PREFATORY NOTE. 
The chinch-bug situation having become serious in Kansas in 1909, 
provision was made by the University of Kansas for the distribution 
of diseased insects during the season of 1910 in accordance with the 
plan inaugurated by Dr. F. H. Snow during the nineties. The effi- 
cacy of this method of combating chinch bugs, however, has been 
questioned, not only by local investigators who gathered the field data 
for Dr. Snow's later reports, but by observers in other States, where, 
in most instances, the practice of distributing diseased bugs has been 
discontinued. While the demand of Kansas farmers for diseased 
bugs was granted, steps were taken to conduct an investigation of the 
problem of artificial distribution, not from the standpoint of proving 
or disproving Dr. Snow's theories as carried out in the nineties, but 
rather from the standpoint of practicability under present conditions. 
The investigation was placed in charge of the writers, who began 
work in January, 1910, for the purpose of definitely settling the ques- 
tion as to the utility of continuing the work of artificial infection. It 
was felt that the seriousness of the situation to the farmers merited 
a stand that was based on many carefully collected data, so that 
future efforts might be urged along lines shown to be most efficient. 
The writers of this bulletin wish to express their appreciation to 
Chancellor Frank Strong, whose continued interest in the investiga- 
tions made them possible ; to Profs. Stevens and Hunter for helpful 
suggestions; to Prof. Barber for the report of his work on chinch- 
bug inoculation ; to Messrs. Leslie Kenoyer and Otto Opollo for their 
faithfulness in conducting experiments and taking observations near 
their respective homes ; and to Messrs. E. O. G. Kelly, L. A. Kenoyer, 
and W. C. Bower for collecting weather data. 
Frederick H. Billings. 
Pressley A. Glenn. 
University of Kansas. 
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