Fourth annual Msport. 45 



should gather from the boxes dead bugs and live bugs, white- fungus-covered 

 and non-white-fungus-covered, and scatter them in the field where the bugs 

 are the thickest, in the axils of the leaves and at the bases of the stalks. 

 If the fungus-covered bugs are abundant in the boxes the earth might be 

 taken from half of the boxes together with the bugs and scattered in the 

 field. The earth should be replenished as often as removed. You should 

 always take care, however, that some white-fungus-covered bugs remain in 

 your infection boxes. As fast as the bugs are taken from the infection boxes 

 they should be replaced by fresh bugs from the field. Continue to scatter 

 bugs from the infection box over the field at intervals of two days or less, 

 until it is seen that the bugs are dying rapidly all over the field. In no 

 case should efforts to spread the infection be relaxed, for persistence is al- 

 ways certain to bring about the destruction of the bugs, if the fields have 

 been properly infected and the weather is not too dry. 



CONTINUED CARE OF BOXES. 



If after a time the boxes should give off a smell of ammonia from the 

 decay of bugs or bits of wheat or corn left in the boxes, the boxes should be 

 cleaned out, earth and all, and, after airing a day, started anew as at the 

 beginning. 



Keep the earth in the boxes moist, but never make it muddy. 



Sometimes other fungi than the white Sporotrichum appear on the bug3 

 in the boxes. The only annoying one likely to appear is a yellowish-brown 

 one known as Aspergillus. This fungus does not kill the bugs, but it may 

 take possession of their dead bodies and become detrimental to the growth 

 of the white fungus. If the Aspergillus should appear extensively in the 

 boxes, clean them out and burn hay in them to kill the spores, and then 

 start the boxes again as at the beginning. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



You should save up a quantity of the white-fungus-covered bugs for an 

 early start next spring. These should be put away in tin boxes where they 

 may be kept dry and above a freezing temperature. The fungus will re- 

 main alive in the bodies of the bugs for a year at least. Farmers who took 

 this precaution last summer have reported an early extermination of the 

 bugs in their fields this season. Should the first lot of infected bugs from 

 this Station seem to fail in their purpose, send without delay for a new sup- 

 ply. Careful attention to these directions will insure success, while careless 

 use of the infection will often fail. The requirements are few and simple, 

 but they are absolutely essential to success. 



Note carefully the chinch-bug conditions in neighboring fields and urge 

 your neighbors to use the infection. Keep a list' of farmers who get infected 

 bugs from your farm. 



Do not fail to send me a full report, and in case of any difficulty write 

 at once for advice. Do not be discouraged by the small number of infected 

 bugs received from the Station. Four bugs covered with the white fungus 

 will communicate the infection effectually. 



