The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-23
SORGHUM RUINED
By a strange Bug that Was First
Seen in Columbia.
The Nature of the Ntw Parasite is as
Eet Som. what Unknown to the
Department Of agriculture.

The State says there is strange
bug on the farm Of the State EospI
tai for the Insane, and even the bu.
reau OF entomology OF the department.
Of agriculture is unable to ascertain,
for time, the ancestry OF this insect.
Not long ago, it will be remembered,
the attention OF Mr.. ]. W. Bunch, su-
psrlnteIdsnt of the State hospital,
was called to the fact that sorghum
which was used to feed the cattle Was
dying rapidly. Investigation showed
that small pest was preying on the
sorghum and an expert was asked for
from the government.
Mr.. e. G. S. TITUS, entomologist,
came to the city and inspected the
damage done by the pest, but could
not tell what it was. BE left for Wash
icgtou with some OF the animals" in
his Valiss and microscopical examina-
tionS have been going on Yesterday
Mr.. Bunch received the following let.
ter:
Mr.. J. w. Buuch, State Hospital for
the Iasane, Columbia, S. G.
Dear Mr.. Bunch: I am very much
indebted to you for your kindness to
Mr.. Titus on his recent visit. Since
his return be has been very enthusi-
astic regarding courtesies shown him.
l have 20 thank you for the arrange.
nent to send US material at periods OF
ten days, in order to better enable US
to study the habits OF the little pest
which seems to be working so much
destruction in your sorghum. Until
we can get an adult moth we shall be
wholly in the dark as to the identity
Of the depredator. As soon as We Sc.
cure a moth and find out what it is,
it will throw great deal Of light upon
the problem.
From the fact that it appers to
breed freely in crab grass, I am led
to believe that it has attacked corn as
well as sorghum, without having been
detected by you. Whether its present
severity is due to your system Of farm
ing, made necessary, as I understand,
by the rules OF your institution, or
whether it is a periodical outbreak
such as We have Witnessed in the case
OF other insects, I am absolutely un-
able to tell.
I would Judge If the crab grass was
p!oughed under this fall 1t would great
ly reduce the pest another year, but,
Of course, crab grass grows on other
premises besides your own, and unless
it is known to occur in other premises
about you, I should be very much in
clined to urge rotation for a single
year with some crop that would nee
essitate the destruction Of this grass.
Some crop that would require constant
cultivation until late ia the season
would seem to be preferable.
I would like to ask if ordinarily
there is much OF this crab grass With
your oats. II not, then you should
have to look elsewhere for relief. lam
in hopes to be able to visit you during
the next month, and probably send an
assistant your way later in the season,
and he will endeavor to, If possible,
find out some measure Of relief.
Thanking you again for your cour-
tesy, I am, youfs truly,
F. M. WEBSTER.
In Charge Of Field Crop Insect InVes-
cations.
It Is said that the pest is making
itself known iu other vicinities, notab.
ly on the farm OF Mr.. B. F. Taylor. It
is seldom that there is an insect so
strange to the bureau Of entomology.