91 



Probably not escape tbem by giving up winter wheat as a crop, 

 as it is very uDlikely that they are limited to any of the small 

 grains for support of first brood. Circular of information prom- 

 ised in the fall. 



Farmers' Keview. Crop Keports. 



Aug. 11, 1886. Edivards and Rock Island Co's. Corn is being 

 ruined by drouth and bugs. Aug. 23, 1886. Clinion Co. "Corn 

 burnt, and eaten up by bugs." 



Statistical Keport Illinois State Board of Agriculture 

 FOR Aug., 1886. Circular No. 131, pp. 19-29. Correspond- 

 ents' Remarks. 



Clay, Clinion, Hardin, and Williamson Co's. Corn suffering 

 or nearly ruined by drouth and chinch bags. Jefferson and 

 Johnson Co's. Drouth and chinch bugs have damaged corn. 

 Crawford, Effingham, Franklin, and Richland Co's. Corn some- 

 what injured. Fayette Co. Wheat injured. Si. Clair Co. De- 

 structive in some portions of county. Washington Co. Meadows 

 injured. White Co. Rain needed to check the chinch bugs. 



Forbes, S. A. — The Chinch Bug in Illinois. (Circular from Office 

 State Ent. of Ill.,_ Champaign, 111., Sept. 10, 1886, pp. 8. 

 Reprinted in Prairie Farmer, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, and in 

 Western Rural Oct. 9, 1886. ) 



The infested area this year includes most of the State south of 

 the Yandalia R. R. line, with center of injury in and about Wash- 

 ington county, where winter wheat was extensively damaged, oats 

 and hay badly hurt, and corn nearly ruined. A brief recapitula- 

 tion of life history is given and food plants enumerated. Wheat, 

 l>arley, rye, sorghum, broom-corn, Indian corn, millet, and Hun- 

 garian grass are said to be its favorite foods among the crop 

 plants, oats being second to these, while among the wild grasses 

 foxtail grass and "tickle grass" are preferred. Among natural 

 checks upon its increase, unfavorable weather is the most impor- 

 tant. This may operate in either of four ways: An open, variable 

 winter may destroy hibernating adults by freezing and thawing; a 

 wet, cool season may promote one of their contagious diseases; 

 the occurrence of heavy rains (especially if cool) at time of hatch- 

 ing may kill vast numbers of the young; or severe drouth, es- 

 pecially in midsummer, ma;y so completely destroy their food 

 plants, — to which end they have themselves contributed, — that they 

 will cease to breed if they do not starve. "Rains take no serious 

 direct effect on the full-grown bugs." Contagious or. epidemic 

 disease is the next most effective check upon their increase, two 

 forms of which sweep them away in vast numbers, — one in spring, 

 observed quite carefully by Dr. Shimer in 1865, excessive moist- 

 ure being favorable to it, and one in fall, discovered by writer 

 in 1882, not stimuhited apparently by wet weather. Bird and in- 

 sect enemies need not be considered in a practical discussion, 

 their influence upctu the numbers of the chinch bug is so slight. 



