The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-05
HERE ARE BLAST0PHAGAS.
AN ANCIENT FAMILY OF THE oRIENf
INDUCED TO IAMIGRATE.
the Cross Fertilization of Fiss-They
Have Been Used for Centuries Abous
tho Meditsrrnnean-N Work q, The m, Her.

Insects Whose Mission In Life IL to Produce
the Cross Fertilization of Fias-They
Have Been Used for Centuries Abous
tho Mediterrancan-work fer Them Here.
WARRINGTON. Oct 28.-Prof J.. O. Howard.
Chief Entomologist Of the Department Of
Agriculture, Is ready to introduce 10 his
fellow bug hunters OF the United States
his latest acquisitions. After many years
Of endeavor, aided by Mr.. Swingle also
Of the Department Of Agriculture, he has
finally succeeded in inducing Mr.. and Mrs
Blastophaga grossorum Of Naples Greece Smyr-
ma and the Orient TO immgtate 10 the United
States They accompanied by a half million
Of their sisters and their cousins and their aunta
and their arrival in this country has created much
interest among scientific men Every celebrated
bug hunter is anxious for personal Acquaintance
with the newcomers. This unusual interest
on their part Is better understood when II 10
known that this is the first time perhaps In $500
years that any members Of the Blastophaga fam
ily have been 50 far away from home. The Blas,o-
phagas were an ancient and honorable family
at the beginning Of the Christian era. Very
naturally, therefore, they were opposed to shifts
aud changes. and until the matter taken
in hand by DIR. Howard all efforts 10 induce them
To settle in the tinted States were failures. His
reputation as bug hunter was probably known
To the Blasicphags family and like Davy Crock
cts coon. they submitted to the inevitable.
Prof Howard and his new friends recently
started from Washington for Fresno. Cal, where
In the valley Of the Fresno the new arrivals sili
bc settled and put at work. Prof. Howard uav-
cllod in the Pullman car. his charges in the mail
| Car forward. The BlastOphagas will find upon
| arriving in Fresno splendid, roomy house con-
structed by this Government for their exclusive
use II has glass roof and glass sides and under
its shelter the new arrivals are expected 10 begin
| the labor they were brought so many thousands
81 miles TO perform. Yee, they came TO tho United
States TO work. Prof. Howard choerfully admits
II. But there can bc no possible conflict with the
| Contract Labor law. because the BlastophagaS,
as BELTS family Of their proud standing In the
| insect world, have no rivals in their business.
Their spccialtyis the capri1cauon Of the fg.
| Caprihcauon il process practsed in tho ooun-
tries about the Mediterranean from earliest times.
and considered essential by the growers Of Smyrna
fgs. To insure capnHcaion tho peasants Of tho
| Orient suspend socalled capnfgs In tho branches
| forming. From two six Of the capriHgs, which
| look exactly like, small hard. green 6gs. are
into tho branches These capiifss are the fruit
Of the male form Of the tree Of which tho ordinary
edible s B In c ssps , S. Soss suss
fruit nlicd with lI'ue gals from which issue mi
Thee s oPens hsT way Sas q f..
:s'ss ST. IL s:diaafS female !a.. d.ssisSss
flowers inside the female fg which thus becomes
iertililed and hpens good seeds, an action benc-
venting the ass from dropping on whom Raif
grown. and, second. from tho rich nutty navor
which the seeds give to tho fruit enhancing i's
Ii s absolutely Necessary TO eaphfy the bes.
unable TO compete with Smyrna Algeria, Italy,
Greece and Asia Minor In the production Of dried
| the BlaatODhaQa family work in hf dp ha
1hore has been none OF these insects in tho Unite.
ss anna as adasS po 81 g re " E
dried fruit industry: For twenty years oil pr.
ys.e attempts TO introduce the caprihg and tho
fore, Prof Hcwerd is all the more concerned about
the welfare OF his immigrants and spares neither
Glance briefly at these newest arrivals in the
industrial field and note some details Of common
man biped d The Far East ' Mr. Biassopha "a
believes in thIusiing The heavy resp9nsbilite.
%. ' Bo +. 'sss = HI ii"
h b. %I Of q.
| 10 condition where labor is an impossibiliiy.
lie is a bute head, with the large abnormal ull.
n He IS abpst s Sn Of an HcS
long. and Is wingless degraded creature, emallc-
than the is%rr Ugh. brown IN colo! o
Legged on cabshS blinking a. A. The sky M.
desSpon Of The nsects and heir %oiS and
| even at that remote period the male Blastophaga
was an ider He is the village loafer the corner
! grocery frequcnter ri the insect world. He spends
The greater part Of his life in idle gossip with his
fellow wtngcss male companinns
And Mrs. Blasbphhga? Prof. Howard, vet
Gran bug hunter that he is, can find no words to
female Is about ono Steenh Of an inch long.
She is black and shiny. whereas her mate Is q
brown. She Is winged and has a long sunger.
She is the incarnation OF activity and usefulness
from the time the envelope 81 the caprfg con-
tanning her and her mate is broken, IN the umo
when she is smothcred 10 death by the migrate
full flower she has fortified. lnimed atcly uron
leaving the caprtg the female Blnstophng
enters the young caprihgs Of the succeeding genera
ton and lays an egg in each II the gall flowers.
Having thus provided for Insterty, she prepares
for the more serious duty Of her life mission. tho
cross fertilization Of the edible female FIX, with
the wild, male ig, So that the commercial value
of the crop thus obtained may be many times
increased. The fidelity Of the female Blasto-
phaga u her work is all the more " he commended
when IL is understood that the female fig tree IL
q vcritablc death trap 10 the insect from which
IL gets fertility. Because 81 the peculiar com
struction Of the flowers 81 the female liz. the Bias
tophaga is unable Ia lay ito eggs therein. 10
carries the pollen Of The male flower 10 the reccI,-
tive female flower and is then rev arded by being
snothcred 20 death in the petals, An untimely
end for 80 useful an insect whose entire life IL
devoted 10 promoting prosperity and plenty for
mankind
Prof Howard says that the coming winter will
be a critical time in the industry Of caprfca alton,
| or cross fertilization 81 The edible fig lie has
he will winter the capnfgs and the Blastophaga.
Next season will determine whether the western
world can take mp and carry on with PROFIT work
which WAS being successfully done in Smyrna,
Naples Greece, Athens, Northern Africa, Italy.
and Asia Minor, three centuries before the COM
ing OF Christ
An Old Timer.