Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-24
LOCUSTS IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The south African Method of Getting
Rid of the Pests Will he Employed.

The South African Method of Getting
Rid of the Pests Will he Employed.
From the New York Sun.
A cable dispatch from Manila says that
enormous swarms of locusts have serious
IL damaged the crops In the southern
islands and have also made their appear
ance in the region around Manila Tho
Philippine commission is taking prompt
measures to stop the ravages of this insect
pest Having supply of the fungus cul-
ture that has been Used with such remark
able results in killing locusts in South
Africa an agent of the health department
has been assigned TO distribute it in the
regions where the crops are being de-
stroyed This wonderful remedy is COM
paratively new, Dut it has proved to be
most eff1cacious n regions where it has
been tried. and there is reason to believe
that it will stop the ravages of the pest
in the Philippines.
The discovery of this remedy is one Of
the most remarkable among all the efforts
that have been made to mitigate or de-
stroy the harmfuneSs of various insects.
Only six years ago tho swarms of locusts
that has been eating everything green in
parts Of Cape Colony suddenly became the
victims of an epidemic that destroyed near
" all Of them. An investigation was set
on foot to try to discover what kindly in
try of the little pests. The result of the
investigation seemed to prove cOnclusively
that the disease was the result of feeding
upon fungus growth which was not only
poison to the locust eating it, but also so
infectious that a few of the diseased in
sects could in a very short time communi-
cate the malady 20 millions of others.
In the following year. 1896, there was
every indication that Natal would suffer
from a plague Of locusts when suddenly the
epidemic broke out in the new crop Of in
sects to the great relief of the colony.
whose crops were thus saved from destruc-
ton. Then the bright idea occurred to
somebody that it might be possible to in
feet numbers Of the locusts with the NAL
ady and send them abroad to propagate it
whenever their brethren became trouble
some.
So the archaeological Institute Of Ora
Jamestown, Cape Colony, began a series Of
experiments with the fungus and the To-
Gusts. The investigators succeeded in OBJ
which is now known as the locust fungus.
All the insects brought into contact with
it died in few days.
South Africa teemed with locusts in 1897.
Great swarms Of them threatened to desc
late large areas from Cape Colony to Rho
desia. Now or never was the time to test
the efficiency OF the locust fungus Expert
ments on a large scale in the artificial
in Cape Colony. Natal and Rhodesia. The
results surpassed all expectations. Mil
lions Of the insects persisted within few
days after a few individuals infected with
the culture mad been turned loose among
them. The best results were obtained in
rainy weather when the locusts remained
longest in one place, thus facilitating the
thorough dissemination of the disease
among them. The least results were In hot.
dry weather, when the flight OF the To-
Gusts was rapid. and the sick being left
far behind, great many escaped the In
fiction.