The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-05-26
uYBRIpnE THE ~sKEETER.'
Cross Him With a South Sea Fly and
yau Get an HJnpruIific Mule-An
Plan.

culed," said Mr.. Boggs. Look at Luz
ger Burrows, of California. Last year
received 5000 scientists at his home,
and over 10000 letters. Everybody
wants to know how he has improved on
Nature il growing fruits. A few years
ago he was Stunned by his relatives as
a fool and the minister preached
against his unholy work. d he Is
the man who promises to redeem the
dessert of the southwest with the
thornless cactus. Think of that! The
fat, juicy, nutritious cactus is to be
made of some use. Without it's thorns
cattle can eat it. 1t will grow on the
ranges just as well almost WITHOUT
water as with it. Even the necessity
of rain. and irrigation is to be done
away with by the genius OF urban
the supposed fool and miracle worker.
WHY shouldn't man improve on nature
wherever possible? In the face of
Burbank's success why should my
theory of mule mosquitoes seem so
ridiculous to you?"
why, of course, it's ridiculous" said
Mrs. BOggs, whose speculative faculties
have been dwarfed by bitter expert
ence. Il do not doubt that mosquitoes
were intended for a good purpose, n
that it is beyond human power to de
strOy them if we would" Mrs BogSs
took things as she found them, even
mosquitoes, prefeITing what h ali
ready understands to any possible i'm
prOvement involving radical changes.
The mule mosquito as planned by Mr..
BOggs did not appeal to her as so goHn
an article in the line Of pests as the
Old-fashiOned singer.
1T will be my dying regret con-
tinued Mr.. BOggs, that my clrculn-
stances have eve permitted me 10
carry on the experiments necessary 10
give the world the mule mosquito IN
all its limited sterility. | go the Bur-
bank theory many better. Now, if
bank We're 20 carry out his theory, he
would try TO improve the mosquito Dy
taking out it's singer. That is hardly
worth while. 1t is no doubt possible to-
so cross breed the mosquito family as
to produce beautiful specimens whose
most pronounced characteristic Will be
long ears in lieu of singers, just as
we can take dogs, and produce stout
legged, tenacious bulldogs or long
. winded hounds, Zach constructed on
D special lines to suit the business OF
fighting or chasing deer. | take the
mule as my type. Here in the held OIL
mosquito improvement we want to 30
away with the pest entirely. We want
to WIN out the whole family. 10 90
that we experiment. We go to the
South sea and find the certain fly which
we bring north and breed with the Jer-
sew mosquito, and produce a hybrid, q
mule mosquito. Then we have the
problem solved, for the SECOND genera
ton of mules nature bars from raising
families. There will be no grandchll-
! dren. You see how positive this rem
edy is. 1t is the only specific for mos
quito removal that the world Will ever
know. The path which the successful
scientist must follow is marked out as
have outlined if he would really abol-
ish the mosquito.
WHY, it makes me smile to see these
wise men pouring oil on b Wlgglefs
in the pools. Why not put salt on
their tails. All money n effort is
wasted unless it be directed to hndne
the South sea fly that will have Sc
strong an affinity for the Jersey mos
uuitoes that they will ALLEVIATE the al
fectiOns of the present heads of the
family. This form of chronological TO
nance is the thing we must introduce
to upset the present course or nature
You may say that natural sefectiol
could not be bettered by the introduc
tiOn of some other fellow in the lnsec'
line. but do you know? Can you prove
il? At what period did the dog become
p fox, and how? Was it not Decaust
his far back grandmother dog fell II
love with some other brute Win :
bushier tail than her old husband ant
a more winning manner Inc Jerse.
n~,osquito has had little chance to NEE
all the insects of the world, held as l
is within the narrow confines OIL /
state. Give it the same chance to NIL
with the insect race as the Varlou
tribes of the human race have mikes
and there is no telling what you ma.
Get. 1t may be entirely possible d
All early date to triumph over the sun
GER. A compromise may be erected $
that the wings will take out twice thel
present length and the atrophy OF III
tOrmenting instrument b econceaIeu
Undoubtedly what a man can 90 VIII
dogs he can do with any amman: LOO
at homing pigeons. Look at race morse
and draft horses"
"Yes, but these things have pee
done for q good purpose" SAID MT.
Boggs. The poor mosquito doesnt u
much harm and he must do much sooe
l believe he must destroy other pesu
I think we would find ourselves wors
off without him.
Much of the progress of the Wori
il due to the u%nfinching mule cor
tinued MI. Boggs. Your theory IS nc
supported by the facts. [ wish NJ
Carnegie would ndow me as he ha
Luther Burbank. I think | know JUS
where to find the particular insect thu
will disrupt the family of Jersey MOS
quitoes. / think l could set sail tomol
row for the very island on which tia
inSact thriYeS All of nv reSearc