THE chinch-bug: observations upon the attack. 159 



It should not be necessary to urge the importance of doing what- 

 ever can be done to arrest this attack, which threatens to be more seri- 

 ous to New York than was that of the wheat-midge, the loss from which, 

 in some years, was computed at $15,000,000. If it should continue to 

 increase it will doubtless extend to wheat, and corn and other of the grains. 

 In its southern extension in this State it would naturally become more 

 serious. At the present it is known in but two counties — Jefferson 

 and St. Lawrence. It seems practicable by prompt, earnest and com- 

 bined effort, to prevent its extension and to check it where it now ex- 

 ists. 



Observations upon the Attack. 



In addition to the information contained in the communication of 

 Mr. Smith, given on page 149, I am able to add the following, from my 

 personal observations, made during a visit to Hammond, and on inspec- 

 tion of the infested farm of Mr. King, on October 5th and 6th. The 

 cold weather of the preceding few days (ice was formed upon three 

 nights) had doubtless driven most of the bugs to their winter quarters for 

 hibernation in crevices, beneath boards, rails, etc., in rubbish heaps, and to 

 many other secure retreats where such insects are accustomed to hide. Yet 

 upon parting the roots of the timothy upon borders of the killed portion 

 in one of the fields they were found in alarming numbers — in some spots 

 sufficient to cover the ground with their bodies over an area of two or 

 three inches in diameter, having perhaps congregated for warmth in 

 such places. In one spot, upon the warm slope of a dead furrow, they 

 could be seen, in large numbers, running like ants over the ground. 

 Elsewhere, they were concealed among the roots, near to and about the 

 bulbs, upon which they appeared mainly to feed. Their presence in any 

 spot could always be detected by bringing the nose near the ground by 

 the peculiar bed-bug odor that they exhaled. This method of detection 

 proved more convenient and infallible than looking for them. 



The territory occupied by them was more extended than was at first 

 supposed. Nearly all of the farms in the neighborhood of Mr. King 

 had been attacked, some of them tlie preceding year, and discoveries of 

 attack not before suspected were, upon examination, being made daily. 

 A range, at the time, of about eight miles was indicated. It was be- 

 lieved to occur throughout most of the town of Hammond, and to ex- 

 tend into Alexandria upon the St. Lawrence river. 



The following are a few of the memoranda (the remainder lost) of the 

 number of acres showing the attack in the town of Hammond, upon 

 farms in the immediate vicinity of Mr. King, which were made at the 

 time of my visit: 



Mr. H. C. King, sixteen acres of timothy and clover; cut on the 5th 

 of July; the attack first noticed in August; more than one-half of the 



