The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Two Great Arr,culturaI Pests.

The two greatest insectpests known
to the American farmer, have been. re-
ceiving the careful attention of the
Division of Entomology of the United
States Department of Agriculture for
q 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-.
Bile remedies for checking them.
The bulletin on the chinch bug is en-
titled "The Chinch Bug; its probable
origin and diffusion, itsihabits and de.
velopment, natural modes and remedial
and preventive measures, with men
tion Of the habits Of allied European,
species" The bulletin was prepared
under the, direction Of the entomolo-
gist OF the departm ent, by F. M.
Webster, entomologist of the Ohio
Agricultural Experiment Station. The
Agricultural Department has received
many requests for information about
the chinch bug, and the bulletin is in
tended to meet this demand. It gives
many new facts concerning the life,
history and distribution of the species,
and the whole subject of the practical
handling of Its diseases, in order to
assist in its destruction, is treated at
length. It says that few insects have
caused such pecuniary losses, ar d That
no other insect native to the Western
Hemisphere has spread its devastating
hordes over wider area of country
with more fatal effect to the staple
grains of North America. tits widely
distributed over the world and hiber-
mates in the adult stage. It is OF gre
garious habits and migrates in spring,
summer and autumn. When and where
it lays it's eggs, the period of incuba-
tion, the different stages of develop.
ment, the development and habits OF
its young, annual generations and. food
plants, are covered by the bulletin. In
addition, it treats of the influence OF
precipitation and temperature on the
insect; its natural enemies, remedial
and preventive measures and 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 1SS7reach S267,.
100000. It also says that it is be-
lieved that the losses up to 1898
amounted to fully $3.50, ,00O,0 900. The
Bulletin contains nineteen illustra-
tions, including maps, showing areas
infested by the chinch bug, and the
probable course Of its diffusion over
North America. .. s.
The other bulletin is entitled simply
"The Hessian Fly in the United
States" It was prepared under the
direction of the departments entomo.
logist by Herbert Osborn, Professor OF
Zoology and Entomology at the Agri-
cultural College Of Ames. Iowa, and
contains many facts concerning the life
history, food habits and parasitic enc.
mics of this farm pest. The bulletin
says that the Hessian fly probably
ranks next to the chinch bug as farm
pest in the United States, and that its
ravages in other countries have long
been known. It received its name in
the belief that it had been introduced
into this country by the Hessian SOL
diers during the war of the Revolu-
ton.
An account of its original habitat,
its very wide distribution throughout
the wheat-growing regions OF Europe
and America, and its means of distri-
button are given in the bulletin. with
descriptions of the male and female in
sects, the eggs, the larval forms and
development, food plants, natural enc
mics and remedies. The bulletin also
contains list of all the important
papers on the Hessian fly that have
in America, and each of the
foreign works are of value to the
student. 1t is illustrated
with frontjspiece, two plates and
eight text figures. s.-New York Sun.