26 State University experimental Station. 



were molting in rolled leaves, under broken-down stalks, and between stalk and 

 blades. On July 9, I estimated that the bugs were reduced to about one- fourth their 

 former number. Many of the pits of the stalks and the cracks radiating from them 

 (the ground had now become hard and baked) were lined with fungus bugs. With 

 the help of two boys, three small baking-powder cans full of them were collected- 

 Sporotrichum could be found as far in from the edge of the field as any bugs had 

 straggled. Bugs in an adjoining field on the north were plentiful and healthy. The 

 weather had now become so dry that the disease apparently spread no further. Only 

 one very light shower had fallen during the whole progress of the experiment. It 

 was essentially a dry-weather experiment. It may be worth while to mention that 

 the heaviest midsummer flight of the first matured brood of bugs was observed on 

 July 21. Some bugs were seen on the wing, however, as early as July 8. 



J. A. Simpson, Mankato. — The county commissioners of Jewell county established 

 a station at Mankato the second week in June, and employed the undersigned as 

 director. We started our boxes immediately, and also commenced a thorough sys- 

 tem of advertising. Within two days the infection boxes were quite liberally 

 sprinkled with the white fungus-covered bugs. Some of these bugs were given out 

 on the second day after starting the boxes. In running the station, we adhered 

 closely to the rules, and tried to impress the importance of so doing on all those 

 who took bugs from the station. During the two months that we had charge of the 

 station, 520 applications for infected bugs were filled. Although many of these 

 were never heard from in a direct report, yet we have reason to believe that a very 

 satisfactory per cent, were entirely successful. Out of the first 50 direct reports, 

 only two were adverse ones, and the failure in each of these was due to negligence 

 in following out instructions. Later in the season, the dry weather seriously hin- 

 dered the progress of the work. One applicant, of an investigating nature, brought 

 in a dozen or more ladybugs to be experimented with, and, to our surprise, every 

 bug died within three days, completely oovered with the white fungus. This experi- 

 ment was tried several times after this, and always proved successful. One of the 

 most gratifying things in running a station is making friends for the white fungus. 

 It was our pleasure to see many incredulous ones become firm believers. Among 

 those whom we met who had no faith whatever in the disease was Capt. Ed. Kearn, 

 of the southwestern part of the county. Mr. Kearn is a graduate of the state agri- 

 cultural college, and is still a student. He is one of the most practical farmers in 

 Jewell county, and is a progressive man in every way; but, strange to say, he had 

 never taken any interest in the chinch-bug disease. We met him at the hotel one 

 day and, after talking awhile, he went with us to the station. We showed him our 

 boxes, made some explanations, and gave him some literature on the subject. The 

 next time he was in town he called and took out some infected bugs. His boxes 

 were soon working, and he became a firm believer in the efficiency of Sporotrichum 

 globuliferum. It is safe to say that, as a result of the establishment of the station 

 at Mankato, the farmers of Jewell county are much better acquainted with the man- 

 ner of running the boxes and doing field work, and that the general interest has 

 been greatly increased. 



Charles Smith, Russell. — The weather has been very dry and hot since June 20, at 

 which time I got the first infected bugs. I have no trouble to get the infection to 

 work in the infection boxes, but it has not worked satisfactorily in the field since 

 the middle of July. I have been unable to get written reports from all but Mr. 

 Robbins. 



Ed. Willoughby, Windsor, Mo. — We started about 20 boxes, and were successful 

 in all of them but the first. We furnished about 200 farmers with the infection, but 



