Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-07-13

times more villainous. The entomologists
say that no other Injurious insect causes
anything like the damage that is charge
able to this pest. Let us be thankful,
therefore. that the chinch bug is fond Of
corn and oats and several other things
besides wheat, otherwise we SHOULD not
have any wheat OF the hundred million
dollars worth of food that this arch des-
poiler ruins in one year land this Is
merely his minimum record, expressed in
round numbers) probably not more than
one-fifth of it is wheat. That, however,
Is more than enough, and when we figure
up the damage done by the plant lice
and the most OF lesser wheat ravagers, in
addition to the work Of the Hessian fly,
and add this sum to the results attained
by the pillagers of other grains we come
upon the disquieting knowledge that we
permit the insects of the United States to
rob us annually of some $50 million dol
lars worth of cereals.
Nor does this tell the whole story This
Is merely the tax we pay to the insects of
the field. After we have gratefully gath
cred i'm the crops they have spared US we
ind ourselves at the mercy of another lot
Of grafters-the worms and the weevils
that feed upon the stored grain. Their
speciality is corn; and the amount of corn
they can eat without showing anything in
return for 1t is certainly remarkable. Be-
fore the corn gets out of the field the
chinch bugs and the bill bugs the ear
worms, the cutworms. the wireworms,
the army worms and the root worms. the
stalk borers and the locusts and the grass
hoppers and the lice and some so other
kinds Of robbers have helped themselves
to about $50, 000. 900 bushels After the
crop is harvested the granary weevils and
the fly weevils, the snout beetles, the saw
tooth beetles and the square-necked beet
les and the wolf-moth-in short, n whole
tribe OF granary pests fall to and do the
best they can to beat the record of their
field competitors. This they actually sue
coed in accomplishing in some sections
OF the country. In Texas, for instance
nearly so per cent. of the corn harvest OF
the state is sometimes destroyed by
weevils. The Southern states are particu-
larly subject to the attacks of these
granary insects and the loss to stored corn
in that part of the country alone amounts
each year to something like $50 900. O00
And what is true OF corn applies in only
slightly diminished proportions to all
other cereals and meal; the total quantity
annually destroyed in the United States
amounting in value to nothing less than
500, 600 900.
As with apples and grains so it is with
all other food products. There is not one
OF them exempt from insect taxation
More than $50. 900, 900 a year is levied
on vegetables. 5000. 600 on fruits.
81, 900. 900 on sugar and over $50, 000. 900 on
hay, the sustainer OF our cattle and
horses. Nor is this taxation confined alone
TO food products. Cotton. tobacco. lumber
in fact, every growing thing needful for
the maintenance or comfort OF mankind
is levied upon for its 1.-THE.
The boil worm and the boil weevil look
after the cotton. The weevil is the chief
offender. II will destroy in one season as
much as 20 million dollars worth of cot
ton and does not hesitate, when given
an opportunity, TO leave the disheartened
planter a mere 40 per cent. Of his crop
The boil worm supplements the work OF
the weevil TO the extent OF an additional
IL million dollars worth; and what these
two grafters fail to get. the leaf worm
and band Of petty thieves appropriate
to themselves. with the net result to the
profit Of the gang OF ten per cent OF the
total cotton crop. This 1.-THE in 1904
amounted to about 900. 100000 pounds at
market value of over sec, 900. 900.
In the case OF tobacco the insects levy
an annual tribute OF some 5000, 900
pounds. helping themselves indiscrimin-
ately to smoking and chewing varieties
and paying but little attention to grades
Woodtimber and forest products gener-
ally-nuts. fruit, bark, etc.-are held
under contribution by beetles, borers
ants. bees. weevils and various other des-
poilers, and through their combined efforts
they succeed each year In running or
rendering unfit enough building lumber
to house a dozen cities. and upon the
whole destroy needful material to the
value of 500. 900, 900.
Not content with laying tribute upon
the product OF the fields and the forest,
these insect enemies of the human family
must needs go further and demand their
1.-THE of the cattle and other animals nee
essary for mans food and service. And
81 ,.l,l IxszN A..
cattle and is not satisfied until it mas
driven thousands of animals to death
with its tormenting attacks and lessened
the value of the hides and the beef Of
multitudes of others through its grubby
methods Of warfare. BY the end OF each
year it may credit itself with having adj
ded to the financial burdens of the Amer
lean consumer an item OF about $40,-
100000 to meet the losses produced by
its pestiverous industry. Gnats gadfiies
ticks, lice, worms, and a crowd of other
noisome pests are coworkers with the OK
MARBLE, and include horses, sheep, cows,
pigs and goats in their booty One hun
dred and seventy-five million dollars a
year is a fair estimate of what these
animal parasites demand as their tribute,
and the ranchmen and the farmers are
forced to deliver 1t through sacrifice of
their stock and depreciation Of animal
products.
Let there be but a temporary cessation
OF but one OF the several conditions that
now act as checks upon the unlimited
propagation Of destructive insects, and
the living world would be consumed.
When We peep beneath the cover Of
natures mechanism and behold how del
icately adjusted is the equilibrium OF
forces that maintains the human race
upon the planet, and how infinitely slight
need be the CULVER of this balance to
destroy our tremulous foothold in the
universe, we turn back with cnastened
pride and meekly go our way. rejoicing
that we are here at all and are permitted
the privilege of living among the insects
at so small cost.-IClifford Howard, in
Appletons Booklover's Magazine.