The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-07-14
EPIDEMIC AMONG
THE CH|NCH BUGS
Ohio Experimt n. Station Tells
How to Start and Spread It
"A Cure for the
Pests.

Wooster. July 1O.-The Ohio expert
ment station at this city has just issued
the following bulletin concerning the
distribution of chinch bugs:
Insects have diseases peculiar to
themselves just as other animals. One
Of the most familiar forms is perhaps
the white muscardine which Is common
to chinch bugs, and under certain fav.
orable conditions may be extremely
virulent, causing great losses in the
numbers of this pest. It is a contagious
disease, and its appearance in an insect
is due to the presence of microscopic
al parasitical plant which is popularity
known as the chinch bug fungus.
This fungus thrive5 as naturally up
on this insect as other plants do upon
the soil. 1t develops from spores which
may he considered as minute seeds.
If conditions are suitable for growth
the. spores sown upon the sides of the
insect by the wind give rise to little
rootlets which penetrate it's exterior
coverings and tissues within to contain
nourishment for the growing plant
This drain upon the insects vItanty is
often sufficient to cause it's death. After
the death Of the insect the fungus con-
tinues to grow, sending delicate
branches through the outer covering
which often envepole the body with a
white mold. In time this takes on a
greyish appearance, caused by tiny
black balls which form on the ends of
branches. These balls contain spores
which upon liberation from the spore
case are distributed by the wind.
The fungus makes its best develop
ment during seasons when there are
plenty Of chinch bugs and an abund.
ance of rain The purpose in distribut-
ing the fungus in the fields is to take
advantage Of favorable conditions to
secure a'more rapid distribution Of tho
disease than would occur normally
No immediate benefit will be derived
by distributing the fungus during dry
weather, but as 1t retains its vitality
for number Of months 1t may start an
epidemic of the disease long alCer it's
distribution upon the approach of suit
able weather.
For several years the Ohio expert
ment state at Wooster has been send
fungus to farmers of the state in the
hope of aiding them by starting an out
break Of disease among the chinch
bugs infesting their crops.
The fungus the experiment station is
sending out this year has been grown
in mixture of corn meal and beef
broth, instead of upon insects, as 1t is a
cheaper and simpler method of culti-
waiting and distributing 1t to the farm
ers of the state. But owing to the great
number of requests for material the
quantity sent to each individual is very
small. and should be used to its great
est advantage. To do this collect a
number of bugs and confine them to-
gether with small portion of fungus
material, finely divided. in a tight,
wooden box, containing thin layer of
earth in the bottom. Supply the inn
prisoned bugs with fresh corn stalks
as often as necessary and keep the
contents of the box moist by sprinkling
water over them. AS bugs show evil
dence Of disease distribute a part Of
them over the fields, and supply their
places with fresh bugs. Keep. up this
operation till goodly number Of fun
guous covered bugs are distributed In
the worst infested areas. If by chance
the boxes become foul. they should be
carefully cleaned and thoroughly aired.
A simpler method Spreading the
disease is to crumble up the material
finely and distribute 1t where the bugs
are most numerous. preferably in damp
places, such as under grass and fallen
corn stalks.
1t would be saving of time and ex-
pense IL farmers would preserve few
of the funguous covered bugs with
which to start infection boxes the fol-
lowing spring. IL the fungus seems to
he failure. write Immediately for a
fresh supply