96 
the State, it is the part of wisdom to take no chances needlessly, 
but to nse every measure of precaution which an intelligent study 
of the situation can suggest. 
In the following summary discussion of remedies I have not 
usually attempted to discriminate between those which have been 
tested by general usage or by accurate experiment and those 
which rest upon theoretical grounds chiefly. _ I greatly hope that 
another year may put us in position to try m the field the moie 
important measures of this latter class in a way to bring out 
clearly their actual value. 
The remedial and preventive measures applicable to the chinch 
bug may be conveniently divided into agricultural methods, >cu - 
riers against migration, and direct destruction. 
A. AGRICULTURAL METHODS. 
1. Clean farming. The chinch bug seeks in autumn the pro¬ 
tection of dead leaves, grass, fallen fence boards, rails, etc., and 
does not usually fly far in spring if it can find food near by. 
The farmer, therefore, who harbors the greatest number on Ins 
premises will, in the long run and as a general rule, suffer first 
and worst the following year. Further some of the commonest 
grass-like weeds are among the favorite food plants of this insect, 
and the bugs will be most numerous on farms where these are 
allowed to grow. . ■ 
2. Judiciously diversified farming. That repeated and general 
cropping to the cereals alone, especially to only two or three 
kinds of them, favors the multiplication of the chinch bug, is a 
fact now so well known as to need no discussion. 
3 Temporary abandonment, in corn districts, of small grain, 
especially ivheat and barley. This measure of defense, m use 
for more than a century, is the one most generally relied upon. 
Its at least partial efficacy is now clearly demonstrated through¬ 
out a large part of this State, where the chinch bug is making its 
advent almost wholly by way of fields of wheat and barley. 
It is to be noted, however, that where the number of this in¬ 
sect has risen to great excess, it cannot be reduced again by sim- 
ply refraining from the culture of wheat and barley. It has been 
repeatedly shown in Southern Illinois, during the last two years 
that under such circumstances the bugs will breed as freely an 
successfully in oats as in other grains; while recent occurrences 
in New York prove that the meadow grasses afford them almost 
equal opportunity. This is consequently a preventive rather than 
a remedial measure. 
A serious error is prevalent in some parts of the State with 
respect to the relation of the cliincli bug to winter wheat, many 
believing that this insect. cannot flourish on winter grams ilm 
fact is, however, that the tremendous attacks under which south- 
