CHINCH-BUG. 151 



they arrived at the natural term of their lives, or vcere they killed by 

 the sudden accession of cold weather, or by some 'other and unknown 

 cause? As many of these insects were found in tolerably well pro- 

 tected situations, that is, under the sheaths of corn stalks which had 

 been laid in piles, it does not seem probable that they could have been 

 killed by the first cold snap of winter. The most plausible explanation 

 of the case that I can give, is, that these dead insects were the old 

 bugs of the former broods which had arrived at the end of their natural 

 lives, whilst the instincts of the new brood, which are to perpetuate the 

 race in the succeeding year, had led them to seek out more secure and 

 permanent retreats. 



From all this we conclude that late in the fail, and when winter is 

 about to set in, Chinch-bugs, like most other insects, seek secure and 

 hidden retreats where they will not be exposed to the snows of winter, 

 nor to the cold rains of the late fall and spring, and therefore that 

 the burning of corn stalks or other loose rubbish, late in the fall, 

 will destroy but a very small proportion of them. The only way to ac- 

 complish this end, to any considerable extent, would be to husk the corn 

 as early as possible, and then cut off the stalks close to the ground, and 

 burn them. But even here it is very questionable whether the bugs 

 would not leave the stalks before they were dry enough to burn. But 

 in any event, the plan is scarcely available in actual practice. In the 

 first place, most farmers depend upon their stalks for fall feed for their 

 eattle ; and if a farmer should conclude to sacrifice his stalks for this 

 purpose, it would insure him no immunity from the inroads of the in- 

 sects in the spring, from surrounding localities. 



It may seem to be poor encouragement to show that the plans and 

 preventives upon which we have been taught chiefly to rely, for check- 

 ing the ravages of this formidable insect, are of so little real efficacy • 

 But it is best to know the truth, and to see the evil in its true propor- 

 tions. The first step to take, in meetiug a real danger, is to divest 

 ourselves of all false securities. 



FIFTH. — THE PEEVENTION OP THEIR BREEDING TO AJSTY SERIOUS EXTENT, BY 

 ABSTAIBTING FKOM THE CULTIVATION OF THOSE GRAINS UPON WHICH 

 THEY CHIEFLY SUBSIST. 



If then our supposed remedies for the Chineh-bng prove to be in a 

 great measure fallacious ; if experience shows that we cannot get our 

 grain into the ground so early but that the bugs will be even with us ; 

 if plowed furrows and tarred barricades can only be resorted to when 

 most of the mischief has been done ; and if these insects hide them- 



