The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-06-27

OF tTeation-Ohtcf Function is to
Keep Down superabundant vegeta-
tion-Many Varieties Are Injurious.
DIR. l.. .. Howard, the entomolo-
gist. or bug hunter" of the Depart
ment ii Agriculture, is a true friend
of .he insect world and takes the
ground that they have their rights and
privileges as we'll as their uses in the
great plan of creation. He believes
that an insect which eats our potatoes
Is only an enemy because we want the
| potatoes, too, and that the insect has
as much right to the potatoes as we
have. 1t is pressed by the common
necessity of maintaining itself, and
there is every evidence that the potato
was intended as much for the insect
as for humankind. Man is but one
of the forms of life that are struggling
for existence" said Dr. Howard yes
terday, 'and by virtue of his surpass-
ing intelligence attempts to dominate
all other species in nature. The
struggle of other forms of life to ac-
commodate themselves TO the condi-
tions brought about by his rapid de-
velopment is one of the most interest
| ing subjects of study for biologists.
| 'AAN NOholutililb NutlltI luSeCIS are
| injurious or beneficial to man is one
of its most fascinating features. The
popular conception Is that they are
wholly injurious. Everybody can oh.
serve the damage they do TO crops aud
their annoyance TO people and ami
mails, but there are good many
| things to be said in their favor that
are known only to scientists We can
summarize their injuries and benefits
as follows: They are injurious
q. As destroyers of crops and other
valuable plant life.
80. As destroyers OF food, dwell
ings, clothing, books, etc.
SO. AS injuring live stock and other
useful animals.
81. AS annoying mankind.
80. AS carriers Of disease
con the other hand they are bene-
fetal
81. As destroyers of injurious in
sects.
''2. AS destroyers obnoxious plants.
''3. AS pollenizers of plants.
81. AS scavengers.
-. AS makers of soil.
GO. AS food for man, poultry, birds,
fishes, and as clothing aud for use in
the arts.
zone of the chief functions of in
! sect life is to keep down superabun-
! dant vegetation" continued DIR. How
ard. "Almost every cultivated crop
! has thousands upon thousands of in
sect enemies. a tabulation of the
enemies of the apple already recog-
| nj h, /.
species, of clover eighty-two species,
aud of so new crop as the sugar beet
seventy species. The late Professor
Riley estimated the average annual
damage to cultivated crops by injuri-
Gus insects in the United States
amounted to $500, 900, 600. The loss
from the chinch bug alone during one
year was estimated at $50, 600, 900, but
the money value of the crops harvest
! ed is always SO much greater than 1t
would be otherwise that these esti-
mates of damage should be expressed
in some other measure than money
value. The damage done by insects
to agriculture has given rise to n new
branch of applied science known as
economic entomology, in which Amer
lea leads the world
There is hardly any product Of
mans ingenuity which is not damaged
or destroyed by insects; even metal is
not exempt, since there are instances
of the destruction of lead pipes by in
sect Larvae and the perforation of the
metal Innings of water tanks by small
beetles.
"All species of animals have their
insect parasites, which make their
lives burden to themselves and a
trial and loss to their owners. Some
years ago tho editor of the Farmers
Review estimated that the loss to the
animals in the Union Tstockyards ut
Chicago from the attacks of single
insect, the OK hot fly, or OK MARBLE.
for period of six months was SO, 33G, q
$50.