16 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 657. 
Shocks of fodder corn left in the fields over winter certainly afford 
protection for many chinch bugs, as will also coarse stable manure 
spread on the fields before the chinch bugs have selected their place 
of hibernation in the fall. In short, the first protective measure to 
be carried out is a general cleaning up in winter or early spring, 
either by burning, or pasturing, or both. 
SOWING DECOY PLATS OF ATTRACTIVE GRAINS OR GRASSES IN EARLY SPRING. 
Judging from the manner in which the overwintered adults are 
attracted to hills of young corn, wheat fields, or plats of panic and 
foxtail grasses, 1t has always seemed to the writer practicable to take 
Fia. 8.—Poorly kept roadside with rail fence overgrown with brambles, thus affording protection for large 
numbers of destructive insects during winter. (Author’s illustration.) 
advantage of this habit and sow small patches of millet, Hungarian 
grass, spring wheat, or even corn, early in the spring and thus bait 
the adults as they come forth from their places of hibernation. 
Their instincts will prompt them to seek out the places likely to 
afford the most desirable food supply for their progeny, and if an 
artificial supply can be offered them that will be more attractive 
than that furnished by nature, the bugs will certainly not overlook 
the fact, but will take advantage of it to congregate and deposit 
their eggs there, whereupon eggs, young, and adults can be sum- 
marily dealt with a little later by plowing both bugs and their food 
under and harrowing and rolling the ground to keep the former 
from crawling to the surface and escaping. 
