New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-04
Xxi
NsFCTS-RTpDS


If were 70 estimate the average loss per annum
Of the farmers OF this country from Insects at
slO1OJ0.UJJ per anuum, | should doubtless be far
below the mark. The loss Of Fruit alone by the
devastatiOns of insects within radius OF fifty miles
from this CITY must amount in value 20 Millions n
nv neighborhood. the Peach once dOurlshed. but
1ourishes no more and Cherries have been al but
annihiated. Apples We're tA lately our most profit
able and perhaps our most important product; but
the worms take half our average crop and sadly
damage what they do not utterly destroy. Plums
we have ceased TO grow or expect; our Pears are
generally stung and often bhghted; even the Cur
rant has at last It's fruit-destroyng worm. We must
fight our paltry adversaTies efficiently, OF allow
them TO drive Us wholly from the field.
Now have no doubt that best allies in this in
glorious warfare are the Birds. TLev would save US,
if We did not destroy them. The British ploWman
turning lis sod with a myriad Of crows, blackbTds,
&C. chasing his steps and all but getting under his
feet in their eager quest Of grubs, bugs, &c, Is
spectacle TO De devoutly thankful Tor. Whenever
clouds of birds shall habitually darken fields in
MAY and less notably throughout the Summer
months. we may reasonably hope 10 grow fair crops
Of our favorite Fruts from year 10 year and realize
that we owe them 70 the constant, and Jealous,
though Got quite dsiuterested efforts of our friends
the Birds
But do not regard the ravages Of Insects as en-
tireiy due To the reckless destruction and con-
s6quent scarcity of our Birds. | hold that
multiplication and their deyastatiOns are large
y melted by the degeneacy of plants caused by
the badness of our culture On this point, consider
a statement made TO me- some fifteen or twenty
wears ago. by the late Gov. William T. Packer Of
Pennsylvania:
Il know said Gov. p the narrow valley Of a
stream that into the west branch of the Susque-
hanna, which was cleared of the primitive forest
some forty fifty years since, and has ever since
been alternately in tillage and grass A road ran
through the middle Of it, dividing into two narrow
fields few wears ago this road was abandoned,
and the whole Of this little valley including the
roadway. thrown into single field, which was
thereupon sown TO wheat At haryest-time, this re-
markable phenomenon was presented good crop
Of sound grain on the strip four or five rods wide
formerly covered by the road while nearly every
berry on either side of il was destroyed by the weey
OF midge'
Now | do not infer from this fact that insect
ravages are choy due 10 abuse and exhaustion OF
the soil. | presume that Wheat and other crops
woHld be devastated by insects If there were nc
slovenly, niggard exhausting tillage. But &c
firmly hold that at least half our losses by insects
would be precuded if our fields were habitually
| kept in better heart by deep culture, liberal fer
tilizing and judicious rotation of crops. heard
little Of insect rayages in the wheat-feds Of Western
New-York throughout the first thirty years Oh TIM
century; but, when crop after crop OF Wheat hac
been taken from the same fields until they had beef
well nigh exhausted of their Whest-iormlng ele
| ments, we began 10 hear OF the desolatoh "rough
by insects; and those rayages increased IN nsgni
| tnde until Wheat culture had to be abandoned fo
wears. believe that we should have heard little o.
insects had Wheat been grown on those helds bu
one year in three since their redemption from TIL
primal forest.
But whatever might once have been, the PhiLs
tines are upon Us. We are doomed Tor at least
generation, to wage a relentless war against insect
multiplied beyond reason by the neglect and snort
coming, Of our predecessor We are m Ike con
dition with the inhabitants Of the British Isles
thousand years ix0. whose fornfaihers lad By ioA.