GENERAL FAUM METHODS AGAINST INSECT PESTS. 21 



auce for any variation of these dates on account of the 

 peculiarities of the individual season. 



Looking Ahead. — Few farmers, in planning the manage- 

 ment of their land and crops for tiie coming season, con- 

 sider the effect which any given procedure will have upon 

 the injurious insects with which they may have to contend. 

 A field which has for several years been in wheat, corn, or 

 tobacco may be sown with some other crop for the sake 

 of soil improvement, or may even be favored with a green- 

 manuriug of rye, crimson clover, or cow-peas; but how 

 often is it considered necessary to rotate crops in order to 

 lessen insect pests ? In most cases the answer would 

 doubtless be, " Xot until some noticeable loss has been 

 suffered from their injuries.'' That this is a mistake may 

 be seen from a brief survey of the best methods for com- 

 bating our worst insect pests. 



For this purpose let us take the list of sixty-three insects 

 given in the Year Book of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture for 1898 as a basis, it being carefully com- 

 piled by experienced entomologists. 



But in passing, though foreign to our theme, it may be 

 interesting to note that of these sixty-three insects twenty- 

 seven have been imported from foreign climes, thirty-one 

 are native, and four are of doubtful origin, so that we can 

 correctly say that fully one-half of our worst insect pests 

 are imported. Among those native to the United States 

 are the Chinch-bug, Corn Root-worm, Cutworms, Locusts, 

 and Colorado Potato- beetle; while among those imported 

 are the Angumois Grain-moth, Cypsy Moth, Codling- 

 moth, Cotton- worm. Sugar-cane Borer, Grain Weevils, 

 Hessian Fly, and San Jose Scale. 



Of tliese sixty-three pests eight infest stored grains and 



