Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-31
INInRIous INsEcrs. 20.

Mr.. w. II. Yeomans the well-known Con-
necticut agriculturist, writes to the Massa-
chusetts Pioughmau, that bulletin of the
North Carolina experiment station devoted
to the subject Of injurious insects, states
that these injurious insects are rapidly on
the increase. and their ravages are yearly
becoming more bunaensome TO the farmer.
He suggests that it might be well to look
for the cause in the case
In the first place, he continues, It must
be remembered that the power of repro
duction is very great in some species of in
sects, and with no counteracting efforts
in their destruction, the increase must be
very rapiu 1t is quite probable that
even with vigorous efforts put forth
for the destruction of the many insect
pests that are visitors to the farm, there
would be enough escape to cause consider
able destruction Of crops; but it is with
the destruction OF insect enemies, very
much as It is with noxious weeds, although
combined effort would certainly accomplish
much The facu that there is no real
union of effort is reason why
there is an increase of the in
sects themselves. We look upon GER
tain noxious weeds as a veritable pest
and a few of US may make a practice Of
pulling them up so soon as seen to prevent
their spreading, but what are our neigh0ors
doing in that directionl If the neighbor
leaves those noxious weeds to grow and
seed on his place, in most cases the winds
will bring many of their seeds to US, and
we shall next year have well nigh as fun
crop of the pests as would have happened
had we allowed the weeds to ripen onour
own lands.
It is Just the same with insects; though
one farmer may be reasonably successful
in the destruction of insects upon his own
crops, unless his neighbors enter upon the
same line of effort, there will be an increase
instead of decrease, and to the one who is
alive to the necessities of the case and con-
tinues efforts at destruction, there is i'm
posed an additional burden.
Although, as general thing, farmers in
the ordinary operations upon the farm act
independently of one another, in certain
lines there should be unity of action; this is
especially true in matters in which all are
interested, and wherein all are to be bene-
flied alike; this is the case in such matters
as the destruction of noxious weeds and in
furious insects.
1t is probably difficult to estimate the
actual damage that results to farmers from
these two sources, but it is certain to be
enough to warrant the putting forth Of an
effort in the way of prevention.
As already stated, injurious insects APP
pear to be on the increase. 1t is possible
that the same might be correctly said with
reference to noxious weeds. For instance,
onlya few years ago, referring to insects,
farmers were unaware of insects injurious
to corn, if we except the corn worm (boll
worm) that occasionally appeared in the
roasting ear" Now you can scarcely find
an ear of corn that has not had that pest
into 1t; then, in addition to this we have
the spindle worm" in the roots of the
plant, the bud worm, - the 'chinch bug"
the ''hill worm, F." the "bill bug" and "corn
plant lice"
Then, taking the general class of grains
and vegetables, there are more or less
pests for every variety, and they appear to
have come to remain if no opposition is
made.
When most of those insects began to
make themselves conspicuous. as well as
insects on other species of plants, it was
thought that the visitation was only tenn
porary, and soon the pests would pass
away, but that hoped-for soon" has not
yet appeared. and from present indications
is not to appear at all, therefore there is
but one thing left Us to do, and that con-
sists in fighting the pests. If we could
fight them in unison, we might stamp them
out to a large extent, but so long as a por-
ton of our farmers remain Indifferent and
allow the species to propagate on their
places there is little ground upon which to
found hopes of fewer injurious insects.
In many portions of the country our
farmers are organized ostensibly for the
good of agriculture, and no doubt they are
trying to do all the good they can, but IN
fortunately they seem to think, as a too
common rule, that all the bad to be fought
lies in man. But here lies something
well worthy of their lance, and something
promising to do them more harm than any
thing else could possibly do. Let them
band against these insect and weed enc
mics 50 as to bring about such concert of
action as viii lead to determination. When
this great work has been accomplished then
let them cast about for other worlds to
conquer.