HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF DISEASES. 13 
Prof. F. M. Webster was one of the first to interest himself in the 
investigation of the fungus. Asa special agent of the United States 
Department of Agriculture, located at La Fayette, Ind., he conducted 
some experiments which showed that moisture and a large number of 
bugs are essential factors in the successful propagation of the dis- 
ease.** Later, as State entomologist of Ohio (now connected with 
the U. S. Bureau of Entomology), he experimented with the fungus 
in Ohio in 1895 and 1896. As 1895 was a dry season the fungus 
proved ineffective; but in 1896 the weather conditions were favorable, 
and Prof. Webster states: °° °° 
I have always held to the opinion that the parasitic fungus Sporotrichum 
globuliferum could only be used in a manner to effect relief to the farmers dur- 
ing wet seasons and where there was a superabundance of host insects * * ¥*, 
This year (1896) I can say with all conditions favorable, Sporotrichum globuli- 
ferum has done all that Dr. Snow or any other entomologist claims for it, 
but under conditions as adverse as these have been favorable the results will 
prove quite the reverse. 
It would seem that Prof. Webster’s subsequent observations have 
not materially changed his views; for he states in November, 1909: ¢ 
As the fungus has many other host insects, it is probably present to a greater 
or less degree throughout the country every year. There is no doubt that 
during wet weather considerable benefit may be derived from the artificial 
cultivation and application of this fungus, but its efficiency is very dependent 
upon this meteorological condition, and, as has already been shown, chinch bugs 
develop in greater abundance in dry seasons. It will thus be seen that only 
during unusual seasons, that is to say, seasons that have been very dry while 
the chinch bugs were hatching from the egg, but wet afterwards, can satis- 
factory results be expected from this measure. 
Thus it appears that the use of the fungus has not come into gen- 
eral use as a means of combating the chinch bug. Its use has been 
abandoned in nearly every State that has given it a good trial. Only 
three States sent out fungus during that season—Oklahoma, Ohio, 
and Kansas. Dr. Gossard, of Ohio, questions very seriously the 
wisdom of sending out the fungus and our investigations in Kansas 
this season, as the report shows, have made it certain that in Kansas 
at least the artificial distribution of the fungus is unnecessary. Its 
failure to come into general use may be ascribed to the following 
reasons: 
1. The disease proves effective only during unusually wet seasons 
and when the bugs are very plentiful. 
2. The disease is quite generally present in the field naturally. 
3. Dependence on the fungus leads farmers to neglect other more 
practical means of control. 
* Circular No. 113, Bur. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agr., 1909. 
