Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-27
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Applo uoru, 10 thIU, COO
INV worm ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l5.000. 600
"a hha pe worm .,......, 1900, 900
Boil weevil fcottOn) ............... 2O.WO.UUo
Roll worm (cotton) ............. ., ov0 G Joo
Cotton worm .-.......'......'....' 1o'VVe'oVV
Total sos 900, 00y
The chinch bug is said to be native
of America. as also in all probability IS
the grasshopper, though this is not the
right name for the insect popularity
known by it. The so-called grass
hopper which travels in swarms is
really locust, differing little If any
from the species spoken of in Scrip
ture. The Hessian fly, third in des-
Effectiveness of all the pests, is an I'M
portation which has been traced d.
rectly to the Hessian troops hired by
the British in the war of the American
Revolution, and it was introduced in
the straw brought to America by those
troops along with their horses. The
army worm is of American origin, as
also is the potato bug, native of Colorado
and New Mexico, ard the same can be
said with a reasonable degree of
certainly about the several insects
which inflict such tremendous losses on
the growing cotton. However, cotton
itself is surrounded with no little mys-
terry. Cotton was grown in India and
China many centuries before the time
of Christ. 1t was found in both CONT
nents of America by Columbus and
other Spanish explorers, but in small
quantities and under circumstances
which indicated a comparatively re-
cent importation. Still, to- say that it
was recently IMPORTED srae from China OF
India would require a reorganization
of the popular idea with respect to pre-
Columbus relations between the two
hemispheres.
The San Jose scale was imported at
recent date from Australia or
Hawaii. or all the insects known in
America the scale has the greatest
power of reproduction. A single fe-
male is said to produce 3,00C,O0O,OO0 of
it's kind in a single season. 1t is easy,
therefore. to understand how an o.
chard invaded by this pest can be
overrun as though by a prairie fire in
part of one summer.
The weevil is another insect With
we can charge to foreign countries. 1t
came with our earliest settlements and
is a ne tive of the Mediterranean region.
Such, too, is the history of the Gypsy
moth. save that it was of very recent
introduction. 1t is related that a
French naturalist residing near Bos-
ton imported in 1868 lot of eggs of the
common silk worm. Among them
came few of the eggs of the Gypsy
moth well known in Europe. He had
these eggs sitting on windowsill
when they were scattered by gust of
wind, and thus was started the pest
which costs Massachusetts more than
$1,O0o,0oO year.
The list given above does not, of
course. enumerate anywhere near all
of the injurious insects known in our
country. There are dozens and even
hundreds CT others which, in the
opinion of the agricultural depart
ment, would swell the total of insect
loss to more than $500, 600 annually.
1t probably would be considered that
if the United States had thrust upon it
each year a war of the magnitude of
our recent conflict with Spain, the
early result would be bankrupt peo-
pie and bankrupt nation. Yet every
year we accept as matter of course a
loss far greater than the cost of the
Spanish war in the way of crops de-
voured by. insects. From moral
standpoint. he, who should invent or
discover means of preventing all hui
man conflicts would be entitled to the
highest pinnacle of the tower of fame.
But from the financial or economic
standpoint he who should discover or
invent a means of exterminating the
insect pest of the United States of
American would earn monument
towering above the greatest shafts
erected to statesmen or patriots. He
would save to his people total of
breadstuffs almost equal to the amount
which they consume. He would con-
tribute annually $400OO0,OOO to the
comfort and sustenance of his fellow