J[ohnson], B. F.—[Letters from Champaign County, Illinois, in 
Farmers’ Review.] 
Aug. 25, 1881, v. 7, p. 121. “In case rain enough does not fall 
between this time and October 15, the chinch bugs will be pretty 
sure to take the new crop of wheat as soon as it is above the 
ground, as they did in the fall of 1874. * * * I suggest that 
rye be sown in the place of wheat, for the several reasons that it 
is comparatively indifferent to a dry seed-bed, may be sown any 
time in October, repels the chinch bug[?], and will not be injured 
by any amount of cold and dry weather.” Sept. 15, 18" 1, p. 169. 
Corn full of chinch bugs whether near small grain stubbles or re¬ 
mote. Recently saw them flying in swarms. Predicts injury to 
fall wheat if sown early. [Also in Prairie Farmer, Sept. 17, 1881.] 
Oct. 20, 1881, p. 249. Wheat doing well, the chinch bugs having 
been greatly reduced in number; but corn was in poor condition 
to stand two or three weeks of rain at high temperature, having- 
been dwarfed by late planting and drought and the sap-sucking 
chinch bugs. 
i Bush, J. G.—The F. R. Club. Morgan and Scott Counties. (Far¬ 
mers’ Review, Sept. 8, 1881, v. 7, p. 153.) 
With the general unfavorable weather and chinch bugs, it is a 
wonder that crops are so good as they are. 
French, G. H.—Katydids vs. Chinch Bugs. (Prairie Farmer, 
Sept. 17, 1881.) 
Quotes a respectable farmer as authoiity that Katydids eat 
chinch bugs. 
i Riley, C. Y.—The Chinch Bug. (American Naturalist, October, 
1881, v. 15, p. 820.) 
The connection between meteorological conditions and the in¬ 
crease or decrease of the chinch bug, has long been recognized by 
entomologists. Generalizing from chronological data on this point, 
Prof. Thomas, a year ago, predicted that the insect would prob¬ 
ably be bad in J881. The recent chincli-bug convention at Wind¬ 
sor, Kansas—the first ever held in the United States—is evidence 
of the disastrous character of its ravages in the West. A large 
number of farmers were present and adopted a resolution to 
abandon the culture of wheat for a time. It would have been 
well for the farmers of that region if they had heeded the recom¬ 
mendation of Prof. Thomas that this year large areas of oats be 
sown. The chinch bug has been quite common in all parts of the 
country the present season. In August it injured rice fields near 
Savanna, Georgia; and in July was noticed in great numbers on 
“sand-oats” and other grasses on the dunes of Fortress Monroe, 
Virginia. 
