The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-27
BEES TO KILL MICE,
Agricultural Department. Finds
Ally in tbs Philippines
STiNOS OF The LITTLE
lnsSce Said 80 Be Poisonous 20
the Sma!i Animals Will
Be Insr1duced Into This
Country.

The agricultural department st Wash
ington is to make s determined astsck
pom the American field mouse. His
eytcrmination in cerssia localities has
been resolved upon aud the Philippine
tu0blebes is to be brought into service
as the executioner.
This Eas the statement made b2
psss. G, 3. Riley, Of the department,
who passed through Chicsgo last wesk
ea route to San Francisco and toe Pilip-
p.nss. Prof. Riley, Of the division OF
entomology, will devote year IN the
Philippines to she stuiy Of baga aaaie.
s.cts Of tire srcaipeiaso TIE ''EGa-
ming bird" bum5labpc OF ths Philip
pines will be one Of the main objects
a bis irquiry. Its planned to im2ort
the big baa cs the Philippines into .he
United States thst ne msy mske war
upon the American field mouse, ro-
dent which has caused the farmers Of
the coun,rv loss Of thou:ands Vi dol
lars.
~ is ap old saying anong farmers"
said Prot. Riley, reports Chiosso pa.
per, THAT when there is plenty Of
clover there are lots Of bumblebees.
What the farmer really meaDs is that
when there are lots Of ouuolebess there
IS plenty Of clover. He might carry
lig logic further by saying tast ghen
field mice ere scazoe there are plenS9 Of
bunniabsea, end thst When there are
plenty of csts shere are few 6eid nice.
''Ln crdsr to save the clover crops
o. the country the agricultural ce2sra-
nent has the choice Of two things, to
increase the number Of cats IN tie cou-
try, which will destroy ths field mouse,
or 10 taks a1ay from the rodans hig
supply Of winter food Eithsr m5ihod
if successful would result in gain Of
thousands Of dollars to the farmers.
Tho Grld mouse ia very foud Of ban'
bIebee honey snd never lcs?s Sd o.
portu mtg to deprive the iaaecs Of the
rewards Of his work. The honog tsksn
away from the buuble5ee csusss him
to perish in the winter sine. Hence
short clover crop FOR the buubieoee is
q carrier Of pollen from o4s clovor
plant to another. Thus when there
are lots Of Duoblsbses clover comes to
perfection. II the Gsid nouss Aas de.
atroyed the bunblebee rhsre is No in
sect that can DO its work IN the sum
mer time and ths farmers loss soccrd-
ingly. This is not only true o. clover,
bus many other plants.
I'VE hold that the bumblsoee is .
valuable member Of insect society and
that the field mouse is worshlsss
scamp who likes a good dinner but does
not want to work for it.
The Philippine bumblebee is an
entirely different insect from his Amsri-
can cousin. Ee is fully 80 inoh snd
half long snd looks Ike small bird.
He is full Of business and has no fear Of
such small animal as the field nouss.
He is aharnless fellow when let alone,
but bis sting is deadly to smaller forms
Of animal life. He will fight for his
OWE with the tenaoity Of a pugiliSt and
any unscrupulous field mouse invading
his domain will have to fight for every
thing he sets.
"A Geld mouse sitter receiving the
citing Of a Philippine bumblebee would
mush resemble the wrecked appearance
Of some Of our college boys after the
Thanksgiving football game. HaWoutd
have to lay up for repairs.
IL is the intention Of the sgricui-
tursl department to introduce this Gee
into the United Staoes if clim stia con-
ditions viii permit. Ha Will be sent
to the warmer psrts Of the country 4
first, where he mag gradually become
hardened to the more aevere climate:
It is then hoped he will grow and
spread until be co7ofs the entire coun-
try, The department has lis eye upol
other inscc:s in the Philippines which
usy prove Of ysiue to agricultural inter.
es:s. There ere several varieties OF
hopay bees which will be given trial.
4 SPECIES Of tee tosd, which has S
dssdly ansipsthy fer certain kinds OF
citrus insectS, will be introduced in:o
southern Canjoraia with tie hope rhat
/. may be Caefai n ths cX.ernt1a1:a
Oh tae blaok or arncrad scale, @a!;c
ass caused sc grsac loss 20 truis
ssoHi0g Interests OF late year5."