The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-07-05
Our Insect Enemies.

One of the most serious problems
which confront the agriculturist in
these days is how to prevent the destruc
tive operations of the myriads of insects
which prey upon his crops. Every crop
has its special enemy, and often its
many enemies, which attack it in root,
stem, bud, leaf, flower and fruit. Some
of these are old acquaintance, whose
habits are known, and whose ravages
we have learned to check to some extent.
But every year brings to light some
new adversary-perhaps like the Colo
RADIO beetle, a native insect of hitherto
undevelOped sources for mischief, OF
more likely a foreign interlOper which
is smuggled in upon us unsuspectingly,
such as the PieriS rGpR-and every yeal
new methods of fighting them have to
be devised, lest by their rapid multipli-
cation and voracity they destroy the
fruits of the husbandman's labor, an6
bring suffering and distress upon the
whole community.
1t very often happens that for a time
men are utterly helpless in the presence
of these minute but powerful foes. The
stroke sometimes comes with paralyz-
ing suddenness. A field of cotton may
bloom with snowy promise on a given
day, and the next be rendered utterly
worthless by the devouring onslaught
of the terrible army-worm. A host OF
grasshoppers may suddenly march, like
''an army with banners" across the
face of the country. leaving devastation
in its track. And the raVages of the
potatO-bug, the codling moth, the cab
bage-wOrm, and a vast number of Other
destructive insects, have time and again
blasted the hopes of the farmer over
large regions of country, in spite of the
use of every known means of thwarting
their operations. In other cases the
farmer is not taken unawares, but still
finds his utmost endeavOrs to overcome
his innumerable foes but partly success.
full. And as new enemies arise, requir.
ing new ways of battling them. many
are ready to give up the contest as
hopeless, and ''trust to luck to save
their crops.
This is not wise. Perseverance, ener
CIV, careful observation and comparison
of methods with others will often ena.
BILE the cultivatOr to win the fight And
this is duty as well as practical COM
mon sense-a duty not to oneself alone.
but to the whole community, for any.
thing which iniuriOusly affects the farm.
ing interest affects also the professional
man, the merchant, the Mechanic, and
the meanest hand-laborer. 1t is also
wrong to ones farming neighbors to
permit noxious insects to multiply I'M
checked on ones own land. In some
districts, where a few years ago the
currant-wOrm began its destructive ope-
rations, nothing was done to destroy il
until the raising of currants became so
troublesome that every one gave it up
as improbable. The cultivation of the
plum, in the same way, has been largely
intermitted in many localities on ac-
count of the ravages of the curculio.
Yet we have seen in those very places
currants and plums yielding large crops,
because the growers were determined
to have them, and took vigorous
measures to prevent their de
struction. Proper investigation of
the habits of the insects, and
the timely application of appropriate
remedies, would no doubt in every in
stance have been equally successful. 1t
is neglect that does the mischief in most
cases. In dealing with our insect enc
mics, if anywhere, the old rule is appG-
cable;
" If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try again.
| First attempts may fail, but the contest
| should never be given over until success
is attained.
We have written this in the hope Of
| melting our readers who are engaged in
| agriculture, even to the extent of Guilt
waiting a small kitchen-garden to study
the habits of the insects that prey upon
their crops and to make use of such
remedies as they may hear of or read
about to destroy them. Many such
remedies have been recommended in
this department from time to time Try
them and others, and report your sue
cess, and thus do your part at least to
| help the great agricultural interests on
which the prosperity of the country
rests in the contest for the supremacy
with the noxioGs-insect world.-M T.
Examiner.