Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-11-13
A LOCUST PLAGUE.
SYSTEMATIC MILITARY CAM
PAfGN AGAINST THE PEST.
Ingenious Methods of Dealing With
the scourge in Egypt and Tunis
Ten Miles of Screens
Aspbyxiating Fluids.

plaques in Egypt and throughout North
ern Africa. These have often deyas-
tated 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 been increased. The past year has
seen terrible onslaught OF the insect
pests, and also a singulariy 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 or on the edge of the desert,
forming large yellow patches easily dis
cerniblc at a distance. The Govern
ment at once issued the strictest orders
TO the Mudirs to use every possible
means TO destroy the locusts, and COM
petent 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 plowe up and flooded or the
eggs were collected 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 case was to enclose the spot in which
the crickets were found by number OF
men drawn up in the form of crescent.
A 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 de-
velopcd, they ceased to hop and marched
in densely packed armies. 1t is at this
stage that they are said to be most de-
structive, but they are most easily
cxterminated, as they move slowly and
can be surrounded with fuel and burned.
Earlier in the year the pests made their
appearance in Tunis, coming from the
south in clouds that darkened the day.
The famous datc-palm oasis of Tozeur
was first ravaged, and then they spread
all over the country. The olive planta-
tions particularly were invaded By them,
but scarcely square mile Of land in
the whole province escaped their
attention. The Government took
singularly methodical and energetic
measures for dealing with them. A
regular signal service was established.
As soou, says Mr. Drummond Hay, the
Consul. General, as the approach OF
swarm was signalled to the military
authorities, troops were Immediately dis
patched to the spot and divided into
bodies of fifty men, who were told of
to the different vineyards Of the estate,
each man being provided with an empty
tin petroleum can and a small stick.
When the flights appeared, the men
were placed in line and ordered to strike
the cans as they advanced in open
marching order through the vineyards.
These measures were never known TO fail,
and are generally acknowledged to be
far more effective than the employment
of smoke for soaring away the locusts,
and especially where large tract of
country has to be covered. The Tunis-
ian Government granted sums amounting
to $40, $50 to meet the expenditure in
connection with the locust invasion, and
a decree was issued by the Bey declaring
the measures adopted by the Government
as obligatory on all proprietors, farmers
and tenants of land, and empowering the
local authorities, and all agents employed
in the locust campaign, to impress the
number of inhabitants required for the
work of destruction even outside their
own properties.
The plan of campaign adopted by the
Tunisian Government against the young
locusts was as follows. The infested part
of the country was divided into sections.
A military officer, or civilian, was
placed at the head OF each section, with
a certain number Of soldiers under his
command and the power to impress ma
tive labor. The chief Of each section
was also provided with two mounted ma
tive,, whose duty it was to patrol inces-
sautly the country comprised in the Sec
tion in order to ascertain and report on
the positions of the young locusts.
In the districts of Zsghouau aud Fahs,
where the struggle is greatest, owing to
the unfavorable nature Of the country
aud the intensity OF the invasion, the
line of defence extended over thirtyfiye
miles along the cultivated plains, Dor.
dered 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 were in position, and
the sections were supplied with 500 yards
of zinc for the traps and forty barrels Of
asphyxiating liquids. Ten miles length |
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