Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-28

as the good people of this city have
lately been experiencing.
I'VE have gone too fast and too far
in denuding our mountains of their
trees. Wood is becoming scarceT and
dearer every year. AS population in
creases we shall be compelled to use
more acreage in it's sustentation. The
trees will be planted again on the wa
tersheds and dams will be built to hold
surplus water for use in times Of
drought, as is done in older countries
Your rivers then will be more service
able in summer and less dangerous in
the spring time.
Insect Friends and Enemies
1--WE have friends and enemies in the
insect world. They do not observe
state lines and when introduced into
any part of our country the rest of it
is in danger Our annual loss from
two insects-the gypsy moth and the
brown-tail moth-are spreading over
New England; and If not checked they
will infest the whole country. They
attack the trees on lawn, street and
forest.
1.-THE most effective weapon against
an insect is it's parasite, We have in
troduced many thousands of the para
sites of the insects mentioned and they
oAO uoAiS llSlI WOIh OuT CIll6L eHlO-
mologist Is now on his way to the
Crimea for more nests of the parasites.
When we are visited by an insect pest
the first move is to ascertain where it
came from and then we bring in also
Its patasite enemy. We travel far and
wide for parasites and have to be care
full not to bring in the parasites Of the
parasite.
"Other governments are taking up
h I1 f.
dromedary camel in Algeria, the prin-
cipal beasts of burden in that country.
The Pasteur institute at Paris has been
investigating this disease and finds that
1t Is caused by a microscopic parasite
known as a spirochaete. They have
discovered also that this micro-organ-
ism is carried by certain gadhies.
"They have further discovered that
these gadfies are killed off by certain
robber flies, but that the robber flies in
Algeria are not active at the exact
period when the gadfiies are most
abundant. The man in charge of this
work reported the facts to DR.. Roux,
of dtphtheria-toxin fame, at the head
of the Pasteur institute, who said at
once, Consult DR.. Howard OF the
United States department of agricul-
ture.' So the department of agricul-
ture was consulted and the Pasteur
there Is in the Southern United States
large wasp known to the people as
the horse guard. which Is an active de-
stroyer Of gadfiies.
"The life history OF the horse guard
was well known to the department, its
exact breeding places were known. and
arrangements have been made to dig
up next June large quantities of the
larvae of the horse guard at the time
when they are about entering the pupa
or quiescent stage They are to be car
ried to New Orleans and placed in
charge of one of the chief stewards In
the cold room of the steamer going
directly from New Orleans to Havre.
There they are to be met by agents of
the Pasteur institute and carried to AL
geria, where 1t is hoped they will breed,
and, as their life period is approxi-
mately that OF the gadhies, they will
produce such an effect upon the abun-
dance Of the gadfiies as greatly to re-
duce the possible carriers Of the drom-
edary disease.
1--WE are studying the soils OF the
country, their variations, composition
and conditions, the crops to which they
are best adapted and other features
that have been neglected in the past,
The scientists of the past have told us
little that is practical about soils.
Beet Sugar
Ten years ago the United States |
made $4,000 tons OF beet sugar Last
year $4,000 tons We're made. The prod |
ucts were worth $4,000 900. Growers of |
the beet were shown where seed that J