Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-09-04

they are found collected in armies,
and before they move on to the corn
field, there is a chance to prevent in
jury to the corn or other crop.
BARRlERS.-The latter part Of
June or early in July the chinch bugs
are obliged to search for a new sup
ply of food, and, as most of them are
yet without wings, they migrate on
foot, so that barriers placed around
the infested fields help greatly. There
are two good types Of barriers-the
dust and the oil or tar barriers. The
aim is to destroy as many of the bugs
OF the first brood as possible and to
prevent their getting into other crops
to rear the second broods, which lives
through the winter.
Dust Barriers.-The dust barriers
are very effective and easily main.
tanned so long as rain does not inter.
fere. The plan is to keep q supply Of
fine, dry, hot dust over which the
bugs attempt to crawl during the hot
part of the day. The heat destroys
many, and the fine dust closes the
breathing pores and smothers those
not overcome by the heat.
A dust barrier can be made by
blowing a strip 10 or Is feet wide and
thoroughly working it until a fine dust
mulch is formed. 1t is best to pillow
before the ground gets too dry and
hard and then be ready to work it
when the bugs begin to migrate. Dur
! ing the migration period, which may
last from n to two weeks, it is nee
essary that a brush, harrow or other
device be dragged back and forth over
the strip to keep the dust stirred up
from about 10 o'clock until 4 in the
afternoon, when the bugs are most
active.
Oil or Tar Barriers.-Dust barriers
are all that we need during dry
weather, but in case of rain we must
establish an oil or tar barrier. A
thick, viscid road oil similar to No. Z
Of the Standard Oil company gives
even better results than the tar. Be-
fore applying the oil, a low, we'll
packed ridge should be formed. Then
by using an ordinary s%prinkling can
with the sprinkler removed, or, better
still, by attaching a hose to a barrel
of oil, II can I'll a narrow line of
oil along the ridge. This line must
be kept fresh by adding more oil from
time to time. At first it may be nee.
essary to add the oil twice a day, but
later only once in two or three da >
The line of oil should not be more
than an inch wide.
Post holes every rod or SO on The
side Of the line next to the infested
field will help to trap the swarms Of
migrating bugs, where they a be
killed by means of a little coal oil. A
mile of this kind of barrier can be
maintained throughout the migrating
period for less than IS.
Winter Burning.
If farmers will cooperate in fight
ing the bugs with the barriers during
the summer, few will succeed ii
reaching corn or other crops, ant
those can be killed by sprinkling will
strong soap suds or tobacco tea, o.
by burning with a flame. But where
careful summer work is not don;
swarms of bugs will be collected dur
ing the fall in meadows and pastures
in bunch grass and other grasses ant
hedges, under leaves and other pro
lection.
All such harboring places should b.
burned over in the early winter, whel
it is dry and the wind is not to-
strong. This does away with tht
swarms which fly to wheat in TIL
spring.