116 
The Bulletin 
TIME OF PLANTING 
A series of experiments carried on during 1912 proved very con¬ 
clusively that time of planting is an important factor in the control of 
the corn bill bug. Plats of corn were planted on the following dates: 
March 23, April 13, May 3, June 3, July 3. Careful inspections were 
made of these plats from time to time, and the following rough per¬ 
centages will give an indication of the amount of injury: 
Bate Corn 
was Planted. 
March 23 
April 13 
May 3 . . 
June 3 . 
July 3 . 
Percentage 
Injured. 
.... 6 
.... 37 
.... 74 
.. .. 85 
. . .. 94 
From these figures it seems safe to conclude that in order to grow 
corn successfully in the corn bill bug section of the State it is necessary 
to plant the corn before the middle of April. However, too much de¬ 
pendence must not be placed in this one factor; for if all the other 
elements that go to make up the successful method of control of this 
insect are neglected, early planting alone will not insure a successful 
crop. 
The reason that early planting is successful against this insect is 
undoubtedly because the early corn gets a start and is thus able to keep 
ahead of the attacks of the bugs. In the fields it always seems that 
when corn gets to be about waist high it is no longer much troubled 
by corn bill bugs, but that it is able to continue growing in spite of their 
attacks. Corn planted in late March in the eastern part of the State 
in the usual season has made such a satisfactory growth before the bill 
bugs come out of winter quarters that it continues to grow right along 
in spite of their attacks. On the other hand, corn planted after mid- 
April is ’ just coming up at the time of the greatest prevalence and 
greatest activity of the adults. Fields planted at such times are so 
badly damaged that they cannot produce a satisfactory crop. 
ROTATION OF CROPS 
Rotation of crops is an important factor in the control of the corn 
hill bug, just as it is in the control of other important insect enemies of 
farm crops. This is due apparently to two reasons : (1) To the fact that 
if crops are moved from field to field the insects are forced to move also, 
because, as a general thing, insects which feed on corn do not feed upon 
other farm crops. In forcing the insects to move in this way, the 
chances are that they will not be able to find the new location, and as a 
result will die for the want of feed. (2) When corn is grown continu¬ 
ously on a field for a number of years the food which the corn requires 
