Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-22
THE CHINCH BUG IN MAINE.
Bulletin of the Maine Agricultural Elk
pertinent Station.

The Maine Experiment Station is now
sending out Bulletin 81 on the Chinch Bug
in Maine. These studies were made and
reported by H. W. Britcher, assistant
zoologist to the Station. After the bule-
tin was prepared in the autumn Of 1907
Mr. Britcher's health was such that his
physician recommended a change of eli
mate He continued to fail during the
winter and his death occurred after the
bulletin was in the hands of the binder.
The faithful painstaking work of Mr..
Rritcher is exemplified in this bulletin and
in bulletin Sc on Variation in Trillium
Grandiflorum In his death the State and
the Station loses the help of bright
young man Of unusual promise.
The chinch bug has been in Maine for
at least thirty-five years. The region
about Fryeburg is apparently the only 10.
cality in the State where the injury has
been sufficient to attract general attention.
The bulletin describes the insect, giving
in detail it's life history, and the results of
experiments upon it's resistance to cold
and wet.
The following methods of fall and win
ter treatment are recommended for
Maine.
LIST Burning Where there is consid-
cradle clover mixed with the hungarian
or timothy the bugs are very likely to
winter over beneath the clover which Dor
ders for a few feet or yards Immediately
upon the spot where they have stopped in
jurying the grass. If such strip be
moved closely by hand and allowed to
dry for few days it may be burned over
Ill Cd
If this burning is done after the ground
has frozen, little, if any, injury will be
done to the crop. All rubbish such as
dried grass and weeds along the edges of
fields, brush heaps, deal leaves bark and
chips, clumpS of wild grasses, SedGe
grasses, etc. in near by fields should he
burned rs completely as possible.
I'd. Spra wing. Chinch bugs are quickly
killed by kerosene or kerosene emulsion,
but it is essential that it be thoroughly APP
piled. The bugs are so protected by the
clover and grass that it is almost impossi-
BILE to reach them by ordinary spraying.
Sprinkling freely over the infested spots
will usually be effectual but will probably
kill the grass also. Clumps Of sedge or
wild grass in which careful examination
shows the bugs to be abundant might be
sprinNled thoroughly with kerosene and
then burned, thus killing bugs which had
crowded deep down among the bases of
the plants where the flames alone might
not reach them.
3D. Flowing Where bugs are found in
considerable numbers at the edges of spots
which they have eaten over, they may be
destroyed by blowing under the strip in
which they are hiding Deep blowing,
however IS necessary. aa apliowed by drag az.
cover under ali vegetation and close up
all holes or passages through which the
bugs might make their way to the surface.
If used promptly and thoroughly these
methods are also applicable when the bugs
are found to be working during early sum
mer and are all the more effective because
the bugs do not scatter over the whole
field but stay together in comparatively
small areas or strips, and if they are
promptly killed over such patches further
injury for the season will be very much