Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-12-27
THE EDUCATED WORM.


seems to promise better results than
Luther Burbank's experiments with
cutworms His theory is that these
creatures can be educated, their vi.
eious tastes diverted and good in
stincts substituted for bad ones. If
left to himself, the cutworm is
wholly vicious. He does all bad and
no good. Burbank's notion is to cul-
uvate in these creatures different
appetite. Instead of allowing them
free range he restricts them; instead
OF allowing them 10 eat what they
choose, he himself arrsnges their bill
OF fare. OF course. a cutworm, if not
interfered with, will prefer corn, to-
matoes. cabbage and other vege-
tables, but If these are drugged so as
tc taste badly 10 the worms they will
avoid them. At this critical stage
the proper thing to do is to substi
cute the Ih.l 9 yoh want him To eat
and thus mae him a benefactor in
stead of i destroyer. pdrbank sup
piled plenty of dardelions and other
weeds, and was delighted TO find in
time that the worms chose these in
preference to vegetables. Behold,
then, 500 educated, well-behaved cut
worms crawling around the wizards
gardens and helping him to keep
down noxious vegetation. The out
come was marvellous. In few days
| 1t was noticed that all the dandelions
were diving and examination showed
| tina: they were cut off just below the
| water line. One variety after another
| Of noxious weeds succumbed before
| the onslaughts of these educated cut
worms, to the great benefit of the
flowers and vegetables in the magic
| gardens of the great California ex.
perimenter.
1t may be seen at a glance that the
possibilities of all this to the farmer
| are enormous and incalculable. If the
cutworm can he converted from his
evil ways, why net all the other in
even the chinchbug may be induced to
change from a diet of wheat to one
of ragweed and the San Jose scale
persuaded to turn from fruit trees to
the branches and thorns that be
sprinkle the plantation. 1t is all
| matter of education. Men themselves
are apt to acquire bad habits and
drink or eat what Is not good for
| them. 1t Is only by being taught the
evil effects of learning them by ex-
perience tnat he gradually weans him
self from vicious indulgences. 1t
| takes good many cramp colics to
cure the small boy of his propensities
for green apples, just as the grown
up man must suffer number of sick
stomachs and eructations before he
| finds out that liquor is not good for
| him. But the minor animals, and ev-
en- worms, though not possessed of
| the power of reasoning, may be
| taught much through the faculty of
| taste or the instinct of fear. Make
| their natural food taste bitter and
| they will avoid it, Just as the most in
veterate topper will steer clear of al
cohol that has been denaturized. OF
course it takes time and patience,
but these are necessary in al educa
tional processes. Mr.. Burbank was
equal to the occasion when he enter
ed upon the experiment Of making
decent citizens out of cutvorms. At
first he chose a dozen, taking them
their development and diet They in
creased rapidly in numbers and soon
grew accustomed to the changed me-
nu set before them by this floricul
tural caterer.
At first blush the whole thing looks
ridiculous and unworthy tie attention
OF sensible farmers. But 1t may turn
out, on investigation, tlat. like Col
onel Sellers eye water there's mil
lions in It," We have all heard how
1eas NAV be trained to draw tiny
|
= taught to fire off cannn, and what
curious tricks u is possible to impart
to many other small Teatures. 1t
must be remembered tat none OF
the insects are noxiousi on purpose
/ or do evil with malice foreihough'.
n They simply follow tie instincts
: planted in them by naare. not eat
ing grain and fruit for te purpose Of
h lnjuring the farmer, but scause these
: are their natural food. AS Dick
= Deadeye would say, thes mean well,
. but they don't know ah the thing
;, to do is to train them. Ike children,
, in the way in which the should go.
Up 10 date the only rendy suggest
,r ed for insect pests has len extermi-
81 nation. That Is simple ad effective
Ia where 1t will work. but IL trouble is
h. that they keep coming ack again.
oi We don't kill vicious stoc or men OF
iu evil WAYS but eudeayor TO reform