INSECTS ATTACKING CORN. 15 



this Department. His experiments have been carried on for three 

 years, and the arrangements for spreading the diseases over the 

 State, whenever the Chinch-bugs appear, are very complete. 



The diseases are caused by the parasitic growth on or in the 

 bugs of at least two different fungi (Sporotricham glohuliferum 

 Spegazinni) and Empusa aphidis Hoffman) and one bacterial form 

 (^Micrococcus insectorum Burrill). The remedy is effective for the 

 same reason that if, in time of war, enemies were to send into a 

 large city, as New York, men sick with the small-pox or Asiatic 

 cholera, the infection would rapidly spread among the massed 

 people of the city and wholesale destruction of life would 

 result. So with the Chinch-bugs massed in the Kansas corn fields, 

 when dying and dead bugs bearing with them the germs and 

 spores of contagious diseases are introduced. For a full and ex- 

 haustive account of the experiments in this line, under Professor 

 Snow's direction, reference should be made to the "First Annual 

 Report of the Director of the Experimental Station of the Uni- 

 versity of Kansas, April, 1892," 230 pp., four plates, which will 

 be sent on application, accompanied by 7 cents for postage, to 

 this Department. Infected bugs will be sent to any farmer in 

 the State applying for them. The following directions for obtain- 

 ing and using the infected bugs are quoted from Professor Snow's 

 report : 



In order to keep up our supply of infected bugs, we must require 

 that each person sending for infection send us live bugs from the field. 

 These should be put into a tin box (a baking-powder box is excellent for 

 this purpose), without soil, and with a supply of green wheat or corn* 

 The box should have a tight-fitting cover, and no holes need to be made. 

 We have found that the bugs reach us in the best condition when sent 

 us in this way. 



Upon receipt of infected bugs from the station, a shallow box about 

 24x36x6 inches, with tight joints, should be provided. Sprinkle the 

 whole inside of the box with water and put in enough green wheat or 

 corn to cover the bottom. Scatter the infected bugs over the bottom 

 and put in a large quantity of live bugs from the field; a quart would 

 not be too many for a box of the size above suggested. A smaller box 

 may be used for a smaller quantity of bugs. After the bugs have re- 

 mained in the box two days, remove half of them, alive and dead, and 

 scatter them over that part of the field where the bugs are thickest; at 

 the same time replenish the infection box with more bugs from the 

 field. Continue to scatter bugs from the infection box over the field at 

 intervals of two days, until it is seen that the bugs are dying rapidly all 



