The Winslow mail., 1899-01-14
DESTRUCTIVE PESTS.
Two Insects That Have Troubled
American Farmers.
4 Systematic Study Has Been Made OF
the Ct3inch EEg and tz.e EiesSian
Fly--EuItetins by the Goy-
errment.

The two greatest insect pests known
20 the American farmer have been re
ceiving the careful attention Of the d.
vision of entomology Of the United
States department Of agriculture for
q long time These are The chinch bug
and he Eessian fy. The Department
has prepared and is about to publish
two bulletins treating respectively CT
the two insects and suggesting posi-
bic remedies fer checking them.
The bulletin on the chiach bug i en-
titled ''Ihe Chiach Bug; is rrob2 ble
origin and dinuoion, its habits and de-
velopment, natural mcGes and remedial
and preventive measures, with mention
Of the habits cf al allied European spe-
cics." The bulletin was prepared under
the direction CT the entomoloGist Of
tie department, T. II. Webster, cnto-
1-oIC9ist Of tLa Ohio agricultural ev-
?. e.rcnt station. The agricultural o.
part1ncnt has received many requests
for Information about the chirch bug,
and the bulletin is intended 10 meet
this demand. It gives many new facts
concerning the life, history and dis
tribution OF the species, and the whole
subject of the practical handling Of its
diseases, in CrGer TO assist il its de
struction, is treated at length. It Gays
that few insects have caused such Pc
cuniary losses, and that no Cther insect
native TO the western hemisphere has
spread its devastating hoTdes over a
wider area Of country with more fatal
erect TO the staple grains Of North
America. 1t is widely distributed over
the world and hibernates in the adult
stage. 1t is of gregarious habits and
migrates in spring, summer and au-
tunln. When and where it lays its eggs,
the period Of incubation, the different
stages CT Development, the development
and haiits OF its young, annual genera
tions ard food plants, are covered by
the bulletin. La addition, it treats OF
The influence of precipitation and tenn
pe.ature On The insect; its natural enc
mics; remedial and preventive meas
ures, and describes the true and false
chinch bugs.
The bulletin says that it wculd 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
rav2ges from 1859 10 1857 reach $267,-
GG0,0G0. It also says that it is believed
that the losses up TO 1893 amounted to
fully $500 0CC2, 900. The Lrlietiu con-
tains 10 Illustrations, including mars
showing areas infested by the chirch
tug, and the probable course Of its oif-
fusion over North America.
The other bulletin is entitled simply.
The Hessian Fly ii The United States
1t was prepared under the direction
Of the departments entomoIorist by
Herbert Osborn, professor CT zoology
and entomology 1T 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
Fessian fly probably ranks next to the
chirch bug as the farm pest in the
United States, and that its ravages in ,
other countries have long been known.
1t received its name in lie belief that
il had been introduced into this country
by the liessian soldiers during the war
OF the revolution.
An account OF its original habitat,
its very wide distribution throughout
he Wheat-growiug districts Of Europe
and America, and its means Of t.istriIu- /
ion are given i'll the bulletin, with de-
scrip1ions OF the male and female in .
scets, the eggs, the Iarval form ana de-
'eloFment, food plants, natural enemies
and remedies. The bul,eiin also con
airs list Of all the important papers
81 the hessian fly that have appeared
in America, and such CT The foreign
works as are Of value to the american
student. Iti illustrated with q fronts
piece two plates and eight text iig uGes.
y. y. Sun.