The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-08

ters ''Phar-r-r-r-aoh'' and ''tsh-e-e. ZEE
E-E-e-o-u"
There is no known method of resisting
the attack Of seventeen-year locusts if
they start for an orchard, except to pick
them of by hand. Charles II. Peck sew
enteen years ago made some observations
Of natural enemy of the insect in the
form of parasitic fungi. He says:
1t was found that the seventeen-y year locust,
cicada septendeoin. which made its appear
ance in the Hudson river valley early in the
summer, was attacked by a fungus. The first
specimen OF this kind that saw was taken in
New Jersey and sent to me by the Rev. r. b.
Post. Examination revealed the fact that the
clcadas or "seVenteen-year locust in this
vicinity were also affected by It. The fungus
develops Itself IN the abdomen Of the insect,
and consists almost wholly OF mass Of pale
yellowish or clay -colored spores. which. to
the naked eve, has the appearance Of a lump
OF Whltish clay. The insects attacked by 1t
become sluggish and averse to fight, so that
they can be easily taken by hand. After a
time some OF the poSterior rings OF the abdo-
Strange as IL may seem, the insect may, and
sometimes does, live for time even in this
condition. hough tits not killed at once. 1t
is manifestly iueapacitated for propagation,
said TO prevent to some extent
the injury that would otherwise be done
to the trees in the deposition Of their eggs.
For the same reason the insects Of the next
generation must lie less numerous than they
would otherwise be, so that the fungus may
be regarded as beneficial one. In Columbia
county the disease prevailed to a consdera-
BILE extent. Along the line Of the railroad
between Catskin and Livingston stations
many dead cicadas we're found, not few of
which were killed by the fungoid mass As
the insect makes its appearance only at inter-
walls OF seventeen years. and consequently
will not be seen here again till 1894. II will
scarcely be possible to make any further OBJ
servatiUns upon IL for some time to come yet
1t would G interesting to know how the fun
gus is propasated, or where its germs remain
during during the long interval between the
appearance Of the two generations.
The injuries caused by the red-eyed
cicada are trifiing when the broods are
small, and not extended over a great ex-
tent of territory. Not since 1885 have
the rav2ges been noticeable. When they
appear in the forests, the most recent
growth of twigs, in which they lay their
eggs, generally die, but the trees are not
permanently damaged. In orchards,
however the little twigs which they
blight are the very ones which the next
crop of fruit must hang, if there be any
crop. If they should come this year over
so great territory and in such numbers
as predicted they would seriously affect
next falls supply OF fruit.
The female cicada prefers to deposit her
eggs in hard woods, and apple, pear and
peach trees, as well as grapevines, always
suffer when the locusts appear in large
swarms. In the case of young trees re-
Gently set out, whole orchards of them are
sometimes killed.
Manhattan Island does not see much of
the seventeen-year locust, probably be-
cause vegetation is scarce Mr.. Beuten-
muller refused to make any predictions as
to the extent of this years cicada crop.
He said that so many predictions had
been made in recent years, and so few
locusts had followed the predictions, that
he preferred to wait