Ellsworth American., 1906-07-25
THE EVIL BUGS DO.
Crops Damaged to the Extent OF
$500 900, 900.


partment of agriculture reveal something
OF the loss to which farmers are sub
iect by the fourteen most important insect
pests. The war against them is inoessast.
They destroy 500, 900 of the value OF
our crops, according to conservative esti-
mstes. In fact, these natural enemies do
not permit of statistical measurement, be-
cause so many localities are deferred from
going into a particular crop because they
fear the pest. Every small farmer viii
tell of crops, fruits and berries which he
does not raise because be cannot success
fully fght the animal life which competes
with him for their possession.
The chinch bug occasions a greater loss
than any of the other insects which prey
upon the 6ettcr-known agricultural prod
ucts. The minimum damage done by Ii,
according to the department, may be
safely placed at sso,oDooo. Most of this
falls on the wheat raisers, as the chinch
bug, while II also attacks other plarts. is
particularly fond OF wheat, and is usually
TO be found in the wheat aelds in the
greatest proiusion during periods of
drought.
In addition to this insect, wheat has
very destructive enemy in the Hessian fly;
the annual damage occasioned by IL Is
conservstively placed at sIo,mo.oo
Worms which attack the roots OF the
young corn plant, and later the young
ears, bring about yearly loss of some
thing like $40, ,ooo.oo also.
-.
least So, 900 200 per year as result OF the
ravages of various pests. A report issued
by the census bureau little more than
year ago, declared that one insect alone
the dreaded boil weeyil--cos; the farmers
OF Texas nearly $50 0,ooo, 600 during the pre-
vious season, but the department Of sgri-
culture is of the opinion that this esti-
mate is excessive, and that the total loss
to all the cotton growing states through
the operations of all insects which prey
on cotton is not largely in excess OF that
sum.
The boil weevil Is at present confined to
Texas and to the neighboring parishes of
Louisiana, but IT is steadily moving
northward and eastward, anG the govern
ment experts do not hesitate to say that
the chances of exterminsting IL, or even
checking its advance, are highly remote.
4 recent official report expressed the
opinion that, when the weovil shall have
spread all over the cotton growing area OF
the country, as il bids fsir to do in
eighteen or twenty years judging from
its past rate OF progress, 1t will be capable
Of infiicting an annual loss OF s2so, ,ooD-
600, which is about half the total value of
years crop OF cotton under normal con-
ditions. In addition To the boil weeyil,
cotton is attacked by many other insects,
including the boil worm and the leaf
worm.
The orchards OF the country are in con-
slant danger OF damage from various in
sects, and 1t is estimated that fruits OF all
kinds sustain losses amounting TO nearly
80, ,oooooO during the season. The worst
enemy Of the apple is the coddling moth,
but the most dangerous enemy OF fruits in
general is the San jose scale. In an effort
TO avoid its importation practically every
foreign country of any importance has at
one time or another passed quarantine
laws against the United States.
The annual damage resulting from the
operations OF the scale Is estimated at
80, 600. The coddling moth has in
past seasons reduced the apple crop by as
much as fifty per cent, which means u
loss of about sl5, ,0oo, 600, but as il attacks
only the apple, II is not considered as
dangerous an enemy, everything consid-
erred, as is the minute scale, which is not
nearly SO particular as to the kind OF fruit
1t preys on.
Tobacco Is another crop which suffers
severely. In the fields it is not usually
damaged to any marked extent, but after
ii is stored ii is frequently attacked by an
insect known as the cigarette beetle. This
beetle, with other insects which make a
speciality of s.the weed, cause an annual
loss OF considerably over V 10000
Stored products OF all kinds, according to
the departments experts, sustain total
loss of approximately sioo, COCOON.
Grasses and hay are also damaged ma
terially by insect pests, as every farmer
knows, although the ravages of the bugs
and worms are not so easily discernibie
on these products as on some OF the others.
Grasshoppers do an enormous amount
OF damage every year, but not since 1876
has there been q widespread plague OF
these pests. In that year the insect
known as the Rocky Mountain locust swept
over practically the whole OF the Middle
West, and, especially in Kansas, caused an
almost total loss OF growing crops.
Cattle and other livestock suffer severe
ly from insects. In the forthcoming year
book it will be pointed out that nearly
half the cattle received at the Chicago
stock yards between the months Of January
and June of each year are infested with
what is known as the OK warble. an insect
which not only perforates the hides Of
the animals and thus makes them much
less valuable, but materially injuries the
quality OF the beef. In addition to the
warble there are numerous other bugs and
ticks which do an enormous amount OF