INSECTst 137 



Many different methods have been attempted 

 to prevent the ravages of this insect, but 

 each one is more or less unsatisfactory. The 

 area grown to wheat should be diminished. 

 All trash about infested fields should be as 

 fully burned as possible in fall, winter or 

 spring. Insecticides may be used to advantage. 

 Kerosene emulsion, diluted to about five per< 

 cent, is perhaps the most effective insecticide. 

 To make the emulsian take one-half pound of 

 common soap and dissolve in one gallon of hot 

 water, after which add to the boiling mixture 

 two gallons of kerosene and churn the mixture 

 violently for about five minutes with a hand 

 force pump. This may be diluted with water 

 to make 30 gallons for use. This seems to be 

 about the best of the insecticides for chinch 

 bugs. 



For some years past experiments have been 

 conducted to propagate among chinch bugs a 

 fatal disease. A large amount of work has 

 been done by Prof. F, H. Snow of Kansas Uni- 

 versity in this direction. A peculiar fungi be- 

 ing placed in contact with the bug soon causes 

 its death. Healthy bugs may be inoculated 

 with the disease and set at liberty in the in- 

 fested fields and may spread the disease with 

 such great rapidity as to p:factically annihilate 

 the bugs. A perfect epidemic of "the disease 

 occurs. This fungus may be propagated ahd 



