90 



may separately protect their crops to a considerable extent, they 

 may by timely, concerfed action almost completely defend whole 

 neighborhoods at a relatively small expense. Many measures which 

 are useless after an outbreak has r(*ached unmanageable propor- 

 tions may be quite sufficient to arrest mischief in its beginnings. 



NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS. 



In addition to our personal observations in the field, I have ob- 

 tained much valuable information from the crop correspondents of 

 the State Department of Agriculture, sent in response to a circular 

 of inquiry issued July 19 to all the counties except those in 

 Southern Illinois well known to me to have been destructively 

 visited this year and last. To these counties no .inquiries were 

 addressed. 



I find, in brief, collating our information from all sources, that 

 the chinch bug is A^ery destructive in thirty counties; occurs in 

 large numbers in sixteen others; in moderate Lumbers in seven- 

 teen; and in numbers not especially injurious in themselves but 

 sufficient to threaten harm another year in twenty-five; while from 

 thirteen counties it is reported as practically absent. 



The following is an abstract of replies received: 



Adams— A few chinch bugs, but not an alarming number. No damage to growing crops. 



Boone.— A very few, but not enough to do any injury. Will be unsafe to raise either wheat ot 

 barley next year. 



A few seen when wheat and barley were harvested, but not enough to do any damage. 



Carroll— Nearly destroyed some fields of spring wheat. First brood on the wing a week ago 

 (July 18). Great amount of Hungarian sown here. 



No bugs except in the northern part of the county. 

 Occasional fields have been ruined by them. 



Champaigx— Reported injurious to corn in some fields near Philo. 



Christian— .\. few chinch bugs now scattered in corn field*. Not enough to do serious damage, 

 i)ut enough for seed next year. 



Not very numerous here. Not hurting anything as yet. 



Coles— Chinch bugs have made their appearance in considerable numbers in this locality this 

 season. The first seen here for six years. Have done no material damage and will disappear with 

 plenty of rain. 



Oats are being injured by the chinch bug since wheat harvest. 



Cook— Some corn damaged by them adjoining rye and barley. A few oats, by the side of rye, 

 killed by them. 



At work on barley, rye, nnd oats, and are commencing on corn. Some corn totally destroyed 

 in patches of one or two acres, and all more or less damaged. 



CnMBERLAND— Have been here throughout the year. 



All over the county to some extent. Some fields of corn already ruined. 



DeKalu— Farmers in northern end of county report noticing them when cutting barley. No 

 damage done to growing corn. 



Douglas— Sf)me chinch bugs in corn, but not enough to hurt the growing crop this year. 



Edgar— Very few of them in this locality. 



FoRD-Noticed in a few localities, but not many in a place. 



Fulton— Very few of them. Catrie recently. No damage done by them here. 

 Have found a very little; sign of them in one or two oat fields only. 

 Have found a few. Not enough to make any show. 



In small numbers in the wheat and oats, and also now among the corn, but not in sufficient 

 numbers to damage the crop. 



Gallatin— Noticed since about the first of June. Thickest where land was poor. One farm 

 was overrun by them. 



Greene -But few In this part of the county. Not enough to do any damage. 



H ANCOCK — Some bugs here. The weather Is very favorable for their Increase. 



