The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-03
fntomoloQifal,
lSy Prof. SfElY&hOnds.

seminated. Just as the white OF
the Old World has invaded our fields
and pastures, so noxious forms of IN
sect life have sprung from obscure 10
c~alities until asst areas have been laid
waste. Even the broad Atlantic i'm
poses but a slight barrier in these days
Of commercial enterprise as may now
be seen in the struggle OF our Potato
Beetle to effect a landing on the coast
of Europe. Our apple crop suffers
yearly from a pest-the apple worm
or codling moth-long e brought
from across the sea, and the dreaded
Hessian fly, SO injurious to the wheat,
is said to have been introduced in
straw brought by the Hessian troops
in 1916.
But there are foes uithin as well as
without a national domain. The time
is comparatively short in which the
Rocky Mountain grasshopper has laid
waste a region extending from tie
British possessions to the Gulf.
Famine has followed and chow shall
we protect our crops" has become a
question of vital Importance.
Recognizing this, our government
has in the field a commission consist
ing of Professors Riley. Packard and
Observation-Disclosures of the first
rank-whO by earnest study and re-
search on endeavoring to solve the
difficult problem.
While some parts of our country
suffer more than others, there is no
locality absolutely free from insect
pests, hence the need of cooperation
on the part of farmers and fruit-grOw-
ers with men of science who by their
study of the more common forms, as
the June Bug" and curculio, are en-
deavOring to restrain their depl eda-
tons.
To many there is a seeming increase
in insect life. We suffer more, it is
said, than the early settlers. This is
quite likely the case, and why? Civil
lization chanhes a changes a country
not only in respect to its people, but
to a large extent it modifies Nature.
The timber is felled and cult, ated
plants take the place of the indigen-
GUS. Many insects easily adapt them
selves to theil new surroundings /;
birds and other animals which to a
greater or less extent held them in
check are destroyed ; food is album
dant the conditions are on every side
exceedingly favorable to propagation +;
and thus it happens at times their in
crease is SO rapid as to carry everything
before them.
In this country, too, the want of CO
operation on the part of those engaged
in the same pursuit is a pressing need.
Brown, more enterprising than those
about him-can | not say more Scien-
tyfc 1wishing to promote the growth
and bearing qualities Of his trees, be-
gins a course of experiment and in
vestigation upon some form of nox-
ious insect. Naturally his next door
IiClSIiDoI IL W hSlp HILL, Dut
Green is a farmer of the old school.
1T amt no sort a use" he will say and
refuses his aid. Insects are not linn
tied by fences. Browns trees which
he has carefully guarded during the
fruiting season are infested by the
~curcuIjOs from Green's trees Just over
the wall. The experiment fails sim
ply from the want of unity. And so
it is with a noXious weed. No matter
how pains-taking Brown may be, his
fields are seeded from those of his
neighbor.
We fail to nip" a ''pest" in the bud
and like a spark of fire it is beyond
our control before we are aware of it.
In warfare against pests-whether
animals or plants-remember the es-
sential thing-irst Of all and before all
others-is COOPERATION.
What are we doing for entomology
in this State? Already at Chapel Hill
we have the nucleus of a valuable col
lection. Since the first of September
last we have brought together some
twenty cases of insects from that To-
cality alone. We desire insects from
all parts of this State, especially those
injurious to vegetation. In making a
collection the following data should
always accompany each specimen.
LIST, Date of capture. 2nd. Where
found. 3rd. If possible upon what
plant.
University of North Carolina. De-
cember -. 1877.
We learn that the ladies of the
Newbern church fitted M a LARGE hoy