58 THE ( H IXC II BTC 
THE PRACTICAL I T1I.ITY OF I I NGOl - AND BACTERIAL ENEMIES IN 
FIGH I : \< I m: < H1NCH 1U G. 
Regarding the practicability of utilizing these entomogenous fungi 
in agriculture, there seems uo reason to revise a statement made ten 
years ago, viz, thai this can be done only in cases of excessive abun- 
dance and during wet weather, the basis for infection being provided 
by some centra] propagating station from which fanner- can receive 
promptly an abundant supply. The writer believes that for himself 
be could manage to get considerable benefit from their use in destroy- 
ing chinch bugs, provided he were Located within the area of the fre- 
quent occurrence. This could be done only by watching the seasons 
carefully, and in case there should occur two year- in succession 
wherein the breeding period- were covered by drought, then every 
preventive measure known should be adopted, notably the burning 
of leaves, dead grass, and other rubbish during winter or early spring, 
followed up by -owing small plats of early millet, Hungarian grass, 
or, better yet perhaps, spring wheat, in low damp places in the fields, 
with a view of attracting the females or in fact massing the bugs, 
and then freely applying the fungi in their midst. "Whether the 
average farmer, with his somewhat crude ideas of entomology, can do 
this successfully or not is very uncertain. It is almost impossible to 
determine even a few weeks in advance whether a season i- to be fa- 
vorable or unfavorable to the development of the chinch bug, which 
would of itself cause occasional false alarm, and the precautionary 
measures rendered entirely unnecessary by a few timely and drench- 
ing rain- just at the critical time. Before we can expect to be emi- 
nently successful in this matter, not only the farmer but also the 
entomologist and meteorologist. have much to learn. 
THE BOB WHITE OR QUAIL. 
Chinch bug- have few important enemies among the bird- of the 
aorthern United Si ate-. To what extent the coast birds feed upon 
them it i- impossible to say, but inland the common quail or bobwhite 
{( olinus virginianus) is the only species that can be said to devour 
any considerable number. As this is one of our most highly prized 
game birds, it i- slaughtered annually in tremendous number-. 
The following list will -how the degree of protection offered the 
quail by legislative enactment in the State- where the chinch bug i- 
the most destructive. The close season for quail in the several State-, 
during which killing i- prohibited by law, is as follow-: 
Maine, all the year. 
New York. December l to November 1, excepl in some counties whore it is 
from December l to October 16. in Rensselaer County il is from 1 mber l 
to October i and iii Richmond County all the year until 1908. 
l armers' Bulletin No. 265, pp. 13-25, 1906. 
