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58 ° REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
all of our wild grasses, so far as known, are attacked, but beyond 
these no plant is ever damaged. Reports of damage done to other — 
crops. such as grape-vines and garden crops, are the results of mis- — 
taken identity, and an error in the compilation of Packard’s Guide — 
to the Study of Insect has doubtless done much to perpetuate the — 
idea that this insect is a more general feeder. This was corrected 
in the later editions of this work, probably at the suggestion in Pro- — 
fessor Riley’s criticism in his Seventh Rept. Ins. Mo., page 26. ah. A 
Upon the Sand Oats (Uniola paniculata) in Florida Mr. Schwarz 
noticed that the entire development of the insect is undergone upon 
the highest part of this tall plant, and not close to the bottom as in our 
latitude. 'The probable reason for this, as he has pointed out, is that 
the strong winds are continually blowing fine, sharp sand through 
the lower parts of the plants, rendering it impossible for the bugs to 
remain at these places and forcing them to seek their nourishment. 
higher up. : 
Concerning Timothy and the Crab-grasses Professor Forbes says: — 
“It seems to prefer Timothy to Blue-grass, not really relishing either as 
a general thing, and takes tothe Crab-grasses (Panicwm) not at all, or 
only as a lastresort” (Bull. No. 2, State Knt. Tl.), This generalization 
is undoubtedly correct for INinois and the surrounding States, but, as 
Professor Forbes himself points out in a foot-note, the bugs did 
great damage to Timothy in northern New York in 1883, and the fol- 
lowing extract from a letter recently received from Professor Atkin- 
son, of North Carolina, indicates that in that State at least the Crab- 
grass becomes an important item of the insects’ diet: ““* * * 
have recently discovered that at this season of the year (October) 
the Chinch Bug feeds on the ‘crab-grass,’ so common in cultivated 
and waste places, and especially so abundant in many of the corn- 
fields after cultivation has ceased. The Chinch-bug must go to the 
grass after the corn becomes mature and no longer yields the sap. 
I have found the bugs inside the sheath and clear evidence of their 
having punctured the colon. No doubt'this grass affords them sub- 
sistence for quite a period of time, and then shelter for the winter. , 
* * * Thave found within the past few days pup, or wingless 
individuals, in the Crab-grass. * * *” Referring again to Timo- 
thy, we may state that a meadow of this grass on the farm of J. F. 
Whiton, near Wakeman, Huron County, Ohio, was injured consider- 
ably by the bugs in 1886. Professor Forbes. however (Bull. 2), gives 
an instance where sowing Timothy with fall wheat was probably the 
cause of the salvation of the crop. 
On cultivated Rice we found Chinch Bugs very generally scattered 
throughout the large rice-fields near Savannah, da , in August, 1881. 
Only adult specimens were found at that time, and all were fully 
winged and were found upon the heads of the grain, to which they | 
had probably flown, as the fields had been flooded for some time pre- 
viously. No particular damage to the crop was perceptible, unless 
their punctures contribute to bring about the disease known as 1 
‘“white blast,” as suggested by Professor Riley in his Annual Report 
for 1881-82, p. 137. 1 
We shall probably be obliged to widen our close restriction of the 
Chinch Bug food plants, to admit at least one of the Polygonums. A | 
chance statement by Mr. Bruner that he had known this insect to feed 
upon the so-called ‘* Wild Buckwheat” in Nebraska led to a letter of 
close inquiry, to which he replied that there can be no mistake and | 
that the plant is either Polygonum dumetorum, or P. convoloulus. 
