The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-08
ENEMIES OF THE farmers.
sxspCrs HAvB ALWAYS BEEN TINE
pASE OF RURAL EXISTENCE.
rfllsss Of the Soil Compelled %
uaastain . CeaseIess warfare
D>struction OF birds ana Forests
Aals to the seParss Year by Ysar.

me Arss gun Of the warfare which be-
- IN our Northern states every spring
~ nred In the last week OF April, and
~ battles will follow In quick succession
through tho spring and summer months.
s.nx AZ millions OF doughty insect war
,4ors VIII rise TO do battle In this cam
cafen. and from the Atlantic TO the Pa
FAC The 900 farmers OF the country
~fii NE every resource Of science TO COM
Nst the enemy that threatens to destroy
thefr trups Tho intensity OF this COM
80 for the food crops of the country IS
not appreciated by those who have never
snsaged directly In II. but some idea Of
a. proportions can be gained from a study
A tho methods and expenses OF the war.
SIXTY years ago noxious insects were
eUmpaafHely few in this country, and
n vas only I'm certain years that there
vas anything like an organized effort to
destroy thens. But they have been stead
~ spreading and increasing until they
Arm q gigantic evil and danger. which
sven modern science today stands in awe
d n science had not Kept pace with the
ervwfh Of the danger the farmers Of the
United States would not reap crop Of
erAins, fruits or other farm produce suf-
acIent 10 keep one-tenth OF our population
supplied with food and clothing The
famine IN India would be nothing in COM
par5son with such a catastrophe The
reason for tho remarkable increase Of nor-
ion insects In this country IS that our
birds have been ruthlsssly DESTROYED.
crops have been massed In limited areas
and forests have been destroyed and prai-
nes cultivated. In addition 20 these
cas,sss abandoned farms and orchards
have been scattered over the country.
wAsrs the insects find favorable cultural
rounds, and transportation lines from all
parts Of tho world have introduced new
an dangerous Insects that thrive mirht-
ny n their now homes Scores OF insects
have been introduced here from Europa
South America. Asia and Africa, and thew
have contributed to make the burden OF
the American farmer twice what It was
formerly.
New Species Each Year,
lnssct.6shting has consequently devsl-
- into q science and most elaborate
prepara&ions. costing hundreds OF thous-
ao9s Of dollars. have been devised for the
wssfafs Twenty years ago little was
known about posons and sprays to con-
troll the insect foes, but today the rcmc-
dt0 arS sure and effective. In the last
decsAs the science OF bus-nghting has
made phenomenal advance and tho pol
sons and appliances invented for their
destruction are the direct results OF a
comprehonsive study OF the evolution of
the Insects. Some classes of them must
b. attacked with sprays when in tho egg
ststa and others when they are prepar-
ing TO lay their eggs. Science has cata-
logued the different noxious insects 20
accurately that the farmer knows exact
" what TO do. and II Ia only when n new
insect appears on the scene that there is
disturbance and uncertainty in the camp
Of the scientists and farmers New ex-
pertmeuts and new appliances must be
hurrfcdiy prepared before tho new enemy
makes q nank movement and destroys
Thousands of scres OF crop. In the case
of the Gypey moth, which escaped In
Massachusetts and tho San Jose scale.
which came to California from some OF
the Oriental lands. hundreds OF thousands
Of dollars ware expended before any ade-
Quate methods could be found TO combat
thsm.
The real warfare for the farmers In our
Northern states begins In tho latter part
o. May. and the first campaign IL laid
against tho currant worms Tho saw fly
begins iB work early In tho spring. and
the flies that have wintered with us be-
GIN 70 ny about and lay their eggs ON tho
Goossoerry ard eurrant huahes The
thousands ~ insects that this ny matches
cut make 1t an evil OF the greatest Inn
pcrtance. and efforts are now being made
10 destroy the saw fly wherever found.
Sometimes tho currant bushes are spray
I'd to destroy the eggs. but AS rule
nothing can be done until the worms
hatch out They appear on the goose
berry bushes first ani a iew days later
GA tho cufrants Thousands of them
seem 10 appear suddenly on al sides. and
the farmer sprays them with force pump
which squirts over the bushes Kerosene
emulsion 90 hsilcbore and soap Day af-
ter day this emulsion must be thrown on
tee bushes until the worms are killed.
rAsn, when the first battle 10 cave tho
ssrsants and goosebertiss Is won. now
fecs appear in other parts 81 the garden,
ard new tine OF battle must be prepared.
Hntehtex In swarms.
Over In the cherry and plum orchard
the dread curculio has begun 60 hatch
out ana the enemy H. swarmlnr In hosts
90 the trees, What terrible warriors
these cnrculios are may be Inferred from
the fact that no poison Will kill them
Naleee II is mixed strong with the
afsehstss that the foliage and limbs ~
the trees are destroyed by a. too. The
egrcuiios consequently laugh at the spray
aad swarm IN the orchard with tho bold
ness Of mailed wsvricrs of old. Hut
sameshing must BE- done u they make
tneir appearance. Large white sheets
are prepared fer them and these are
spread under tho trees The trees arc
then shaken or Jared with ruhher.shod
pelee thsi reach FAR pp into the branches.
When aialoaKod from tho branches tho
eaFeplios roll mp In a heap. While IA
isA condition they must be killed. for
NsS Will soon recover themselves and
~ away rr'il and trees are both
stnhs by the curcul!os and when once
heak they are 81 ue marketable use
-
trNit al all
~ some localities the snarr0wN and
sAtesrds prove sach formidable enemies
% tho cherries that whole orchards have
sa Do covered With mosquito netting
tsls Is nnnk over The tcps ~ tho trees
40 afawn down tigbt go tho ground So
NE eirds cannot act under g. Good net.
sn1 lasts tar two years aut~tha cost Is
80 Than s. a tree n the fruit Is chNtca
as1 ne crop good ore a pays to pro
ft The cherries in this way from the
sAas far they Given 80 IS much dam