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and in the mellow ground of the cornfields a slight displacing of the 

 upper surface with the foot would reveal myriads of their dead bodies 

 intermixed with the soil. One farmer told me that upward of 1,000 

 neighboring farmers had visited his fields to secure dead bugs to place 

 in such of their own fields as were infested, and I have myself seen good 

 results from this method of introduction, taking pains to compare the 

 conditions in such fields with those existing where Sporotrichuin had 

 net been introduced, and where careful search failed to reveal its 

 presence. 



While the practical value of this fungus has, in past years, probably 

 been overestimated, it is to be regretted that there is at present a tend- 

 ency to rush to the opposite extreme. Statements to the effect that it 

 is of no practical value to the farmer, or that artificial introduction is 

 useless, as when the conditions are favorable it will appear in a natural 

 manner and do its work, are to say the least ill advised and true only 

 under certain conditions. It is worthless to the farmer during a period 

 of drought, or when the bugs are scattered, but it is practical and 

 effective under conditions the reverse of these. It will sometimes 

 appear in the fields in a perfectly natural manner, but this is uncertain, 

 and we have here only one of many instances where science can and 

 does facilitate and accelerate the usually slow mechanism of nature. 





Mr. Fernald asked if the northern limit of the distribution of the 

 chinch bug had been accurately determined. 



Mr. Webster stated that he had received a specimen which had been 

 collected by Mr. Fletcher in Winnebago. 



Mr. Howard stated that specimens of this insect had been received 

 from Cape Breton. 



Mr. Fletcher could not give any information concerning the Winne- 

 bago specimen, but stated that the chinch bug is not an insect which 

 has any economic importance in Canada, and that it is maritime solely, 

 occurring also along the Great Lakes, but not in numbers sufficient to 

 cause damage. 



Mr. Fernald stated that in the years of collecting by himself and 

 students of Orono, Me., only one specimen had been taken. 



Mr. Perkins reported that it has been present for the past five years 

 in a limited area in Vermont at Lake Champlain. It had only come to 

 his attention the past year, and he is now investigating it. It had not 

 previously been reported as occurring in the State, so far as he knew, 

 but is now doing considerable damage, particularly to corn and timothy, 

 although confined to small tracts. 



In response to a question from Mr. Howard, Mr. Perkins stated that 

 the elevation of the infested tract near the lake is not above 300 or 400 

 feet. 



Mr. Perkins also stated that very little wheat is raised in Vermont, 

 in response to a question by Mr. Fernald. 



