The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-21
LOCUsTs IN PHILIPPINES.


Manila Up. ID Times.
The Bureau Of Government Laboratories,
through the Board of Health, has recently
been distributing throughout the islands
a fungus which is capable, when properly
applied, of destroying the locust swarms
and of annihilating this formidable pest.
The fungus is distributed in sealed glass
tubes and in these it may be conveniently
transmitted for great distances and kept
alive for months.
When grown in the laboratory upon
suitable medium, the fungus appears at
first as a grayish or mouse-colored layer
which even without the aid of a microscope
can be seen to consist of extremely minute
branching filaments, or hyphae. When
placed under a magnifying glass, in addi-
ton, large numbers of small glistening,
oval bodies may be seen, which are the
spores of the fungus and by means of
which it multiplies so rapidly.
The fungus is to be used in the following
manner: The contents of the glass tube is
to be broken up in about three-quarters of
a tumblerful of water which has been pre-
vfously boiled for twenty minutes and then
allowed to cool. A few pieces of cork
which have also been placed in boiling
water for twenty minutes are now placed
in the tumbler Of water. Where II can be
procured, it is advantageous to also add
which is then covered with a piece of pa
per and let stand in warm corner of
the house, but not in the sunlight, until
the fungus Is seen to be growing around
the pieces of cork. 1t is necessary to first
boil the water in order to destroy any bac-
terra in it, and which might interfere with
the more rapid growth of the fungus. The
pieces of cork are placed in the water be-
cause the fungus, when growing in the
liquid, does not generally form spores. and
as these are an important factor in the
dissemination disease.
that their production is Of the greatest i'm
portance. The fungus attaches itself to
the pieces of cork and being thus exposed
freely to the air, forms spores In large
numbers. When the fungus Is seen to be
growing around the cork, the farmer is
recommended to catch some locusts and
after dipping them into the fungus in the
tumbler to let them go into the swarm
again; also to confine some locusts In
box which contains. green food moistened
with the contents OF the tumpler. and
TO re-enter the swarm at night or at sun
down when 1t is resting. Patches OF damp
ground where the locusts alight TO feed
may also be Smeared with the mixture.
Wonderful results have been obtained
After the fungus has been used successful
ly, millions of the locusts may be found
hanging in clusters all over the farm. When
the locusts are attacked by the fungus they
soon become sluggish in movement and
very shortly before death climb up the
stems of any plants that may be near and
firmly attach themselves to the stalk. Most
successful issues obtained in moist or
wet weather, and it is usually better to at
tempt to infect the swarm at sunset.
Excellent results have been obtained in
the Province of Bulacan, in these islands,
on the plantation OF the Philippine Sugar
Estates Development Company, well as
in Cape Colony and the Transvaal in South
Africa. 1t has been difficult in many cases
to interest the natives or TO get them TO
make use of this parasite. For this reason
the biological laboratory is about to in
struct a number of persons in its prepara-
ton and these will be sent throughout the
islands TO demonstrate it's efficacy to the
natives.
In South Africa many of the natives are
opposed to the use of the fungus, as owing
to famine, at times, the locusts are almost
their only food. In LuZon, in several
places the natives have refused to have the
fungus used in their fields, preferring to eat
locusts to having them destroyed by poison