The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-03
ORR INSECT FOES AND FRIENDS.
Valuable Compilation by a Canadian
Agricultural Professor.
Montreal Witness.

Prof Panton, OF the Ontario Agricnl-
turaI college. has done good work by
putting into accessible shape ana sHaii
COMPASS a vast amount of useful knowl-
edge on our insect foes and how 10 destroy
them In the form of a pamphlet OF
eighty-fve pages he has brought within
the reach OF everybody all that science
and experience, ancient and modern. has
aseertained on this important subject
Few people who have not given the mat
ter special attention. have any idea or the
extent TO which grain. fruit and live stock
are liable 10 injury by insects. There are
nearly 100 species that prey on grain aud
forage crops; upward Of 10 attack yese-
tables; no less than 80 menace the grape,
and Is threaten that king OF fruits. the
apple The pine has rs species as enc
mics: the oak, 500: the elm. 50: the
hickory, TO- the maple, 40. the beech
$50, while the unfortunate willow battles
against 400 insect foes. Besides giving this
formidable array of figures in an intro
ductory chapter. Prof. Panton furnishes
the following statistics to show the I'M
mense loss that is sustained by the h'l-
man race from this source:
1S54-The United States lost N5,O0o,oo0 by
the wheat nudge.
nudge.
1SG4-The United States lost O0o0 by
the chinch bug.
1s7o-New York state lost s5.eoo.0o0 by
the cabbage worm.
Is73-The Southern States lost Sc. COO
by the cotton worm.
ls74-The United States lost S356, 0oa, 600
BY the grasshopper.
ISS4-Canada lost $4,000 by the clover
nudge.
The loss of the United States from in
sects during 1884 is calculated 20 have
been $500 900, 900 and for 1891 $500 900.
II is not supposable that the fullest
knowledge available to man VIII sufice
absolutely to prevent these losses, but the
figures are so enormous that he reduc-
ton of them within smaller dimensions
becomes a matter OF the very greatest i'm
portance.
In the fight with our insect foes we have
a powerful force of allies in those birds
that prey upon injurious insects. Many
Investigations have been made with
view 10 finding out what kinds OF birds
are our friends and helpers in this line.
In some cases it has been found that as
many beneficial as harmful insects were
deyoured Prof. Panton states that the
result of careful examination into the sub
iect has been TO consider the birds named
in the following list as benefactors TO the
farmer, the fruit grower and the garden
er. which should, as far as possible, be
protected and encouraged 10 Increase the
number:
King bird. pewee. nighthawk. swallow.
whip-poor-will American redstart. yell
low-billed cuckoo, bluebird. white-bellied
nuthatch. red-headed woodpecker. high
holder. hairy woodpecker, downy wood
pecker golden warbler, red-eyed ssreenlet,
yellow throated greeniet, Wilson thrush,
brown thrush. catbird. red-winged black
bird, orioie meadow lark. indigo bird.
song sparrow, grass finch. chipping spar
row chewink purple finch, snowhird,
American goldnnch. horned lark. wren.
chicadee. gold-crowned kinglet. ruby
crowned Linglet. crow blackbird and
American creeper.
Prof Panton does not give a list Of the
birds that prey on the beneficial insects.
bat I am inclined TO think it is very
brief one. and until We become able 10
distinguish between our bird friends and
enemies IL will be well that We should re-
gard and treat all the feathered tribe as
our friends and allies.
Lot US not fall into the error Of sup
, posing that all insects are our foes. We
have few friends among them. and
should regard them as all the more valu-
able because Of their fewness. Prof. Pan
ton gives a list Of these as follows: Syr-
phus fly. trachina fly. tiger beetles. ground
beetles. Iadybirds (he familiar song
.Ladybird ladybird. fly away home,
| teaches a prouer sentiment ieduvi IS
soldier hugs. lace-winEed flies. wasps
cuckoo flies. 'fchneumons q" The above
! named insects. Prof. Pauton saws. are o'
great importance in keeping mischievous
| insects under. especially the ichneumons
These are very numerous and prey on Ger
| tain larvae by depositing eggs on their
living bodies These eggs hatch out into
larval ichn4umons that feed on their host
which finally dies About this time the
i-hneumons are ready 70 fly as perfect in
sects Tadvhirds feed on plant lice
ground beetles prey on the potato bee,lo
/ and several caterrilars. while tiger
bottles are great devourers Of several
species 81 insects