Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-03-19
rocUsrs IN PHILIPPINES.
They Are q Source of Great Annoy
ance-A Peculiar Fungus which
Destroys Them.

The bureau of government labora-
tories, through the board of health,
has recently been distributing
throughout the island 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 con-
veniently transmitted for great dis
tances and kept alive for months, says
Manila (P. ~ Times.
When grown in the laboratory upon
a suitable medium, the fungus appears
at frst'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 mag
nifying glass, in addition, large num-
bers of small glistening, oval bodies
may be seen, which are the spores of
the fungus and by means Of which 1t
multiplies so rapidly.
The fungus is to be used in the fol-
lowing manner: The contents Of the
glass tube is to be broken up in about
three-quarters of tumblerful of wa
ter, which has been previously boiled
for 20 minutes, and then allowed to
cool. A few pieces of cork which have
also been placed in boiling water for
20 minutes are now placed in the tum-
bier of water. Where it can be pro-
cured, it is advantageous to also add
two teaSpoonfuls of sugar to the mix
ture, which is then covered with
piece of paper 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.
It is necessary to first boil the water
in order to destroy any bacteria in it,
and which might interfere with the
more rapid growth of the fungus. The
pieces of cork are placed in the water,
because the fungus, when growing in
the liquid, does not generally form
spores, and as these are an important
factor in the dissemination of the dis
ease, it is evident that their produc-
ton is Of the greatest Importance. The
fungus attaches itself to the pieces of
cork, and, being thus exposed freely
to the air. forms spores in large num-
bers. 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 fun
gus in the tumbler to let them go into
the swarm again; also to confne some
locusts in a box which contains green
food moistened with the contents Of
the tumbler, and after day or two to
allow these locusts to reenher the
swarm at night, or at shutdown when
the swarm is resting. Patches of
damp ground where the locusts alight
to feed may also be smeared with the
mixture.
Wonderful results have been OBJ
tanned. After the fungus has been used
successfully, 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 finally attach themselves to the
stalk. Most successful issues are OBJ
tanned in moist or wet weather, and it
is usually better to attempt to infect
the swarms at sunset.
Excellent results have been obtained
in the province of Bulacan, in these is
lands, on the plantation of the Phil
ippine Sugar Estates Developing
company, as well as in Cape Colony
and the Transvaal in South Africa. 1t
has been difficult in many cases to in
terest the natives or to get them to
make use Of this parasite. For this
reason the biologic laboratory is
about to instruct a number of persons
in its preparation, and these will be
sent throughout the islands to demon
strate its efficiency to the natives.
In South Africa many of the ma
tives 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 ma
tives have refused to have the fungus
used in their fields, preferring to eat
Iocusts to having them destroyed by
poison.