The Washington times., 1907-05-26

liter W. D. Hunter, Of the tI.ll,u SAT-,
Department of Agricult re, reported last Janu-
airy that the green bug was destroying growing
wheat in Texas, the department decided II vas
time 10 lake his acquaintance and prepare tor
him. So F. u. Webster, in charge Of the cereal
and foreign-plant Investigations for the gov
eminent, set out to study him.
Mr.. Webster found that the bug vas first
described by DR.. G. Rondani-probs6ly from
Bologna, Italy-in 1852, and that ten years
later its presence in America was for the first
time discovered. According 20 tie Italians
ports, the bug had been so thick IN the streets
OF Bologna as TO cause ire people great annoy
ance.
Little notice of him was taken when le
first made his appearance in America, but when,
in 1854, he found IN great abundance on
wheat near Cabin john. Maryland, and stimuli
taneously IN Indiana, Mr.. Webster made his ac-
quaintance.
The official is Of the opinion that outbreaks
{ the pest IN Europe and America ara errati;.
The hug suddenly appears IN immense swarTns
- in fields Of grim in the spring, ruins the crop
over large areas If country and doesn't appear
again in destructive numbers for, perhaps.
many. years
Mr.. Webster has found. however, that in
sections where the bug has been introduced. 1t
appears TO some extent every year, but only n
certain years does il become so numerous as
20 be a great menace.
On such occasions there seems to be some
mysterious fact which accounts for Its rapid
propagation. Where there were but few, sud
denly great swarms infest the air ahRht upon
the wheat turning whole fields Of thrifty grain
into brown. dwarfed plants that produce no
heads. or else. reaching a height Of not mora
than six or eight inches, have heads that are
foreshortened and nearly devoid Of grain
The egg-laying female may be either winged
Jr wingess-the majority are wlngless-and
while eating from a wheat plant holds her body
oh Of lo7U hu-Sp n
leaf. as the male eats.
So hardy are they that 1t is believed ''e-
breed as far north s Louis and ClncI~-.'-'
during the whole winter, though the eggs is.d
in the fall in such cold temperatures probably
remain unmatched until spring.
Young green bugs develop to adults, and
themselves begin TO reproduce within tIe space
Of a week, so that in favorable weathe- -evo-"l
generations may be fully represente in the
same territory by young of all ages, the winged
7nd wingless females
PROPAGATE WITH GREAT RAPIDITY
From one female thirty-ssven. offspring
have been known to be produced II eighteen
days and at the end OF that time some OF her
6rst-born were themselves grandmothers-
Another peculiar fact which has not been
explained Is that the wingless female repro
duces about twice fast the winged female.
And even at that, the mother of thirty seven
referred 70 was a winged bug.
Attention of farmers and entomologists
naturally turns to the que ton of how d.
stroy the green bug.
The first thing done was &c learn what are
his natural enemies-to find some other bug
which. not harmful in itself. would yet eat The
destructive bugs.
-Such-a- creature was found in the lady bee
tle-the good old lady bug of tt, nursc-v
rhyme, which flew away home to find her house
burned and her children gone
1t viii be remembered that enc o. the chill
dren, however was spared, "snd her name was
Ann, and she crept under the pudding pan"
1t is fortunate that the lady bugs daughter
remains to help her, Gle she would never be
able 10 take care of all the green bugs she IS
expected 70 eat this year,
Professor Z. Dwight Sande, son while at
the Texas experiment station, came TO the con-
elusion that in Texas the natural enemies Of
the green bug ordinarily destroy such large
Said Mr.. Webster:
I've realy know far too little of this pes:
% be able to deal with it satisfactorily Il
would seem that the later in the fall the grain
were sown the less attraction there would be
for The pest to invade the fields in the fall Late
sowing then, is about the only preventive meas
ure that can be suggested.
But" he adds at is possible that a great
many of the aphides could be destroyed By roll
ing the fields as soon as the pests appear the
leaves in Gnv considerable numbers
Brushing over the fields with brush drag
made by fastening the ends of limbs bushes
on holes made in a rail, or piece of four-by-four
inch timber. might also prove beneficial"
He also suggests busting the fields with
slaked lime at time when the pest Is clustered
the leaves.
Evidently the green bug is not 10 remain
o. most expensive diner if the Department Of
Agriculture can help It.