THE CHINCH-BUG : CESSATION OF ITS ATTACK. 163 



Remedial Measures Employed. 



In a report made by me to the Regents of the University of the 

 State of New York, under date of January 8, 1884, and published in 

 the Thirty-seventh Annual Report on the State Museum of Natural 

 History, in referring to the above circular I stated as follows : 



I regret to have to report that the response given to the directions 

 of the circular have fallen short of their requirement. Plowing under 

 the infested areas has been cpiite general, but I do not learn that it has 

 approached the thorough character recommended. Burning has not 

 been resorted to, except upon the farm of Mr. King. The application 

 of gas-lime will probably not be made, to any great extent, as it is 

 reported as not easily to be obtained. Perhaps no other result should 

 have been anticipated at this stage of the attack, or before the absolute 

 necessity of vigorous action should be unmistakably apparent. Former 

 experiences show that our farmers, as a rule, are indisposed to yield 

 ready compliance with recommendations simply, although calculated to 

 save them from serious pecuniary loss, particularly if such recommenda- 

 tions involve any expenditure beyond that of quite a limited amount of 

 extra labor on their part. It would, therefore, seem to be a wise econ- 

 omy for the State, whenever a continued extension of any formidable 

 insect attack presents itself, that a prompt resort be had to effectual 

 j)reventive measures, through legislation compelling the action desired 

 and not otherwise to be had. Several laws for the prevention and 

 destruction of injurious insects exist upon the statute books of European 

 countries. In our own State and others there are laws against noxious 

 weeds; and it would indicate enlightened progress if there were also 

 those controlling the unlimited spread of some of our more harmful 

 insect pests. 



Cessation of the Attack. 



Although the insect was reported by Mr. King to have been found 

 by him, in alarming numbers, late in October, hidden beneath rails, 

 chips, bark, etc., yet the apprehension of its increase and spread in 

 the spring of 1884 was not realized. Doubtless the general plowing of 

 the infested lands aided materially in its destruction; yet to the more 

 effective operation of natural causes, such as the extreme cold of the 

 winter or the early spring rains, or other unfavorable meteorological 

 conditions, must be credited, mainly, the arrest of the attack, either 

 through the death of the mature insects during the winter, or that of 

 their progeny in the early spring. 



So far as I could learn, the insect did not reappear to the extent of 

 committing serious injury. In localities where it had abounded the pre- 

 ceding year, and the land had not been plowed, its presence, in hiber- 

 nated individuals, was observed as soon as the snow was gone. No 

 further damage was reported to me, except in one instance where no at- 

 tention had been paid to the recommendation of thorough autumn plow- 



