The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1901-06-07

Experiments WITH Hunaus Doaianed
20 Destroy anseeta.

Aztec. June 6, 1901 Editor IrDEx;
Very little Of interest developed 10 the
past week in the matter Of the local ex-
pertinent with grasshopper fungua. Sew
eral Of the infected hoppers have been
giver to farmers with instructions Tor
spreading the dieease, hut us yet very
little information that can be c0noid-
cred Of value has been collected, The
fret attempt. however. cannot be con-
sidered fruitleas. even though it prove
to be Of no direct value, and some ex
perimenting will necessarily have to be
done before very encouraging results
can be expected.
The first trial was begun last week,
when several hundred hoppers we're
imprisoned in a euitable box covered
with screen wire, so as to afford air for
them. In this box four vaceinsted
hoppers we're placed and closely watched,
The first day no change could be no.
ticed but on the second day a few dead
hoppers could be seen on the a0or OF
the box During the next twsnty-four
hours fully two-thirda Of the number in
the box had died.
It stands to reason that il this locust
fungus proves as fatal to the grasahop-
pers Of this section as has the chinch
bug fungus to the chinch bugs Of Kan
sas and the same luethods for spreading
the disease are carried out, like results
can be- obtained which will be worth
thousands Of dollars to the ranohmen.
Many things, however, stand in the way
Of success in spreading fungus diseases
among insects in the arid regions, and
the main one with which ranehmen
have to deal is the absence Of humidity
in the atmosphere. This climate is too
dry for fungi to make much Of a growth.
The writer has done considerable expert
meuting in trying 70 inoculate the cod
ling moth with fungus diseases, but was
net successful in q single instance that
could be considered Of value. This
however. cannot be considered as an in
dication Of failure from the use Of Y is
locust fungus on the graHshoppers, ae
the habitat of the latter differs 50 much
from that OF the former and in 2 way
that tends to favor the locust fungus
The codling moth is brought r,ore in
contact with the dry atmosphere thar
is the grasshopper, which iuhabita the
shady, moist places Of the earth
II each ranchman will provide him
LselS with an ordinary open box, Of any
convenient dimensions, and cover the
top with screen wire 30 az .ofproyid,
plenty Of ventilation, the undersigned
will furnish him with enough inoculateC
hoppers to get the disease started on biz
place. These dead hoppers should b'
placed on the Hoor Of the box and lot o.
live ones should be put in the box anC
kept there for about three days. Ih'
disease will probably be communicated
to them all by this time; then the live
ones should be turned loose among thl
ones doing the damage, and the boz
filled again with live ones SO as 70 repea
the operation, 1t probably would b
we'll to repeat the operation severa
times during the summer. Suhlcien
moisture should be provided 10 the boi
at all times and it probably would b
we'll to sprinkle the box once or twic
each day. Every party desiring to tr,
t this remedy will be welcome to some o
the inoculated hoppers provided the
will bring in aome live ones in exchang
Q as have no way OF collecting them.
}. or course it is impossible to predic
with certainty any successful or fns
! results from this fungus. The exper
!. msnt is new, and is given to the ranch
i men for what it lie worth.
a @. E. MEAD.
L 4 .t,.., ttt4l,