Correspondents have frequently referred in their notes to 

 the " spit bug," which has ])een so prevalent on grass during 

 the past few seasons. As false ideas as to its nature and 

 destructive powers are not uncommon, it is thought best to 

 state the truth in the matter. The "spit bug" is a sap- 

 eating insect, which bores into the slalks of irrasses and 

 sucks the juice therefrom in such quantities that it oozes out 

 of their bodies continually, in the form of little bubbles, 

 which sioon completely cover up the one or more insects that 

 may be therein. They there remain entirely ))uried and con- 

 cealed in masses of foam, until they have completed their 

 transformation. This foam is simply a collection of bubbles. 

 Under ordinary circumstances, the destructive power of 

 these insects is insigniHcant, and it is hardly possible that 

 enough of them will be found on a held of grass to materially 

 injure the crop. There is no connection between this insect 

 and the grasshopper, or the little grul) that causes June 

 grass to die prematurely. 



The following question was asked to get the opinion of the 

 correspondents as to the outlook for the crop of Indian corn : 

 " What is the present condition of Indian corn?" It seems 

 to be the almost unanimous opinion that the stand of corn 

 is fairly good, and that, though backward on account of 

 unfavorable weather, it is now, under the influence of the 

 warm, dry spell, pushing rapidly ahead. 



To ascertain whether the hay crop is earlier than usual, 

 the following question was asked : "What date did haying 

 commence in your locality ? " From the replies received, it 

 is learned that some orchard arass was cut the first week 

 in June, but haying did not become general until after the 

 advent of the present dry weather, or between the 20th to 

 the 25th of the month. On account of the cool, wet 

 weather, followed by a w\arm, dry spell, grass has ripened 

 somewhat earlier than usual. 



The following question was asked, to ascertain the opinion 

 of the correspondents as to the quantity and quality of the 

 hay crop : " What is your estimate of the coming hay crop 

 in quantity and quality ?" Most of the correspondents state 

 that the hay crop promises to be a full average one in 

 quantity, and that as a rule the quality appears to be good. 



