Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-06-22

Ii the 500, 100000 bug. The advent
of the Hessian fly, which is now ds-
vouring the winter wheat crop and
bringing terror to the hearts of the
farmers In Kansas, marks the pass
ing from the spotlight of what wss
probably in its hey-day the greatest
wealth producing insect in the rec
ords of commerce.
This bug. the spring green Aphls,
was worth $100,000,000 to bank ac-
counts of people in this country In
1907, who escaped It's call. At the
same time IL was so destructive that
desperate efforts were made to ex-
terminate It. Men wise In bug-ology
were on their knees In the fields ex-
amining it with magnifying glasses.
The scientists discovered other bugs
or flies which took such fancy
to the little bug In question that
they actually began to feed on 1t.
Then these scientists hatched and
turned loose millions OF these para
sites to devour or destroy the $780,
900, 900 bug. They were partly sue
cessful and a threatened calamity
was averted.
The green Aphis made sleepless
nights for wheat raisers OF. Oklaho-
ma, Texas, Kansas and Nebraska for
a period OF 60 days last year. Be-
fore It was extermlnated the De-
partment OF Agriculture, the bureau
of entomology and an army OF sci
entists were engaged In the fight 10
save the wheat crop of the country.
The green bugs were vanquished
and their spread into the wheat
states east OF the Mississippi and
the spring wheat states of the north
west finally checked on the princi-
pie OF fighting the ffvil with fire."
A small black nv In Oklahoma and
Texas was found TO be the natural
enemy of the green bug. This dy
was propagated by the millions un-
der the advice OF the scientists.
Agents OF the bureau OF entomology
were sent into the fields to direct the
work of distributing the diminutive
black parasites. In 30 days atter
the war or the bugs" began the
danger was declared over, but not
until Texas. Oklahoma and Kansas
had suffered great injury and wheat
raisers had great scare over what
looked like a calamity for time.
Now for the SiO0,OOO,OOO part OF
the story. When the first real scare
over the green bugs began wheat
was selling on May contracts at 74es
cents. This was when the sun
crossed the line March Fl and the
growing season for the big winter
wheat states fairly began. The copn-
try had visible supply OF 1906
wheat on hand amounting TO nearly
As, ,00O, 900 bushels. Argentines was
shipping 8 100000 bushels a week TO
Europe and underselling American
exporters. ShiDments from that quar-
ter from January / 10 May were
Ga 900 900 bushels. Ohicial figures
show that primary markets In this
country were groaning rlnder the re-
ceipts of 10000 TO 100000 bushels
n day above normal movement OF
previous years. The earlier reports'l
on the growing crop sent out from
Secretary Wilson's crop bureau were
hattering and caused great depres-
sion in prices. IL looked like 90
cents a bushel for the 1907 crop to
the farmers west OF the river.
Then came the green bug and the
speeulator i
At the first serious mention II
insect damage 10 wheat In Texas and
Oklahoma experts were dispatched
from Chicago. Minneapolis and st.
Louis grain exchanges to learn the
facts. The reports wired back 10 /
members OF these exchanges first
Informed the press, the public and
even the wheat raisers of the south
west of the danger which threatened
the crop. Buying of wheat in all the
big markets began like a whirlwind,
The best part of the story Is that
prices did not recede much after the
battle with the bugs was over. Con-
ditions were unfavorable for the
wheat crop of Russia. There was |
very late season In the Canadian I,
northwest. Every exchange in the
country watched all these adverse |
signs and in anticipating the short
yields for the year held prices well
up around 81 for the entire harvest |
season in this country.
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