33 
native insect theie. Kept clown in former times by prairie fires. 
Anticipate increase until abandonment of wheat culture for a term 
of years becomes necessary. Two-brooded in Northern Illinois 
but possibly three, or even four, broods farther south. Calculate 
that two thousand chinch bugs, hibernating successfully, may give 
origin to two thousand millions the following year. Authors be¬ 
lie e that flights are due to scarcity of food, and mention observa¬ 
tions opposed to theory that they are taken for pairing purposes 
Advise plowing wheat land in fall and rolling repeatedly" after 
seeding m spring, to prevent access of female to roots. First 
damage, and greatest, on dry land. Mention and figure of short¬ 
winged Canada form. Authors ridicule Dr. Shimer’s theory of an 
epidemic disease, and attribute destruction to immediate effect of 
wet weather. Estimate damage by chinch bug in Illinois in 1864 
at over seventy-three millions of dollars. Under head of remedies 
discuss burning of winter shelter, scattering straw upon infested 
wheat and burning m spring, burning injured wheat at harvest 
mixing spring wheat and winter rye, arresting movement by 
coal-tar barriers and the application of gas ‘lime to infested 
Under Recapitulation,” four points are mentioned as 
important arid well established: (1) Chinch bugs hibernate as 
adults m rubbish, old straw, corn stalks, under dead leaves, among 
weeds in tence corners, etc., therefore such substances should be 
burned m spring. (2) The earlier in spring small grain is 
sowed the more likely it will be to escape the chinch bug (3) 
the harder the ground where grain is sowed, the less chance for 
chinch bug to penetrate to the roots for deposition of eggs hence 
the importance of fall plowing, and. rolling. (4) A single heavy 
ram immediately checks propagation of chinch bugs; continued 
aeavy rams dimmish their numbers materially; and a long-con- 
mued wet season barely leaves enough for seed another year 
the insect is never ruinously destructive except in sections where 
mere is continued hot dry weather. 
I^ 8 * 11 as an Insect Destroyer. (Prairie Farmer, July 3, 1869.) 
Writing from Boone Co., correspondent says that in July, 1886 
he chinch bugs, while migrating from one field to another, were 
lestroyed by a long cold ram, and he has heard of no damage by 
hem there since. J 
American Entomologist, Nov., 1869, v. 2, p. 51. Entomological 
Jottings. Chinch Bugs. 
From St. Claii Go., June 5, 1869, Col. Fred. Hecker writes that 
leavy rains from the 30th of May to the 4th of June “op¬ 
rated splendidly upon the chinch bugs. A few days before the 
ams all the wheat roots, when examined, seemed alive with the 
mgs. Refers to loss of three acres of corn in 1868 “in spite of 
'lowing and ditching.” L 
S. E.-A3 
