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ago, damaging some fields as much as seven or eight years ago." 

 This would seem to confirm the idea that the insect had a periodi- 

 city of about seven years similar to the Chinch-bug. 



But little more need be said on this point. While the beetle has 

 wings and can fly, it seems evident from the facts above noted that 

 it does not usually fly very far, but deposits its eggs at the roots 

 of the same plants, or those contiguous to the ones on which, as 

 a beetle, it feeds. 



If, as I suspect, the last brood pass the winter in the ground, 

 probably as pupse, then we can see why they would be more numer- 

 ous in a field that is cultivated in corn the year after. If, upon 

 emerging, they do not find their food-plant, they must seek one else- 

 where or perish, and only a small number of them seem to find 

 their way to the corn. But if weeds are allowed to grace the fences 

 and roadsides, as they usually do, they can resort to these, and a 

 good supply be kept alive to make it necessary to find some means 

 to prevent injury from them in subsequent years. 



All observers found that the pollen of various plants in bloom 

 through August and September were eaten by swarms of these 

 beetles, while Dr. Boardman found the larvae in the roots of one of 

 them. From this it is evident that if weeds are allowed to grow 

 freely along the fences and roadsides, they will furnish the means of 

 harboring these, as well as many other insects, and carrying them 

 over from crop to crop, as I have hinted above, for the weeds re- 

 main green long after the corn is too ripe and dry for them to eat. 

 The same might be said, probably, of other insects. Indeed, I am 

 pretty well satisfied that rotation, of crops and clean cultivation 

 would not only result in a better yield, from the good effect it would 

 have on the land, but would greatly lessen the damages from inju- 

 rious insects. 



