NOTES ON CORN INSECTS. 
OR INSECTS INJURIOUS TO INDIAN CORN. 
In order to answer fully the question, “ How can farmers best protect 
the corn crop from the ravages of injurious insects? it would be 
necessary to introduce much more than what belongs strictly to En¬ 
tomology. The relation of this to other crops cultivated in the im¬ 
mediate vicinitv at the same time, the rotation of crops, the massing 
of this crop on continuous areas, the modes of cultivation, methods 
of harvesting, etc., etc., would all have to iecei\e consideration in a 
full discussion of the insect question. 1 hat it will be impossible to 
properly discuss these several points in a single paper, even were I 
competent to do so, is apparent. I can therefore only allude inciden¬ 
tally to these collateral questions, confining myself chiefly to the 
direct methods of combating the insect enemies of the corn crop. 
But while I shall endeavor thus to limit the scope of this paper, I 
will not feel myself restrained from alluding to some general.facts, 
which, I think, have a very important bearing upon the relation of 
insects to farm products. . „ . . , 
First of all, I desire to call attention to the importance ot this sub¬ 
ject, for I am well satisfied that not only are our faimers and citizens 
generally unaware of its great importance, but even the most enlight¬ 
ened and progressive of our agriculturists do not fully appreciate this 
matter. If I assert that a little insect, less than a grain of wheat, 
has cost the State more in a single season than the hog cholera ever 
did in two vears, the reader, if a farmer and aware of the vast havoc 
this terrible disease has recently made among the swine, would be 
strongly disposed to doubt the assertion. \ et 1 emphatically amim 
that such is the lact; and I might even go further and assert, without 
exceeding the truth, that the loss in corn alone from this tiny insect 
has, in some seasons, far exceeded our greatest loss in any year by hog 
cholera. And now, as I desire to bring this matter directly home to 
our farmers in a plain and practical manner 1 will submit some sta¬ 
tistics, which, though based to a certain extent upon estimates, aie 
by no means mere guesses. 
Soon after entering upon the duties of my office 1 addressed circu¬ 
lars to most of the counties in the State in reference to the m jur\ 
caused by the chinch-bug in 1874, when, as all are aware, it was so 
destructive to crops in our State. Although the responses were not 
as general as I desired, yet a sufficient number was received to form a 
