The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-20
BUG THAT COST 100000.
1t Was Hunted for Months by Gov
eminent Expedition THAT Finally

Got II.
From the New York Journal
The other day / made trip with Sec
rotary Morton about his preserves. Ev-
cry once in two or three months the see
rotary makes progress through his do
main, which extends as far as the cx-
perimental station at Bennngs near
Washington. D. c.. and about four miles
from what might be called his head
quarters in the Mall. As we stepped out
of the door of the agricultural building,
Secreta~y Merton pointed to a small
brick structure to the east
That's where we keep our Insects he
said, land no one need laugh at the coli
lection. ! regard il as fine an array OF
bugs as any on earth. Yes, sir remarked
the secretary, while his eyes twinkled
for be it known the secretary doesn't
think much of bug Investigations. i've
got a bug in there that cost the govern
ment $50, eco; he doesn't look IT, but he
did. It's fact. one day an outnt or
scientists started in pursuit Of this bug.
They ranged all over the hemisphere
and stuck to his trail like bloodhounds.
They ransacked North America all the
way from the sthmus to Alaska. After
the most remarkable adventures by Hood
and field, they freed their bug and took
him a prisoner. He was then brought
captive to Washington and he's right
there now. in that brick house the high
est-priced bug on earth A roundup OF
came to over $4,000. But we got the bug.
There's nothing like science remark
ed the secretary, "or scientists to bring
some bald detail of government properly
to bay.
For instance, there was Prof Har-
rington, at one time CHER of the weather
bureau. He was scientist, and a good
one, and used only scientific methods In
everything to which he turned his hand.
For example, one day our weather fellow
at Baker city, ore. failed 70 send in q re-
mr. for ct
know whether he was in the midst OF
storms or Gains; we couldn't hear from
him. This Baker City silence grew tedious.
My first notice or il, however was one
morning when | received communica-
ton from Prof. Harrington, wherein he
set forth the death-like stiffness which
prevailed in the case of our Baker City
man and wound up by recommending
gentleman named Smith in San Francisco
be instructed to proceed to Baker City
at an expenditure not to exceed 500 aud
explore the observatory, as well the
man in charge, and discover the seasons
of his silence. 1t struck me as a scien-
tinc case of going all about Robin Hoods
barn and | remarked to the professor after
reading his communication.
- guess we'll follow your recon-
mendatiOn after | have wired him-tha.
is, if it should then be necessary
"Thereupon / tool. a telegraph blank
and wired my tongue-ted friend at Baker
City and briefly asked why he had failed
to send the weather report for the last
four days. In about an hour his reply
came in.
j" Because the wires We're down until
this morning. They have just been re-
THAT was all he said. but it was ful!
| enough for our purpose. OF course, we
didn't get the information scientifically
but we got it just the same, and it only
cost rs cents, instead of 800.
Still. there is nothing like science >"
continued the secretary, only one should
be mighty careful how he fools with it.
A scientific mistake is apt TO broaden
"a 4sfa nraIs
Gently that some earnest French scien-
fist imported from Europe an insect
cross this foreign moth with some local
bird of kindred feather, and while I'm not
clear as to his ultimate expectations, my
impression is that he thought that this
mule moth which he was after would take
some important part in silk culture.
so he brought family OF gypsy moths
and established himself with these inter-
esting insects in some town in Massachu-
sets. He had them all locked up in a
sort of notwithstanding cage. This was
hanging near an open window, In order to
give the captives a chance at the fresh
air, and a wind came along, when the
| Frenchman's scientific back was turned,
| and blew tho whole business out of doors.
| The gypsy moths got away, and since then
| they and their descendants have nearly
eaten up every green thing in Massachu-
/ sets, except Congressman Morse / hear
! the moths missed him. It's the truth; the
| moths simply laid waste the state and
| the legislature has already been driven
| determination That happened as the re-
| suit of that scientific experiment Oh, no!
/ ] am not saying anything against science
l only wish to emphasize the fact that
/ people who fool with II ought to have a
| care"
The experimental station at Bennings
| is only half an hours drive. There are a
! house, barn and outbuildings and about
/ six acres of land. The old lady who owns
/ it wants 100000 as the price of this prop
| erty. However, as she is willing to rent
| it for 5000 a year, Uncle Sam very natu-
| rally prefers the lease system. The outfit
is in immediate charge of a veterinary
surgeon of recognized attachments and
skill Among other matters going on as
an experiment was one which involved a
trio of cats. Only two of them were left
One had died two days before this visit
The martyr cat which had passed away
fell a victim to rats. He had been kept in
a cage and for several months was fed
nothing but rats. Report asserts that to-
ward the last Of his captivity he was the
sickest looking cat ever seen in these
beguiled the day with mournful bowling
well do who looked forward to nothing
but future filed with rats. The expert
ment was not for the purpose of making
any test of the nutritive qualities of rats
flesh. Rather, it was an experiment in
trichinae. The microscope had show that
of all the animals Of earth or air none
is so loaded to the guards with trichinae
as the common everyday rat. His red
flesh fairly squirms with them
The purpose of nothing but rats as