THE BLACK BILL-BUG OF CORN 33 



the place where you got these and put them in the 

 ground in the cold-frame just as they were in the 

 field ; do not cut the stubble. Please get the stubble 

 to-day, because I am going to plow them up and 

 remove them from the field. I'll warrant that they 

 will not stay there this winter to breed the bugs to 

 eat the corn next summer. It begins to look to me 

 as if I have been breeding bugs to eat my corn. 

 No more of that ; I am going to see the neighbors 

 and tell them about this and ask them to destroy 

 the stubble." 



Johnny got the stubble as his father had directed, 

 and put them in the ground under the glass sashes. 

 Not a day passed that Johnny did not look into the 

 cold frame. It took much tedious waiting through 

 many weeks because the insects would not stir as 

 long as the tang of frost was in the air. Johnny 

 said he thought it was the longest winter he had 

 ever spent. When at last the warm weather of 

 spring set in, the insects woke from their long sleep 

 and left their winter homes to find something to eat. 



"I do not blame them," said Johnny, " because 

 such a long nap would make anybody hungry." 



During the first few days they did not seem to be 

 able to get their appetites in good condition even 

 though Johnny had been so thoughtful and planted 

 five hills of corn in the nice rich soil of the cold- 

 frame. They wandered about as if uncertain what 



