INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1903. 19 



We do not know of any practicable means of killing the Chinch Bugs 

 in^ the grain at present. In this connection we will say that the sending 

 out of diseased Chinch Bugs has been abandoned, it having been found 

 that the results were not sufficiently practical. The insects, however, 

 may be trapped and killed without much labor after they leave the grain 

 and start to attack the corn. Plow a furrow around your corn in such a 

 way that the steeper side is towards the corn; drag a small log back and 

 forth in this furrow until it becomes very dusty; it must be kept dusty. 

 With a post auger bore holes ten or twelve inches deep, or even less, 

 along the bottom of this furrow at intervals of about a rod. If the furrow 

 is well made the bugs cannot cross it, and finally collect in the post holes, 

 where they may be killed by kerosene or hot water. In wet weather a 

 dust furrow is impossible. At such times the bugs may be stopped by 

 means of a tar line. 



Tar can be purchased of the Minneapolis Gas Company for $4.50 per 

 barrel, barrel included; for $3.75 per barrel without container. Pour tar 

 to the width of two or three inches next your corn field or upon the side 

 of the field attacked by the bugs. While this tar line remains sticky, bugs 

 will not cross it. The first tar applied will sink into the ground, probably, 

 and the line will have to be renewed occasionally; that is, it will have to 

 be kept sticky. Bore post holes at the side of the tar line away from the 

 corn and the bugs traveling along the line to find a means of crossing 

 will fall into these holes, where they may be killed. Even if the bugs 

 have reached the outer rows of corn they may be stopped by the dust 

 furrow or tar line between these outer rows and the remaining corn. The 

 bugs on the outer rows may be killed with kerosene emulsion, one part 

 emulsion to ten parts of water. Pure kerosene may also be used if one 

 does not care to save the corn. It is certainly desirable to kill these 

 bugs on the outer row.s, thus lessening the bug crop the following year. 

 One party states that he has had success in filling a furrow with freshly 

 cut corn on the edge of the corn field, at the time when bugs are going 

 to corn, and when this cut corn is covered with them, pouring kerosene 

 thereon. 



The heavy rains which prevailed in southern and central 

 part of the state between the ist and 15th of September and 

 previously should do much toward reducing the Chinch Bug 

 evil next year ; in fact, on Sept. 9th I obtained from the farm 

 many Chinch Bugs dead and covered with a mould. Never- 

 theless we will undoubtedly have this pest with us in some 

 locality or localities and to a greater or less extent every year. 

 This department assures the farmers of the state that it will 

 do all in its power to discover some method of reducing the 

 evil to its lowest terms, and the Entomologist ventures to ex- 

 press the hope that the suggestions made herein will be of 

 service. 



