The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-26

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Columbia, Mo-. July 25.-The chinch bug.
an insect scarce a third of an inch in
length. costs the Missouri farmer million
dollars each year. Among destructive in
sects the chinch bug ranks first and fore
most, excelling even the widespread devas-
tation Of the seventeen-year locust, which,
though very destructive. is seen only once
in seventeen years. The chinch bug is with
the farmers always, and is always busy
eating up the wheat and corn.
Originally the chlnch bug fed on wild
grasses and weeds but since civilized man
invaded his territory and put out crops OF
wheat and corn. the tastes of the little in
sect have been radically changed.
The devastation Of the chinch bug iR-the
United States is estimated at SlO0,OVO.OO0 an
nually; This Is twice that of the Hessian
hopper comes next to the chinch bug in
crop.destroyins powers throughout the Uni
ted States, but in Missouri alone. the Hes
sian fly ranks next to him.
The Missouri farmer breads the chinch
bug as he would the plague. When there is
q drought he, has recourse to irrigation;
from, tornado he may take refuge in
suitably constructed cellar. but. when the
invincible army of chinch bugs marches on
him. he has no recourse. He can only hope
that they will leave him part OF the
crop.
Numerous experiments have been made
| pest. but ell of them have proven more or
less failures.
Some years ago the Missouri experiment
station at Columbia began sending out dis
eased chlnch bugs to the farmers of the
State. These bugs were inoculated with
disease similar to smallpox in the human
| the disease to their fellows. would soon
eXterminate themselves. The dream proved
vain one. for there are as many chinch
| bugs In Missouri to-day as there were five
years ago.
At first. the experiment appeared to be a
success. but 1t was soon found that only
disease prove a success. After later investi-
| cations by the entomologists Of tho Univer-
sity they have decided that the use OF the
diseased bugs is hardly worth while.
BUG A NATIVE OF MISSOURI.
| The chinch bug has very few If any nat
| ural enemies. Almost every other insect
has at least one natural enemy. Insects
| prey upon each other. and SO keep their
| numbers IN check. But the chinch bug ap-
pears to be on friendly terms with all other
insects and they seldom If ever bother him.
There is only one exception to this rule.
| The AIilyas cncius. bug which greatly re-
sembles the common potatoe bug. has a par
ticular liking for Chinch bugs, and kills
| great many of them by sucking their blood.
| This insect. however, is SO rare that II
does little good in the war against the
| the taste of the chinch bug but seldom get
| to him, as he hides behind the broad green
| blades of the wheat or corn.
| 1t Is singular fact that MISSOURI ia the
| natural territory of the chinch bug alone.
| All other bugs which prey on the crops are
| invaders who have been imported from
| some other country or locality. The chinch
| was always here.
The Hessian fly was brought over with the
Hessian troops, which were engaged as aux
| iliaries by the British IN 17I6 and landed on
Long Island. The straw in which the Hes
sian horses We're bedded contained eggs OF
| this destructive insect, which were soon