Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-08-29
yv,, -
The Gentle COckrOacIl- of a
Domestic Pest. -,-

Inquiries made in Paris by Stronin,
and In Berlin by Ehlert, show that the
valuable character of the cockroach as
a scavenger and sanitary agent has not
been moderated by the ignorant classes.
Stronin says that in all those quarters
OF Paris where the paper ard paste are
accumulated the people encourage the
multiplication of these insects, and
even undertake to tame and breed
them, and he attributes their immunity
from cerehro-spinal meningitis and
kindred diseases in a great part to this
fact. A recent writer in the North
American Review, whose sanitary in
formation and statistical style lead to
the suspicion that he holds an official
position, states that the journeyman
bakers of this and other cities have
long been aware of the preference
which this insect has for putrescent
farinacious food. "The cellars where
the work is DONE" he says, swarm
with these animals, and in one place,
occupied by Germans, found that the
vessel in which they kept their yeast,
and which was never covered from the
air, for obvious reasons, was fayorite
resort of the cockroaches. The yeast
every morning was thick with them,
and the workmen before using it were
In the habit of carefully straining the
animals out through a coarse sieve"
The same writer naively remarks "that
such is the firm belief of certain bakers
in the sanitary efficacy of the insect
that they frequently insert it in the
loaves themselves"
The awakening Of public attention to
this hitherto neglected but valuable
animal has also led to the discovery that
there are, in certain English seaport
towns, distinct class of cockroach fan
ciers. This fact and the success of the
importation of English sparrows in
destroying the measuring-worm NUS
ance led no doubt to the recent attempt
to import English cockroaches. These
insects are not unlike our own blatta
orientalis. The box containing 5000,
which was recently sent to the Paris
Commissioners from Hull, were blooded
insects, and it was said had been crossed
with the kakerlac of South America.
Experiments instituted by commission
for the purpose of ascertaining the
voracity of the breed were perfectly
satisfactory. 1t was calculated that 400
of the animals would clean bill board
IN an hour. This is an important con
sideration if, as DR.. Birdsdahl insists,
"a billboard, all things being equal, is
equivalent to the death of 300 people,"
At meeting Of the Entomologists in
Salem, Mass, last week, number of
cockroach breeders were present on in.
vitation and very interesting exhibi-
ton was made of insects. 1t was there
shown that the English breed is supe-
rior to all Others for scavenger purposes,
and, what is of no less Importance, it
was contended that the popular anti pa
thy to the Insects groundless, the animal
being harmless, and capable of the
greatest affection for the keeper.
Now that the cultivation of the cock
roach is becoming an intelligent pursuit
directed by scientific knowledge and
prompted by sanitary motives, we shall
doubtless soon have the insects intro
duced into the parks and streets under
such regulations as will protect them
from the malice OF small boys and the
depredations of kindred ANIMALS.