Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-06-20

uua
NpxopTERA n
lines CHE Green 1uG)
Once more a terrific conflict RACES on
the embattled fields of Texas and Kan
sas. Again n minute mel have slept
at their posts and allowed an enemy in
tril!ion batualions u invade the land.
Already vast fortunes III growing wheat
have been destroyed.
The invaders are known as the green
bugs Under command of General
Aphis" they have conquered vast wheat
tracts before the eyes OF helpless farm
ers, and have made wide fields of green
as Drown and snriveled as if they had
been swept by flame.
Now the green bugs have thrown coll
umns across oklahoma and are re-
ported to be devastating the great
wheat producing territory, the state of
Kansas.
During March reports of the terrible
devastation By the green bug began to
reach the stock exchanges OF the
country. ~ once intrepid scouts sent
out by Il 81. Louis commission firm
captured q Whole company of green
bugs and sent them in Il sealed en-
velope 10 this city. Great interest was
li!Gii!i totS.i W men the prisoners We're SN-
EiOited in the local pit.
And again. Just as in the war of the
boil veevi!s against the cotton
the bulls of the market gave sympa-
thy to the enemy The bulls organized
the green bug cavalry force.
When the green bug legiors first APP
pearea in Texas. the farmers sent ur-
gent appeals for aid TO the entomolo-
sis:s. But the latter could send moth
ing to the front except regiments of
ADVICE. This was CT no avail. General
Athis marched on taking county after
county. laying waste all before him.
Reports are still coming in. which
ther ruin to the farmers. In no single
instance have the farmers been able
TO check the green bug. They have
been forced ignominiously to retire in
the best order possible and from safe
distances watch the enemy destroy
thelr flelds. After the departure of the
enemy, many farmers have returned
to the field of battle and plowed I'M
der the remaining brown and withered
vestige Of their former growiug for
tunes. N
But the farmers have not been the
only men to suffer. Every blow deliv-
ered against them by the enemy has
struck many thousands and thousands
OF others. including the mill men. The
green bugs. 1t is said, would have
routed the bears in every wheat nit i'm
the country, If the Wall street stock
panic mad not caused the sale of much
wheat and prevented the bulls from
taxing 1uil advantage of the farmers
losses.
But the green bugs cannot be stoppad
by the frivolities of Wall street. Even
Whlie stocks were tumbling they were
pushing ahead more rapidly thar ever.
Kansas has raised almost 100, OOO,-
Voo bushels OF wheat In a single
season. Oklahoma II Indian Terri
torv records average about $4,000, coo.
Kansas Is keeping up a record of an
average or 9O,OOO.000 bushels Of wheat
q year. The Texas crop is averaged at
20.0O0.0 goo bushels.
IL Is In these great wheat-producing
states that hi green bugs have been
working. 1t is said that hot weather
hllls them or runS them out. But they
have appeared so early. and the time
Tor not weather is so far ahead. that
many fear the green bugs will have
.ime to carry their conquest not only
into Kansas, but into Missouri.
Green bugs have worked in Illinois,.
So far they have not threatened to
cross the Mississippi, but many adlnit
n would cross If they got through
with Kansas and Missouri in time TO
md any young and juicy wheat in
Illinois, Indiana or Ohio.
Inc green bugs invaded Texas in
1901. and reduced the crop record of
the year before-23.3 96. 900 bushels of
wheat-to 6.O62. 900 bushels. and in 1902
the Weld reached only 1853. 900 bushels.
The next year the farmers pushed the
yield up to 19.sS0.00O bushels. At the
average prevailing price of about 75
cents pei bushel at the time the green
bugs invaded Texas. this year, if the
loss equals that OF 1901. the farmers
VIII count their profits at about S1O.-
100000 less than they calculated be-
fore General Aphis put in his appear
ance
Thousands of acres of fertile land i'm
Texas. 1t is reported. will be u%nproduc-
tive this year. because it was too late.
after the green bugs had destroyed the
wheat. to secure sufficient farm helm to
recultivated the land and plant corn or
cotton. About 100. 900 acres in Denton
county alone were sowed in wheat last
fall. and 1t Is now estimated that only
a few acres will produce enough grain
10 justify harvest. About 10000 acres
nave been plowed up and made ready
Tor planting of corn and cotton, but as
there is no labor. the other half OF the
devastated land will rave TO lie idle.
If the green bugs cut into the Okla
soma crop so per cent. they will cause
a loss. at h 75-cent rate per bushel
or about s1.000,000. II they kill so per
cent. of the Kansas crop, they will
aus a loss of $780, 600, 600.