30 THE CHINCH BUG. 
estimate was "a reasonable one," and, taking it as a basis, with the 
actual cash price per bushel, computed the loss at about 30,000,000 
bushels of wheat and 138,000,000 bushels of corn, with a total value 
of both amounting to over $73,000,000. Of course all computations of 
this sort are necessarily only approximately correct, but there is more 
likelihood of an under than an over estimate in this case. 
There was a serious outbreak of the chinch bug in the West again in 
the year 1868, and again in 1871, but in 1874 the ravages were both 
widespread and enormous. Dr. LeBaron computed the loss in 1871 
in seven States, viz, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Wis- 
consin, and Indiana, at $30,000,000.* Dr. C. V. Eiley computed the 
loss in Missouri alone in the year 1874 at ^19,000,000, and added the 
statement that for the area covered by Dr. LeBaron's estimates in 1871 
the loss in 1874 might safely be put down as double, or upward of 
$60,000,000. t Dr. Cyrus Thomas, however, estimates the loss to the 
whole country for the same year at upward of $100,000,000. | 
The next serious outbreak of chinch bug of which we have the 
losses resulting therefrom computed, occurred in 1887, and covered 
more or less territory in the States of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. In this case the 
damage was estimated by the United States statistician, Mr. J. R. 
Dodge, at $60,000,000, the heaviest losses occurring in Illinois, Iowa, 
Missouri, and Kansas. § This gives us as the estimated loss in the 
thirty-eight years, 1850 to 1887, both inclusive, the enormous sum of 
$267,000,000. 
There was a serious outbreak in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illi- 
nois, having its beginning probably as early as 1892, but reaching its 
maximum severity, as in Ohio, in 1896. The loss in Ohio during the 
years 1894, 1895, 1896, and 1897 could not have fallen far short of 
$2,000,000. The farmers of this State in many cases were entirely 
unfamiliar with the chinch bug and its ravages, and therefore were 
unable to account for the damage that it worked in their fields until 
some time after. This was especially true of the timothy meadows in 
the northeastern part of the State; so that there were probably many 
fields, both of grass and of grain, that suffered seriously, and, in fact, 
in some cases were ruined by the chinch bug without the owners being 
aware of the cause. For this reason, while the computed loss appears 
large, it seems to me to be entirely reasonable. Of the losses occasioned 
in other States during the years above indicated I have no definite 
computations, but they were severe, and must have amounted to mil- 
lions of dollars. If we could have careful estimates of the loss during 
the last seven years, it would in all probability swell the amount to 
* Second Report State Entomologist of Illinois, p. 144. 
t Seventh Report State Entomologist of Missouri, pp. 24-25. 
t Bulletin No. 5, U. S. Entomological Commission, p. 7. 
§ Report of U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture, 1887, p. 56. 
