Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-04-21
CHINcH BUG FUNGUS.
University of Kansas viii Send Out
Insect ExterminatOrS.

Professor F. H. Billings, Unive
slty of Kansas, Lawrence, says thf
because of the many requests fc
chinch bug fungus received at tn
University last year, and the DANCE
Of most destructive outbreak O
the bugs this coming summer, tn
University at Lawrence is preparin
to propagate and send out fungi
such as Dr. Snow distributed in tn
early COS. 1t is also planned t,
make careful investigation of tn,
merits of this method of fighting
Chinch bL,. Two Eci.lbers of thu
University fl u,ly one fam IT," de
partment. of entomology and one
from the department of botany, have
been assigned to this work. The Uni
versity is very anxious to ascertain
how generally the fungus is present
in the fields before artificial distri-
button begins. With this end in view
all farmers or any others interested,
are asked to render assistance by
making the following observations
and experiments before sending to
the University for fungus.
/. Search your field, looking es-
Ipecially under small clods, dead
leaves and sticks, for the whitened
dead bodies of chinch bugs.
Q. Scald three or four glass fruit
jars and place In each some earth
taken from different parts of chinch
bug invested field. The earth in the
bottom of each jar should be about
an inch deep, and should be moist
ened but not made muddy. Strew
some pieces Of wheat or corn leaves
over the bottom and then put in
enough bugs SO that they will be
pretty thick, but will not be piled
up over one another Screw or fast
en- the tops of the jars on tightly
and set them in shady place for a
week or longer or until the fungus
either develops on some of the bugs,
Or until you are satisfied it probably
never will.
g. If you find any fungus-covered
Bugs either in your field or in the
Infection jars in which you have tried
o Obtain the fungus spontaneously,
END a post card with your name and
address, to the University of Kansas
It Lawrence, care chinch bug inves-
igation, and you will be sent tiny
lat box in which you are asked to
lace some of the diseased bugs you ,
ave found or obtained in the jars, r
hat they may be sent to the Univer- \
ty for examination.
Any farmer wishing infected bugs v
rom the University with direc ions
,r propagating the fungus at home 4
,r distribution in his fields, is asked 7
send his name and address to TIL p
University of Kansas. He is also
,Quested to mail small baking a
,wder can of living chinch bugs to- +,
,ther with some green wheat or 7
I'm leaves from his fields, in order "
at the infection boxes at the Uni q,
rsity may be kept supplied with
Igs for fungus-propagation to be
ed in further distribution. The NJ
seased bugs sent in return for liv- p,
g bugs may appear to be few in NJ
but it must be remem- q,
red that many of the living bugs NJ
cape, die or fail to become infected. he
lie number sent out, however, is al M
lys sufficient to start the fungus in T.,
e infection boxes if only the direc- M
ms sent with the diseased bugs are M
refUlly followed. Communications MI
ckages, ETC., sent to the University u,
OuId be addressed, University Of IN
nsas, Lawrence, Kansas, Care n
inch Bug Investigation. NJ,