The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-10-25
Modern Locust Plaques.

Recent events have enabled the world
to realize more easily than before. the
dread significance of plague of locusts,
says the Pail Mall Gazette. Tho locust
no longer revives "reminiscences of
Pharaoh and the exodus; it is terribly
real scourge of the modern world.
Europe is now invaded, and in Russia,
SPAN and Portugal, locusts have turned
into barren deserts the most fertile
provinces. Though their enemies are
numerous and hundreds Of thousands
are killed by birds of prey and all sorts
of, animals, their numbers do not de-
crease, and until very lately little syste
matte effort has been made to oppose
their advance. The Island OF Cyprus is
notable as being one of the first places to
take up weapons against the foe. Said
Pasha, in 1857, showed firm determine.
ton to enforce the regulations for the
destruction of locusts, and his official
progress from village to village, preach
ing war against the locusts, had such ex-
cellent results that o few years later
it was officially announced at Con-
stantinople that the locusts in the island
of Cyprus had been completely de-
stroyed. One of the measures which
proved most successful was the simple
expedient of compelling each ratepayer
to collect sufficient locust eggs to fill a
large measure, which were then de-
stroyed either by being buried in deep
pits or by being burned. But notwith-
standing all precautions, few Of the
eggs escaped, and Miss Gordon Cum
ming gives an interesting account of the
locust war in Cyprus in the current
number of The Nineteenth Century.
They increased and multiplied in so
frightful q ratio that by the summer of
1880 their vast swarms threatened CO.
lamity to the island" The British au.
thorities set to work in earnest to cope
with the insect. The measure of locusts'
eggs to be collected by each ratepsyer
reduced in size, and instead Of being
made compulsory, as in the case in Tur-
key, the working Of locusts' traps was
paid for. II the measure fixed by the
government was not filed, fine wss
imposed. and BY this means trade in
locusts' eggs sprung up, tho searchers
who were not lucky aud those who had
no taste for locust egg hunting, buying
their share from more fortunate or in.
dustrious brethren. The quantity col
lcCt<70 III 1ot0 WOo oOoos ~ sonSS Az VIC
following yesr it reached the enormous
total OF 236 tons. The destruction Of
locusts' eggs, successful as it proved, Was
only one single battle in the locust war.
To destroy the coming generation was all
very we'll, bat in the meantime the liv.
ing host marched on, ravaging and de-
vaststing the land. For their destruction
moro than 5000 locust traps In the form
OF bitches were arranged in such way
as to make escape impossible; 60OO
cloth locust screens. ingeniously devised
by Said Psshs, he'd to be manufactured,
the cost of which. together with the ex-
peuses for tools. material. transport,
payment Of laborsrs, and Sl2 900 900
paid for locusts' egg, amounting to
E32 ,0O0, 900 in the year ending June,
1882 In the spring OF last year more
than IL. 900 tons Of locusts were destroyed
in single district. The plans for the
destruction Of locusts this year have
been changed. and instead Of collecting
the eggs every preparation has been
made Tor extsrminating the hordcs when
they eventually dominance their march.
Tho locusss bs1ng indigenous 70 Cyprus,
il IL hoped that, - the population IN
oreases and cultivation extsnds, toeu
they will b. altogsthss eradicaesd, when
the barron phases ON which shs locusta
exclusively lay thsir eggs. aee used Sos
The cultivsHion u vins, olives. corn a.d
cotton. 4 vssy interesting acseans q IN