8 FAKMERS' BULLETIN 835. 



In case the bugs have reached only the first few rows of corn, how- 

 ever, they may be killed by spraying with a solution of one of the 

 commonly used commercial washing powders prepared as follows: 

 Dissolve 1 pound of washing powder in 2 gallons of boiling water. 

 This is to be used as a stock solution ; when ready to spray, dilute by 

 adding 2 gallons of cold water to 1 of the stock solution, and apply 

 to the infested rows with an ordinary force pump and sprayer. In 

 order to be effective the soap-powder solution must come into contact 

 with the bugs. 



SUMMARY OF CONTROL MEASURES FOR THE CHINCH BUG. 



(1) Burn the dried grasses in which the chinch bug winters, either 

 late in the fall or very early in the spring. 



(2) Watch for the bugs in young wheat, rye, or barley. 



(3) Prevent the bugs from traveling from the small grains to the 

 corn by ditching, as described. 1 



ARMY WORM. 2 



/ 

 Watchfulness is the key to success in cases of invasion by army 



worms (see fig. 5), which are the young of certain moths or millers 

 that fly only at night. The e<rgs from which the army worms hatch 

 are laid commonly on grasses or grasslike grains and the tiny cater- 

 pillars, upon hatching, feed for several days near the ground, hidden 

 by overhanging grasses or grains and thus may escape notice until 

 nearly full grown, by which time they have become widely dis- 

 tributed over the infested fields. 



Upon the discovery of the pest in its younger stages depends very 

 largely the possibility of stamping out infestations before serious in- 

 jury to crops has occurred. Meadows therefore should be examined 

 frequently during the spring and early summer months, particularly 

 those planted to timothy, bluegrass, wheat, and especially millet, to 

 discover the young worms. One should not be satisfied with looking 

 merely at the surface of the stand ; the thicker and longer the growth, 

 the greater the danger from the army worm. The grass or grain 

 should be parted with the hands in various parts of the field and the 

 lower portions of the growth examined closely, in order that the 

 presence of the small, greenish caterpillars may be discovered, and 

 if these be found in any number the area covered by the infestation 

 should be determined and vigorous action taken at once to destroy 

 the worms before they become large enough to begin their journey to 

 other parts of the farm. If the infested spot be small, the grass or 

 grain can be mowed off and straw scattered over the spot and burned, 

 thus destroying the worms. If the caterpillars have become dis- 



1 Additional information regarding the chinch bug is contained in Farmers' Bulletin 

 657, which may be secured free of charge by application to the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 Washington,. D. C. 



2 Cirphia unipuncta Haw. 



