New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-11
A LOCUST PLAGUE.
SYSTEMATIC MILITARY CAMPAIGNING IN
NORTH AFRICA.

and throughout Northern Africa These have
often devastated the country, and brought famine
and ruin upon the inhabitants. But year by
year, in late times, knowledge OF the scourge
and ingenuity in dealing with it have increased.
The present year has seen terrible onslaught Of
the insect pests, and also a singulary scientific
campaign against them, all along the line The
plague has extended all the way from Morocco to
the Nile. In Egypt, according to Mr. Cookson, the
British Consul at Alexandra, the locusts made their
appearance in vast clouds, settling for the most
part on the banks Of the Nile on the edge OF
the desert, forming large yellow patches easily
discernible at a distance. They at once began to
breed, and although immediate steps were taken to
destroy them, large numbers OF the eggs were
hatebed. An examination Of about thirty deposits
of eggs is said 10 have shown that the usual mum
Der laid by each female is from 81 TO 100. The
Government at once issued the strictest orders to
the Mudirs TO use every possible means TO destroy
the locusts and competent officials were sent round
the country to organize and direct the work Of
determination. Millions Of locusts and eggs were
destroyed, but there still remained large numbers
in the country.
When eggs were discovered either the field was
ploughed up and flooded or the eggs were col
lected and destroyed. The old locusts were easily
destroyed while breeding, but the young crickets.
in the earlier stage, when they were hopping about
in every direction, gave more trouble. The usual
method followed in this TO enclose the spot
in which the criekets found by a number Of
men drawn up in the form of crescent. ditch
was then dug from one horn of the crescent TO the
other, and the men closed in. driving the young
locusts by means Of palm branches into the ditch.
where they were destroyed and buried When the
young locusts were further developed, they ceased
to hop and marched in densely packed armies. II
is at this stage that they said TO he most de-
structive but they are more easily exterminated.
as they move slowly and can be surrounded with
fuel and burned
Earlier in the year the pests made their appear
ance in Tunis, coming from the south in clouds
that darlSened the day. The famous palm
oasis of Tozeur was first ravaged, and then they
spread all over the country. The olive planta-
tons particularly were invaded by them, but
scarcely a square mile of land in the whole
province escaped their attention. The Govern
ment took singularly methodical and energetic
measures for dealing with them. regular signal
service was established AS soon, says Mr.. Drum
mond Hay, the Consu-General, as the approach Of
a swarm was signaled to the military authorities,
troops were Immediately dispatched 10 the spot
and divided into bodies of fifty men, who were
told off to the different vineyards of the estate.
each man being provided with on empty tin pc
troleum and small stick. When the flights
appeared, the men were placed in line and ordered
to strike the cans they advanced in open march
ing order through the vineyards. These measures
were never known TO fail, and are generally ac-
Snowledged TO be far more effective than the en-
pOyment of smoke for soaring away the locusts
and especially where a large tract Of country has
to be covered. The Tunisian Government granted
sums amounting to S2O,s3O TO meet the expendi-
ture in connection with the locust invasion, and
decree was issued by the Bey declaring the
measures adopted by the Government as obligatory
on all propretors farmers and tenants Of land, and
empowering the local authorities, and all agents
employed in Tnc locust campaign, TO impress the
number of inhabitants required for the work Of
destruction even outside their own properties. On
the appearance Of ocusts in lSaidat, instructions
were issued by the Controeur Civil" TO the kaids
and shekhs of his district TO mark the spots where
locusts had alighted and coupled, and il possible,
10 plough up the ground on their departure These
precautionary measures believed 10 havo caused
the destruction of a large percentage Of eggs on
cultivated land where the plough could be en-
pIoyed. The natives were also enioined to collect
eggs and in some of the kaidats they received or
ders to weigh them daily in the presence of the
sheikhs. 1t was thus that between April "a and
May II over sixty tons were collected in the
llaidats of Susa, Djemel and Mehedia. On the
same principle it is reported that 200 gallons
of eggs were collected at Medenine, in the extreme
south of the Regency.
The plan of campaign adopted by the Tunisan
Government against the young lOcusts was as fol.
lows The infested part Of the country was divided
into sections military officer, or civilian, was
placed at the head of each section, with certain
number of soliers under his command and the
power to impress native labor. The chief Of each
section was also provided with two mounted no.
tives whose duty it was 10 patrol incessantly the
country comprised in the section in order 10 ascer
tain and report on the positions Of the young To-
Gusts. These Reconnaissance were OF the utmost
importance, and wherever they were properly at
tended to the surprises were few, and time was
afforded for methodical operations. Experience
has shown that the division of the infected dis
tricts into large sections, under the command OF
captain in the army, has had better results tAan
the experiments first made in the north Of Tunis
of smaller divisions, commanded BY Heutensnts
and sub-lieuenants.
In the districts of Zaghouan and Fahs, where
the struggle is great owing H. the anayOrable
nature OF the country and the intensity OF the In
vasion, the line of defence extended over thirty
five miles along the cultivated plains, boriered on
the southeast by the Zaghouan range OF hills In
the early part of July, when the migration TO the
plains was at the highest point, twenty-five miles
of screens i'll position, and the sections were
supplied with 500 yards Of zinc FOX the traps and
iorty barrels of asphyXiating liquids. Ten miles
leagth of tine screens used for TIE protection
Of farms aud vineyards, AID fifteen miles length
| for field operations.
The sc.eens were composed Of strips Of cotton
| texture, 30 inches long by 80 centims. broad
| During the campaign VI the year many expert
nents were made with view % ascertain the NEST
| scryiceabe and destructive form OF trap. In the
early days the screens were placed IN position 20
| receive the advancing column, with openings
| measuring about live yardS wide ana senl,cir
| cular trench dug across. The trench was MED
| with brushwOOd which was burnt down TO glowing
cnhers This mode OF destruction answered fairly
ueIl ,vbere frpWood was plenfifHl and easily pro-