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Show Rotation Plan to Foil Chinch Bugs Locate Legume Crops So as to Isolate Small Grain, Corn and Grass. By A. L. Lng. Asst. Chief of Soil Experiment Experi-ment Fields, University of Illlnoli. WNU Service. Threatened with the heaviest chinch bug infestation ever recorded in the history of the state, Illinois farmers should consider revising their rotations as a means of partially protecting their 1034 corn crop. By this is meant the location of legume le-gume crops in the rotation so as to Isolate the small grain, corn and grass fields where the chinch 'bugs are prone to breed and feed. It has been proved that legumes are distasteful to this Insect pest, and separating the bug's "favorite" crops with legumes is suggested sug-gested as one of several control measures. meas-ures. Furthermore, the addition of one or more legumes will Improve the fertility of the land on which they are grown. A five-year rotation supplying this dual purpose may consist of corn, outs, clover, corn and soybeans. In this case, not only is 60 per cent of the farm in legumes, but 80 per cent is in cash crops. One crop of corn is completely set off between two legumes, le-gumes, which in many cases will prevent pre-vent serious damage from chinch bugs. The fact that the oats field will have a spring seeding of clover may deter rapid multiplication of the insects in this crop, if the clover gets a strong, early start. When wheat is grown with a maximum maxi-mum of corn, a rotation of corn, corn, beans, wheat and clover can be planned. An important feature of this combination is that the small grain crop, which is always the early breeding breed-ing ground of the chinch bug, is isolated iso-lated from the corn crops by a legume on either side. With a good, growthy spring seeding of clover in the wheat, this crop is not susceptible to the bugs. Where a four-year rotation of corn, oats, wheat and clover is followed, a protective revision would be to substitute substi-tute soybeans for the oats. This would carry the isolation advantages of the wheat rotation above and, with a good stand of clover in the wheat, would keep 75 per cent of the land In legumes throughout the growing season, |