Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1905-09-08

FARMERS SUFFER TO LARox
EXTENT FROM PESTS.
Agricultural Department. Gives Re-
<sets-cinch Bug Ravages OF In
sscs-chinch Bug In MOST
Costly Of All.

washington, The value OF tia An,
nusi agricultural products of the Unit.
Cd States Is approximately IS .Qoo. 600. !,
Wv According to the yearbook or the
apartment OF agriculture damage "a
tns minimum amount of S2ss, OOO, 600 is
sons to these crops each year by IL Of
tne most important insect pests.
Tnere Is scarcely an article grown on
eur farms that has no insect enemy
ana while some of the crops are made
TO bear q much heavier loss than the
others. practically all of them must
pay tribute to some extent. The figures
or the department are admittedly very
conservative. and, II the damage done
by All perntcious insects to animal
products. stored products and forests
were added, the annual drain on the
fsrmsrs~of the country will easily foot
up to fully half billion dollars.
The eineh bug causes a greater loss
than any OF the other insects which
prey on the better known agricultural
products. The minimum damage done
~ II may be safely placed at $50 OOO.-
eee, according to the department. Most
OF this falls on the wheat raisers of the
country. as the einch bug while ii also
attacks. other plants, is particularly
fond OF wheat. and is usually found In
the wheel fields in the greatest pro-
fusion in periods of drought
In addition to this insect. wheat has
Q very destructive enemy in the Hes
sian ny. the annual damage caused by
which is placed at $4,000. 900. Worms
attack the roots OF the young corn
plant, and. later. the young ears. bring
ing about yearly loss OF something
like $4,000. 600 also The more Impor-
tant cereals. according To c. L. Marlatt
assistant chief of the bureau OF ento-
mology. who is the author of an inter-
esting chapter on crop pests which will
appear in the yearbook. are damaged
not less than 5000 600 600 every ear
through the operations of bugs and
worms of various kinds.
Cotton, the south's great staple, loses
at least s5O.OOO.OOO per year as I've re-
suit OF the ravsges OF various pests. In
fact, report issued by the census bu-
reau a little more than a year ago was
90 the effect that one insect alone-the
dreaded boil weevil-cost the farmers
or Texas nearly $4,000. 900 during the
previous season. but the department OF
agriculture is OF the opinion that this
estimate is excessive, and that the total
loss OF all the cotton growing states
through the operations OF all the In
sects which prey on cotton is not large
ly In excess of the sum named.
The boil weevil is at present con-
nned to Texas and To the adjacent por-
lions OF Louisiana. hut IL is steadily
moving northward and eastward, and
the government experts do not hesitate
% say that the chances OF exterminat-
ing 1t. OF even checking IL, are ex-
tremsly remote. A recent official re-
port expressed the opinion that. when
the weevil shall have spread all over
the cotton growing area OF the country,
as ii bids fair TO do in is or 20 years,
judging from its past rate or progress.
Il VIII be capable OF causing an annual
loss OF $3.50. 900 900. which il about half
the total value OF q years crop OF cot
ton under normal conditions. In sd-
dition to the boil wesvil. cotton is at
tackled by many other insects. includ-
ing the boil worm and the leaf worm