Siath Annual Report. ~ 23 
was found to be entirely successful. 
_ The spring of 1896 opened with an abundance of moisture in 
ne soil and atmosphere. The corn was already well advanced 
D eheat luxuriantly in ae moist soil, furnished an agreeable 
pasture for the bugs, so that they entered the corn-fields tardily, 
their migration being extended over a period of two months. 
‘Under such conditions, no material damage was done to the 
_ corn even where no protection was attempted, and where the 
__ barrier was used the expense of keeping it in good condition 
Mi during the long migration period was not warranted by the re- 
t sults obtained. The status of the barrier, then, is, that when 
_ the corn is most in danger because of dry weather and the on- 
Beet of ey numbers of bugs at once, » the barrier is a feasi- 
“ Bond pasturage for the bugs in the small-grain fields even after 
harvest, the barrier would probably not pay for itself. 
We believe that the barrier as constructed by Mr. F. E. 
_ Marcy, an assistant of the Station, with his ridge-former, is the 
- best that has yet been devised. During the past summer Mr. 
_ Marcy experimented with different sorts of barriers, but the 
ridge, as described in our report for 1895, has given the best 
~ results. Coal- tar was found to be far superior to kerosene oil 
and salt, under the conditions that prevailed during the past 
season, and the former is therefore recommended as the most 
reliable for all seasons. On the pages following will be found a 
detailed account of experiments carried on in one field, which 
_ gaye results essentially the same as did the other fields experi- 
mented with. 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE HIBERNATION OF CHINCH-BUGS 
AND SPOROTRICHUM. 
By M. A. BARBER, 
Observations were made at different times throughout a period 
extending from December, 1895, to April, 1896, to determine, 
first, the location and number of hibernating chinch-bugs ; and, 
second, whether Sporotrichum in a living condition was pres- 
ent among them during the winter. These observations were 
- made in Coffey, Douglas and Jefferson counties. 
4 
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