTS.
Two Insects That Have Troubled
American Farmers.
A Systematic study Has Been Made OF
the Chinch Bug and the Hessian
FIy-BuIIetins by the Gov
ernment.

The two greatest insect pests known
20 the American farmer have been re-
ceiving the careful attention of the di-
vision of entomology of the United
States department of agriculture for
a long time. These are the chinch bug
and the Hessian fly. The department
has prepared and is about to publish
two bulletins treating respectively of
the two insects and suggesting possi-
bic remedies for checking them.
The bulletin on the chinch bug is en-
titled tThe Chinch Bug; its probable
origin and diffusion, it's habits and de-
velopment, natural modes and remedial
and preventive measures, with mention
of the habits of an allied European spe-
cies." The bulletin was prepared under
the direction of the entomologist of
the department, f. NJ. Webster, ento-
mologist of the Ohio agricultural ex-
pertinent station. The agricultural de-
partment has received many requests
for information about the chinch bug,
and the bulletin is intended TO meet
this demand. 1t gives many new facts
concerning the life, history and dis
tribution of the species, and the whole
subject of the practical handling of it's
diseases, in order to assist in it's de-
struction, is treated at length. 1t says
that few insects have caused such pc
cuniary losses, and that no other insect
native to the western hemisphere has
spread its devastating hordes over a
wider area of country with more fatal
effect to the staple grains of North
America. 1t is widely distributed over
the world and hiLernates in the adult
iS Of ri ho fc nd
migrates in spring, summer and au-
tumn. When and where it lays its eggs,
the period of incubation. the different
stag Of development, the development
and habits of its young, annual genera
lions and food plants, are covered by
the bulletin. In ad.::tio it treats OF
the influence of precipitation and tenn
perature on the insect; its natural enc
mics; remt-lial and preventive meas
ures, ard describes the true and false
chinch bugs.
The bulletin says that it would ap-
pear that this pest first made its pres
ence known in this country in North
Carolina in 1888, and mentions several
serious outbreaks of the bug in the
west. The estimated losses from its
ravages from 1850 to 1887 reach $267,-
100000. 1t also says that it is believed
that the losses up to 1898 amounted to
fully $3.50, COO, 900. The bulletin con-
tains 10 illustrations, including maps,
showing areas infested by the chinch
bug, and the probable course of its diff
fusion over North America.
The other bulletin is entitled simply,
"The Hessian Fly in the United States" :"
1t was prepared under the direction
of the departments entomologist by
Herbert Osborn, professor of zoology
and entomology at the Agricultural col
lege of Ames, Ia, and contains many
facts concerning the life, history, food
habits and parasitic enemies of this
farm pest. The bulletin says that the
Hessian fly probably ranks next to the
chinch bug as the farm pest in the
United States, and that its rayages in
ether countries have long been known.
1t received its name in the belief that
It had been introduced into this country
oy the Hessian soldiers during the war
Of the revolution.
An account of it's original habitat,
is very wide distribution throughout
he wheat-growing districts of Europe
and America, and its means of distribu-
ton are given in the bulletin, with de-
scriptions of the male and female in
sccts, the eggs, the larval form and de-
velopment, food plants, natural enemies
and remedies. The bulletin also con-
tains list of all the important papers
On the Hessian fly that have appeared
in America, and such of the foreign
works as are of value to the American
student. 1t is illustrated with frontis-
niece, two plates and eight text figures.
IN. Y. Sun.