454 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The insect enemies of the beet, F. Picard {Prog. Ayr. et Vit. (Ed. VE fit- 

 Centre), 32 {1911), ISlo. 32, pp. 157-162, pi. i).— Brief accounts are given of the 

 more important insects attacking the beet in France. 



The cotton stainer bug, P. L. Guppy and T. Thornton {Bd. Agr. Trinidad 

 and Tobago Circ. 6, 1911, pp. 23, pi. 1, figs. 11; abs. in Agr. News [Barbados], 

 10 (1911), No. 251, p. 394, fid- !)• — The cotton stainer bug {Dysdercus liowardi) 

 is the worst pest of cotton in Trinidad and Tobago, being found wherever 

 gemauve {Malachra capitata) grows, and this appears to be all over Trinidad. 

 In Tobago it is abundant on the leeward side of the island. 



Studies of the life history and habits of the pest ai'e reported, together with 

 a discussion of control and remedial measures. 



The chinch bug (Blissus leucopterus), H, A. Gossard {Ohio Sta. Circ. 

 115, pp. IJt, figs. 7). — This circular gives a summary of the life history and 

 habits of, and remedies for, the chinch bug. An extension of the territoi-y 

 infested by the chinch bug in Ohio took place during 1911, the damage caused 

 amounting to a large sum. Should weather conditions during the fall and 

 spring favor the increase of this pest, it seems probable that nearly the .whole 

 State will become infested and the loss be even greater than during the past 2 

 seasons. 



Results of the artificial use of the white-fungus disease in Kansas, with 

 notes on approved methods of fighting chinch bugs, F. H. P.illinus and P. A. 

 Glenn {U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent. Bui. 107, pp. 58, pis. 5, figs. ^).— The first 

 part of this bulletin presents a historical summary of chinch bug diseases and 

 the work with them prior to the inauguration of the investigations here 

 reported. 



There are 2 fungus diseases of the chinch bug, one due to the form known to 

 science as Empusa apMdis, commonly known as the gray fungus; the other due 

 to Sporotriclimn globuUferum, and commonly known as the white fungus. The 

 latter is the species with which the investigations here reported were conducted. 



In the early investigations as to the natural distribution of the fungus 32 

 counties in the infested area of Kansas were definitely shown to contain the 

 disease among the chinch bugs, and in observations made among chinch bugs 

 in grain fields during April, May, and June, 1910, >27 additional counties were 

 shown to contain it. The authors found that this fungus is not dependent 

 either on dead organic matter or on living chinch bugs, but may live as a para- 

 site on other insects, some of which are present in Kansas. These include 3 

 common snout beetles, Triclwbaris tcxana, Conotrachelus erinaceus, and Antho- 

 nomus fulvus; a common flea beetle, Disonyclia iriangularis ; a very common 

 lady-beetle, Hippodamia convergcns ; a minute beetle of the genus Olibrus; 3 true 

 bugs, one a rather rare insect belonging to the family Phymatidaj, the species 

 undetermined, and the 2 common forms Microtoma carbonaria and Coriscus 

 ferus; and 2 unidentified larvae, and many common pentatomids. 



During 1910 the authors sent out 1,363 packages of diseased chinch bugs with 

 which to start infection boxes and artificially infect fields. The investigations 

 inaugurated early in the year, continued until nearly the first of August, the 

 puriwse being to ascertain the practicability of artificial infection and so far 

 as possible the best method of fighting chinch bugs in case it were proved that 

 artificial infection with fungus is not effective. Nineteen experimental fields, 

 distributed over 5 different sections of the State, with all sorts of conditions of 

 humidity, rainfall, and character of soil, were treated with Sporotrichum spores. 



" In some the artificial infection was confined to small plats of wheat 50 ft. 

 square, with the expectation that the intensive infection would start an epi- 

 demic of the disease that would spread and kill a large proportion of the bugs. 

 But no results were forthcoming, for not only did the plats fail to become 



