The age-herald., 1902-05-07
Romance of the San Jose Scale and the Lady Dug.

thrown out upon the wide wastes of the backbone of the continent, the barren lands between the bounding seas
 
 From the railway station in Washing ton, Dr. Marlette hurried to the Depart ment of Agriculture where he arrived with his two living lady.bugs, both of which seemed to be upon the point of dy- ing. The ablest scientists having to do with incest life in America were immedi- ately called into consultation regard ing the case of the two sick lady-bugs: immediately all the skill and all the ripest wisdom having to do with insect life were brought to bear upon these two specimens
 The two lady-bugs in the Department of Agriculture rallied from their illness, as if by miracle 1t would almost seem that they realized what vast interests depended upon their restoration to health. In day or two they began to take food, and within a week they became so strong and robust that they began breeding; all the time being fed upon the San Jose scale gathered from the fruit trees in the National Garden of Agriculture, Horti- culture and Horticulture, which consti- tutes perhaps the most beautiful park in America.
 The two lady-bugs begat their kind with marvellous rapdity; every day brought it's multitude of baby lady-bugs. The fecundty of this insect amazed the old est experts of the department They ! simply swarmed into life, fed all the time {, on the San Jose scale gathered from the garden.
 Fo human or any animal form whatsoever, Is so marvelously romantic as this story of the two lady-bugs; 1t amazes almost to the point of unbelief. It seems almost incredible
 Secretary Wilson informed Congress- man Wiley that having regard to the extraordinary, the uneXampled propaga- tion of this species of insect life, the De- pertinent of Agriculture would be en- : abled by next autumn to send supply of lady-bugs to every fruit grower of con- sequence in America, and that by the next spring-time, every farmer in Amer lea might be supplied with this natural foe and absolutely destructive agent of the San Jose scale. The lady-bug is thus to preserve the fruit orchards in Amer iea.
 This little beetlee collected by Dr. Mar lette of the Department of Agriculture, in the far north of China, is to preserve ts the farmeFs and the fruit growers of the United States uncountable millions of money. The thing is marvellous be- yond belief.
 These facts concerning the lady-bug, ascertained by Congressman Wiley, are of cast import to Georgia, Alabama. Mis- sissippi and all the states of the south especially, and all the states of the Un- ion in general, for the San Jose scale works its destruction in every locality of the United States. It's application to Ala bama is of immense importance. Any man who may travel from the Tennessee line to Mobile, or from the Mississippi line to Eufaula in the east may discover by looking out of the car window innumer- able orchards which have been entirely or in large part destroyed by the San Jose scale. The average traveller does not know what agency has killed the thous- ands of dead fruit trees he secs on his way. He may be now made aware that the destruction he witnesses is the work of the San Jose scale Calera pears, Eu- faula pears, Greenville peaches, Ever green peaches and pears, pears and ap- pies in the various counties Of Alabama, are known to all the Alabama people. So destructive had become the San Jose scale of late years that the growing of these fruits was proving to be more and more unprofitable, until the fruit grow CTS and the farmers have been forced to consider the necessity of abandoning their orchards altogether Indeed many of them have already ceased their work of fruit growing. In days long ago 1t was common to see apple and peach or cnards filled with strong and healthy trees that had survived three score win ters, and lowered forty to sixty feet high. That kind of orchard has been made impossible by the San Jose scale, and the fruit growers of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi tell us that the life of fruit bearing orchard of peaches is not above seven years Within that brief space of time the San Jose scale destroys the trees.
 This will give some general impression of the great destructiveness of that in- fnitesimal insect we call colloquially the San Jose scale. The scientific name of this parasite of the fruit trees cannot be here given you.
 Congressman Wiley in this, as in so many other relations of public life in Washington, has done an inestimable ser vice to his own people in discovering to | them method soon of realization where by the San Jose scale may be destroyed, and the orchards of our fair land restored | to their old value. beauty and glory cF loveliness Colonel Wiley is enabled by Secretary Wilson to point the way to l the redemption of our wondrous orchards l from the curse that would destroy them.
 
 i Some extraordinarily absurd rumors l have been telegraphed from Washington to certain Alabama newspapers that the | Senate amendment to the river a6d har- bor appropriation bill, providing far the | improvement of the Coosa river imperil the bill as 1t passed the House and might | defeat the bill altogether. This,is the silli- | est of all nonsense, and Its publication is 1 positively astounding Even the most foolish of all newspapers in Alabama represented by silly persons in Washing ten might have guessed the truth. The , Alabama items secured in the rivers and harbors bill of the House by Con- gressman Banxhead. and by him alone. regardless of the claims of others. have passed both the House and the Senate. and are not in dispute. The rivers and harbors bill will become law. Only fools question this. Alabama Is made safe by Congressman Bankhead. without regara to the tme-servcrs who are trying to steal another rnan's work.
 LUCIEN JULIEN WALKER.
 
 Dr.. Palmer Doing We'll.