78 AGRICULTURE 



Chinch-bugs damage the wheat by sucking the sap from 

 the plant, and thus checking its growth. The mature bugs 

 live over winter, lay their eggs in the spring, and the young 

 are soon hatched out, showing at first a reddish color. 



No effective way of controlling chinch-bugs has yet 

 been discovered. It is, however, helpful to burn the rub- 

 bish of any infected field in the fall, as this will destroy 

 large numbers of the bugs, and leave the remainder with- 

 out hiding-places. 



The Hessian fly. The Hessian fly is a small, mos- 

 quito-like insect that lays its eggs on the growing wheat. 

 These eggs soon hatch, and the larvae begin at once to suck 

 the juices from the young plant. 



One method of handling these pests is to turn under 

 the first planting of wheat that has been attacked, and then 

 sow another crop on the ground. This, however, is an ex- 

 pensive method of getting rid of them. The burning of 

 fields in the fall, fall plowing, and rotation of crops are 

 all helpful in checking their ravages. 



Grasshoppers. Grasshoppers are less to be dreaded 

 now than in earlier years, though they occasionally do great 

 damage to the wheat crop. The grasshopper lays its eggs 

 in the summer, and they do not hatch until the following 

 spring. It is possible greatly to reduce their number by 

 late, deep fall plowing, which buries the eggs so deep 

 that the young when hatched do not find their way to the 

 surface. Poisonous sprays are also used to destroy the 

 young hoppers. 



TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION 



1. If winter wheat has been sown in your neighbor- 

 hood, visit two or more fields and note (1) whether the 

 seed was sown broadcast or drilled, (2) the direction of 

 the drill rows, and (3) the evenness of the stand. 



