The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-06-10
Farm Bureau Notes
Save the Corn Crop--Some Methods Of
Controlling Chinch Bugs

Controlling Chinch Bugs
Those farmers who practiced the
burning Of chinch bug harbors last
fall and winter have reasons to con-
gratulate themselves for their efforts
to control this pest. The burning of
these places was done at time Of the
year when their time was not so val
liable as It will be Immediately fol-
lowing harvest.
The chinch bugs are already in some
corn fields in the county. Owing to
the small size of the corn at present,
it is apt to be injured severely if
means of control are not used.
Each farmer that has any corn
planted, can well afford to examine
the wheat near his corn for the bugs.
If he finds many, he can depend upon
it that he is likely to have considera-
BILE damage to the corn unless he
adopts some method Of control.
One method of control is to plow
deep furrow around the field, throw
ing the dirt toward the corn field
which the bugs are approaching. Then
a line Of creosote should be laid at
that edge of the turned soil next to
the opened furrow, This creosote can
be applied conveniently with pail
that has one or two holes in the side
close To the bottom. The creosote acts
as repellent to the chinch bugs and
will cause them to turn back and fall
into the open furrow If post holes
are dug IL to IS inches deep and 20
to 80 feet apart in the bottom Of the
furrows, the bugs will travel along the
bottom of the furrow until they come
to the post holes and fall into the
holes, when they may be killed with a
little kerosene. When large numbers
of bugs are in the holes, it is cheaper
to cover them with water and add
kerosene to form coating on top.
If the above method is not effective,
or impractical on account of the high |
price of creosote, deep furrow can
be plowed around the field and log
be dragged back and forth until a
dusty ditch is formed, into which the
bugs will fall and from which they
cannot escape. The bugs can be burn
ed in the ditch with a gasoline torch |
or post hole traps can be used. The
ditch should be dragged after rain
to keep it in good condition.
Should the bugs get into the corn
field, there is still chance to save the
corn. Spraying the bugs will kill such
of them as are reached by the spray,
and possibly prevent the infestation
of the whole field.
Kerosene emulsion is the most ef-
fective spray and will injure the corn
least. Some corn is likely to be in
jured--a few rows of corn sacrificed,
that the balance of the field may be
saved.
Make kerosene emulsion by dissolv-
ing one-haf pound of common laundry
soap in gallon of boiling water.
Churn the mixture into snds and add,
while still hot, 2 gallons Of kerosene.
Agitate or churn with a force pump
until cream-like in appearance. Di-
lutte one gallon of the mixture with
l5 gallons Of water.
Fertilizer Experiments +
C. L. Dietz, Extension Specialist in
Soils from the College Of Agriculture, =
Columbia, Mo-, was in the county tss !
irst Of the week. The six farms where ]
he treble super-phosphate was used !
IN the wheat last fall, were visited. !
This phosphate is being compared /
With the 16 per cent acid phosphate (
N wheat. The two fertilizers are
lsed side by side in the same field and
N ground which has been cropped as
Iearly alike as possible. The super
contains between 45 and q
8 per cent acid phosphate and was !, !
sed in one-third the quantity as was 5,
he 16 per cent acid phosphate. y
So far, the results from the tvs y
ertilizers appear to be similar in all r
espects. If the super-phosphate Is
hows good results for long enough y
eriod Of years, to draw safe ccnclu- ! !,
ions, it will become very popular as Il