THE BLACK BILL-BUG OF CORN 



37 



the old dying plants were surrounded by a mass of 



sprouts that .made the field look very odd. Many 



of the plants were so riddled by the repeated attacks 



of these pests that they could not 



succeed in making grain. Johnny 



sat down by one of these masses 



of suckers and examined it very 



closely. Looking at the dying 



shoots he shook his head gravely 



and said : " Old fellows, you have 



taught me a lesson that I will not 



forget as long as I live. You were 



true to the farmer who so carefully 



prepared the land and planted the 



seed from which you came. He 



hoped to make a crop, and that 



it cannot be done is no fault of 



yours. You fought bravely, but 



the enemy was stronger than you ; 



you had to go down in the 'fight, 



but you went down fighting like 



heroes." 



Johnny found later that when 

 the corn had grown to the height of four feet the 

 beetles could no longer injure it seriously. He 

 thought that the battle was over, and was greatly 

 surprised afterwards when he found that he had 

 seen only part of the fight. 



(After Kelly, Bur. of Em., 

 U. S.Dept. Agr.) 



FIG. 18. "Each 

 plant threw out 

 suckers." 



