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of his field. This is especially true in the West, where the bugs breed 

 exclusively in the fields of wheat and remain unobserved until harvest, 

 when tliey suddenly and without warning precipitate themselves upon 

 the growing corn in adjacent fields. In fighting the cliinch bug 

 promptness of action is about as necessary as it is in fighting fire. 



ELIMINATING CHINCH BUGS FROM TIMOTHY MEADOWS BY CROP ROTATION. 



In several instances where chinch bugs have become especially 

 destructive to timothy meadows over considerable areas of country, 

 it has been found that these outbreaks were attributable to the fact 

 that these sections of country were largely given over to dairying. 

 The dairymen and stockmen found it more desirable to allow timothy 

 pastures and meadows to remain more or less permanent, with the 

 result that the chinch bugs gradually became so excessively abundant 

 as to destroy the grasses on these areas. In a number of instances it 

 was found that where the prevailing agricultural methods were 

 changed and the infested grass lands were broken up and devoted to 

 other crops, the difficulty was eliminated, as the new meadows were 

 not attacked. This shows that throughout the country wliere the 

 short-winged chinch bug attacks timothy meadows a rotation crop 

 will be found an efficient measure in overcoming the difficulty with a 

 reasonable degree of permanency. 



UTILITY OP KEROSENE IN FIGHTING CHINCH BUGS. 



In fighting the chinch bug there is at present no more useful sub- 

 stance than kerosene, either in the form of an emulsion or undiluted. 

 From its penetrating nature, prompt action, and fatal effects on the 

 chinch bug, even when applied as an emulsion, it becomes an inex- 

 pensive insecticide, while it has the further advantage of being an 

 article universally found in every farmhouse, and is therefore always 

 at hand for immediate use. The emulsion has the further advantage 

 of being capable of sufficient reduction in strength to preclude injury 

 to the vegetation while still strong enough to be fatal to insect life. 

 Diluted and ready for use, the emulsion is prepared as follows: Dis- 

 solve one-half pound of hard soap in 1 gallon of water, preferably 

 rain water, heated to the boiling point over a brisk fire, and pour this 

 suds while still hot into 2 gallons of kerosene. Churn or otherwise 

 agitate this mixture for a few minutes until it becomes of a cream- 

 like consistency and, on cooling, forms a jellylike mass whicli adlieres 

 to the surface of glass without oiliness. For each gallon of this emul- 

 sion use f 5 gallons of water, mixing thoroughly. If a])j)lied to growing 

 corn, it will be best to use the emulsion either during the morning or 

 evening, say before 8 a. m. or after .5 p. m., as at tliese times it will 

 be less likely to affect the plants than if ap])lie(l in the heat of the da}'. 

 [Cir. ii:'.j 



