The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-01-31

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struction, and SO it does, if you can be sure
of getting at all the eggs; but the breeding
grounds are situated in remote and rugged
districts, to patrol which properly means
very large supply of labor, and even then
it becomes a mere question of eyesight,
which often fails. Up to a certain stage
in its existence the insect creeps but cannot
fly, and it is then that it must be taken
Trapping the non-fying insects is therefore
the feature which forms the salient matter
of Mr.. Browns report, but which will not
be understood by the public without expla-
nation.
The report opens with statement of the
material employed. This consisted Of two
thousand canvas screens, each fifty yards
/ long; one hundred thousand FIVE hundred
square yards of canvas for screens; twelve
/ thousand six hundred and eleven square
yards oilcloth; twenty tons zinc for traps,
and seventy-six thousand one hundred and
eighty-three stakes for the screens, besides
cordage and other minor articles, AS the
reports from the breeding districts came in
it was thought this supply would prove in
sufficient, and Mr. Brown therefore caused
one thousand additional screens to be made
up. and three thousand seven hundred and
eighty traps of new type to be cut out Of
the zinc received from England The
total apparatus, therefore, when operations
began, amounted to eleven thousand and
eighty-three screens, each fifty yards long,
and thirteen thousand and eight traps, with
the necessary complement of stakes, tools
and tents for laborers To give an idea Of
the total length of the screens, it may be
mentioned that, if stretched continuously,
they would form line three hundred and
fifteen miles long, almost enough to encircle
the whole island In order to work all this
material labor was necessary, and accord
ingly contracts were made to maximum
of thirteen hundred and ninety eight
| laborers. ataf 0
This is all very interesting; but what is
the meaning of it? What are screens !?
What is canvass wanted for? What do
they do with oilcloth And what sort Of
traps do they make out of zinc? This is
what Mr.. Brown does not tell us, and this
is exactly the information which propose
to supply The first step in the process is
to begin with little natural history.
The female locust is provided with sort
of sword-like appendage, with which she
makes hole in the ground, in which she
deposits her eggs. Over these she exudes
glutinous matter, which hardens by ex-
posure, in time forming case impervious
to wet, cold, or even fire, the whole re-
sembling small silk cocoon. The number
of eggs in each of these is yariously esti-
mated; some say hundred, others eighty;
but Mr.. Brown by actual experiment finds
that the average may be taken at thirty
two, and that the sexes are produced in
about equal proportion Its not difficult,
therefore, to calculate the rate of increase,
allowing fifty per cent. to be lost through
the operation of natural causes, birds, cat
erpillars, etc. A couple of locusts will
thus produce sixteen individuals or eight
couples the first year; next year the product
will be hundred and twenty eight, or
sixty-four couples; the third year eight
times that; and so on-a calculation which
may be carried on to any length you like,
and which will explain the countless myriads
which everybody has heard of.
The female having performed her duty
in reproducing her species, is of no further
use, and both she and her partner disappear
that is to say, they both die. 1t is a
popular belief in Cyprus that the male eats
the female and dies of the consequent in
digestion But more scientific explana-
ton of the fact is, that as by the end of
July-beyond which locusts are never seen
everything green is burnt up by the sun,
their food fails, and they die of starvation.
There is no mistake about their death;
every open pool of water is full of them,
and the stencil is abominable, and one may
walk along the coast for miles amongst
their dead bodies, washed up by the sea.
The eggs remain in the ground till Matched
by the warmth of the spring sun, which
brings them out early in March. If the
season should be cold or wet, the only eff
feet is to delay the Matching; the eggs never
appear to get added. At the beginning
of April last year the swarms were on the
march, and operations began, and were
continued till the 18th of May, when all
that were left were ON the wing. 1t is by
taking advantage of the habits of the
creature that the greatest success in its de-
struction is achieved The young locusts
as soon as they can crawl go in search of
green food Impelled by this instinct,
they go straight on, turning neither to the
right nor to the left. They are remarkably
short of sense; they can do nothing but
follow their nose, and have not an idea of
turning a corner. If a locust on the march
were to meet with lamp-post, he would
never think of going round it, but would
climb up to the top and come down on the
other side. 1t is by taking advantage of
this steady, plodding perseverance that the
arch-inventor man can make the insect work
its own destruction. Some twenty years
ago Mr.. Richard Mattel, an Italian gentle
man, and large landed proprietor in Cyprus,
made various experiments, which have re-
suited in the employment of the screens
and traps which are mentioned in Mr..
Browns report. The manner of operation
is as follows:
In early spring it was reported to head
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