The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-07

vide against the losses thus incurred.
1t will be seen by the reader that in
studying the habits of the locust the
observation of the meteorologists
and entOmolOgists must go hand in
hand. The Government has provided
a well organized corps of weather OBJ
servers, and we submit that a few
competent entomologists should take
the field under Government auspices;
Not only should the border States,
especially Texas, Kansas. Nebraska,
Minnesota and Iowa employ entomolo-
gists, following the liberal policy of
Missouri, which of eight years has had
State entomologist, whose reports
have proved of incalculable practical
value of the people of that State, but
the habits of the locust need
first of all to be thoroughly studiedin
the Territories, particularly in those of
Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Dakota,
Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and in
the new State of Colorado. A com.
mission of entomologists should be
appointed to make a thorough study
of the locust in the Territories men,
toned. 1t would seem that the re.
Communications made at the recent
meeting of the Western Governors at
Omaha to the effect that an appropria-
ton be attached to the existing United
States Geological and Geographical
Survey of the Territories (Hayden's),
is the most feasible and economical
method of securing the speediest and
and best results.
Let us for moment look at the loss
es sustained in the United States from
the attacks of insects. The annual ag-
ricultural products of this country by
the last census amounted in value to
So, 500, 100000. OF this amount we in
all probability annually lost upwards
of 5000, 900, 900 from insects alone at
least were it not for the attacks of in
sects our agricultural products would
realize so much more. Prof. Riley
AYERS that the losses during 1874 in
Missouri from locusts exceeded $l5,.
100000. This would make the losses
in other parts of the West at least twice
as much more, or $45, ZOO. 900 in all.
the estimated money loss occasioned
by the chinch Dug in Illinois in 1864
was over 73,O00,0OO in Missouri in
1874 in is estimated by DR.. Riley to
have been $19,000,O00. The average
annual loss to the cotton crop from the
attacks of the cotton army worm alone
is estimated at $50, ZOO, 900. Adding to
these the losses sustained by the at
tacks of about Thousand other species
of insects which affect our cereals,
forage and field crops, fruit trees and
shrubs, garden vegetables, shade and
ornamental trees, as we'll as our hard
wood and pine forests and stored
fruits, and it will not be thought, an
exaggeration to put our annual losses
at about 5000, 100000.
If the people OF this country would
only look at this annual depletion,this
absolute waste, which keeps her agri-
cultural community poor, and which
drags her backward in the race with
the countries of the Old World, they
might sec the necessity of effectual
preventive measures in restraining.
the ravages of insects. With care and
forethought based on the observation
of facts by scientific men, we believe
that from $50, 100000 to $lOO,OOO,O0O,
or from one-quarter to one-half of
this annual waste could be saved to
the country. And the practical, most
efficient way is for the States to CO.
operate with the general government
in the appointment of salaried entom-
ologists, who should, perhaps, combine
the results of the State officials and
issue weekly bulletins, perhaps in COM
bination with the reports of the
Weather Signal Bureau, as to the con-
ditions of the insect world, forewarn-
ing farmers and gardeners from week
to week as to what enemies should be
guarded against, and what preventive
and remedial measures should be ad-
opted. The Weather Signal Bureau,
first suggested and urged by the late
I. A. Lapham, was not instituted with
out ridicule and opposition, but it has
saved millions to our commerce and
agriculture. The maintenance of an
chronological commission and the ap-
pointment of State entomologists