The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-04-12
NUMBER Is.


There are about Thousand species Of
insects IN this country, says the !Scien-
hfc American, which are injurious to
our GRAN, forage, and field crops, onr
garden vegetables, fruit crops, and for
est and fruit trees. Among them few
are specially destructive. In 1875, Il IL
said, as many as ten thousand settlers
were driven ont of Kansas by gTasshop-
pera. Ia Missouri, according 20 State
Ent1mologiBt Riley, the damage done by
these insects IN 1874 exceeded sl5, ,OO0,-
600, and ha estimates the losses IN other
parts of the West ns twice as much
more, in all, a45. .O00, 900 for one years
support Of these pests. During the
same year, the destruction II growing
crops by the chineh bug amounted 70
SIS, 900, 900 in Missouri alone, just ten
wears before, in Illinois, the same insect
oocaEioned a loss of over S73, 600, 600 IN a
single season. The average annual dam
age % the cotton crop of the country by
the cotton army worm is estimated at
go, 900. 000. The devastating potato
beetle is capable Of dedncting other mil
lions from the annual profits of our agri-
culture, and the thousand other insect
plaques are easily competent b. swell
the aggregate annual board bill Of their
kind % something like 500, 900, 600, ac-
oording % the estimates Of Professor
Packard, whose conclusions on a subject
like this are well worthy Of respect
II this enormous sum, or even half Of
il, could be saved, il wOnld soon amount
10 enough 30 pay the national debt
The question whether il can be saved, or
any portion 0s il, is certainly worth con
sidering Professor Packard is confident
that, with care and fDrethought, based
on the observation of facts by scientific
men. from fifty 10 q hundred million
dollars If this annual loss could easily
be prevented by little cooperation be-
tween the several States and the general
government. he would have the former
emulate the practical good sense Of Mis-
sour and each appoint salnried ento-
mologist Then these gentlemen, acting
IN connection VITA a United States COM
missioner of eutomologists, might Issue
weekly bulletins, perhaps IN combination
with the weather signal bureau, report
ing the condition of the insect world,
forewarning farmers and gardeners from
week to week uf the insect enemies 20
be guarded against, and suggesting the
preventive and remediahle means tina
should be adopted. The cost would be
comparatively slight the possible good
immense
Take for illustration the grasshoppers,
or, more properly, locusts, Of the West
They breed chiefly on the great plains
beyond the Mississippi, from Minnesota
10 Texas. In summers Of unusual dTouth
they multiply enormously, and she sup
ply Of food being short they are forced
10 migrate
Professor Packard tells of a swarm Of
locusts, first observed az Boulder city,
Colorado, which travelled six hundred
niles 10 devastate Eastern Kansas and
Missouri. Its original home was some
where in Wyoming, perhaps two OF three
hundred miles noIthward Of Boulder city.
The locusts fy with the wind; aud a. the
general direction Of the wind in those
parts during the summer season is pretty
well known, the movements of the locust
armies can already be predicted with
t0lerable accuracy. But more knowledge
ia needed. particularly with regard 20 the
meteorological features of the western
country, and the relation Of locust MI
gralions 10 wind and weather. In the
pursuit Of those Investigations, Professor
Packard Justly urges that the meteorolo-
gists and entomologists must 60 hand IN
hand. The government has provided a
well organized corps 81 weather observ-
crs. and the addition Of a few competent
cntomnlogists would increase the outlay
in all probability, be very great. Ii
would certainly be 80 II, as seems by no
means unreasonable. the service should
he able 30 master the conditions Of 10
Gust wears. and be able to tell with a
good degree OF certainty when locust in
vasions are likely b occur, and how they
may be prevented
In his plea for such observations in the
West, Professor Packard observes that
mot only should the bonler States, es-
pecially Texas, Kansas, Nebraska. Mn
nesota, and Iowa, employ entomologists,
following the liberal policy Of Missouri,
which for eight wears has had a State en-
tomologist. whose reports have proved
Of incalculahle practical value 70 the peo-
pie Of that State; but the habits Of the
locust need first Of all 20 he thoroughly
studied in the Territories, particularly in
those Of Wyoming. Montana, Idaho, Da-
kota, Utah. New Mexico. Arizona, and in
the new State Of Colorado. A commits
sion Of entomologists should be appoint
ed 10 make a thorough study Of the To-
Gusts in the Territories mentioned IL
would seem that the recommendation
made at the resent meeting of Western
governor at Omaha, to the effect that
nj preparation be passed by Congress,
and commission be attached 10 the ex-
isting United States geological survey Of
the Territories tHayden's), is the most
feasible and economical method OF secttr-
ing the speediest and best results.
This is but one feature Of the work
that might be done with profit toward
forsstalling the depredations of insects,
regular and periodical; work which
must. sooner or later, be undertaken,
and may ultimately prove as beneficial
to the country as the weather predictions
have been.
HurryIng TO the Store.
IN III