126 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



infested stubble and plant the field with some 

 other crop the next year. Late sowing of winter 

 wheat will often prevent the crop from becoming 

 infested, because the adult flies perish on the 

 approach of cold weather and hence no eggs are 

 laid on the young plants. This method is not 

 always practicable, because wheat sown too late is 

 in danger of being winter-killed. Probably the 

 surest method of destroying the pest lies in the 

 rotation of crops. 



It must be remembered, however, that, after all 

 precautions have been taken, a neighbor's brood 

 may easily fly over and defeat your precautions. 



THE SQUASH-BUG. 



By a great many people all insects are called 

 "bugs." It is right to say that all bugs are insects, 

 but not that all insects are bugs, any more than it 

 would be to say that all birds are thrushes. One 

 order of insects may be called bugs. It is dis- 

 tinct from all the other orders, and may be known 

 in several ways. The main characteristic is the 

 mouth, which is fitted for piercing the tissues 

 of plants and sucking their juices. Many bugs 

 undergo an incomplete metamorphosis; that is, 

 they have no distinct pupa stage, but the insects 

 hatch from the eggs and closely resemble the 

 adults, with the exception of wings. 



The stage between the egg and the adult is com- 

 monly called the nymph stage. This is the stage in 



