CHtNCH-BtTG. 143 



The center of this belt appears to have been a little north of the cen- 

 ter of the State, being about on a line with the junction of Iowa and 

 Missouri, and taking in a corresponding part of Southern Iowa and 

 Nebraska and of Northern Missouri and Kansas. South of this belt 

 winter wheat takes the place of spring wheat and barley, and the 

 Chinch-bugs, though present in considerable numbers, ceased to com- 

 mit any very serious damage. North of this belt, also, notwithstand- 

 ing that spring wheat constitutes a leading crop, the bugs became 

 gradually less numerous, and a tolerable crop of this grain was har- 

 vested. And yet all through Northern Illinois and the southern part 

 of Wisconsin, these insects were numerous enough to damage the crop 

 to some extent, and to excite the most serious apprehensions for the 

 succeeding year. 



In order to obtain as correct an idea as possible of the amount of loss 

 sustained by the agriculturist from the depredations of this insect, the 

 past year (1871), both in this and the other Northwestern States, I have 

 made the following calculation, based upon the statistics of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, with a reasonable estimate of the proportional 

 damage caused by this insect to those crops upon which they depredate. 

 All such calculations must necessarily be only approximately correct, 

 and very loose and extravagant conjectures have sometimes been in- 

 dulged in upon the loss caused by Chinch-bugs in former seasons of 

 their prevalence. It has been my intention to keep within reasonable 

 bounds, and by giving the figures in the case I give others the oppor- 

 tunity to review my estimates. 



Taking the returns to the Department of Agriculture, for the years 

 1869 and 1870, for our guide, we may assume the present annual yield 

 of wheat, in the State of Illinois, to be 30,000,000 of bushels; of oats, 

 40,000,000 ; and of barley, 2,000,000. 



The area seriously ravaged by these insects, comprised, as we have 

 above stated, about the middle third of the State. This section would 

 bear its full proportional third of the wheat and oats, and at least one- 

 half of the barley raised in the whole State. This would give as the 

 product of that part of the State ravaged by Chinch-bugs, 10,000,000 

 bushels of wheat, upwards of 13,300,000 bushels of oats, an d*l ,000,000 

 bushels of barley. The proportion of these crops destroyed by Chinch- 

 bugs, we have put at three-quarters of the wheat, one-half of the bar- 

 ley, and one-quarter of the oats. This will give as the amounts actually 

 destroyed by these insects, 7,500,000 bushels of wheat ; 500,000 bush- 

 els of barley, and, in round numbers, 3,300,000 bushels of oats. 



