48 Contagious Diseases of the Chinch-bug. 
The barrier should now be raised. It would be well to form 
the ridge for the barrier a week or two before it is needed. 
(Ridges formed last summer by Mr. Marcy’s drag were in ex- 
cellent condition after having withstood the heavy, beating 
rains of July and August). Then the tar, kerosene, etc., may 
be spread at a moment’s notice and the post-holes dug. After 
the barrier is formed, it should be inspected daily and kept in 
good repair. This will not require much time, and should not 
be omitted. Perhaps no other repair will be necessary than 
the addition of a small amount of tar, kerosene, etc. If the 
small grain has been harvested and the bugs are all moving at 
once into the corn they may all be trapped and the necessity 
for vigilance soon over; but if they are coming more slowly 
from the ripening grain the barriers must be kept up a few 
days longer. . 
4. The farmers should organize during the winter and take 
measures toward concerted action before the spring opens. A 
committee might be appointed to visit all the fields early in the 
spring, to see whether or not bugs are present, the object being 
to secure uniform and thorough inspection. If bugs are found, 
an early preparation should be made for the use both of Sporo- 
trichum and the barrier method. 
Although the conditions for the successful spread of Sporo- 
trichum are complex and uncertain, yet the necessary condi- 
tions are often present, and are apt to occur in any locality at 
any time. 
The barrier method is simple, and will work in any weather. 
When properly attended to it will, so far as our own experience 
and observation teach, insure the safety of the corn from the 
bugs. The organization of farmers should see that it is used 
wherever needed, so that flyers from untreated fields may not 
later devastate fields that have been treated. As spring ad- 
vances it will be a simple matter to tell. whether or not the 
corn is in danger from bugs in the small grain, and steps 
should be taken to have on hand enough tar, kerosene, petro- 
leum, and salt—any or all of these, as the supply may necessi- 
tate. 
Whether or not each farmer should care for his own field, or 
whether an infested district should be put into the hands of 
Phau Res 
TAL 
