The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-20
u BgGS yW5 KNOW LITTLE
HITS WY Ar jNTf-FLY VAR
WIS NEVER BEGUN.

- NOW Merely e0untinR Ine Sbechee
New EngIsnd's Census Nest Ad-
yanccd. lct Fur FROM Complete.
i BosToH, Sept. ia dream CT onto
mologists Is q q day when the scientific
export will control all the bugs that crawl
and fly as efficiently as the hydraulic
engineer directs water supply or the
electrical on gineor deploys the currents
that transmit power Ct speeoh. An era
o. professional knowledge and skill is
fcreseen when tho cntomologist Ytll
Ge able To use the three hundred thou
sand OK ating species OF insects Us tools
qf bis trade.
Thcn the Luther Burbank Of the bugs
BY processes cf crossing and selecting
viii add TO tho number CT exciting vario-
tles and alter the character Of the present
apecles, Just as freak insects ore already
bong produced In the Vienna geological
laboratories. The economic possibilities
will DO fully realized.
II 10 this boet'o a cumbereT OF tho earth
which would be relieved by Its abeencef
Breed against IL O parasitical species
watch si,aIl leave the word rs II the Of
Finding bug had mover been known. 10
o bonelcent darning needle lacking In
q region where Its presence would mako
for public health and COMFORT Introduce
and accllmate t.
, Are there In any country continual
disturbances Of the equilibrium among
the species due to peoples Willingly or
unwittingly bringing in insects from
other landsy Protect the native bugs
against allen intruders. Establish bug
quarantine at every port. az San Francisco
has already done, and inspect 0very
imported Seeding, wicker basket or
piece Of iruit that may harbor d colony
Of the eggs Ct undcslrnble~,
Somewhat such Is tho fundamental
fdea Of the now entomology that the
specialist by meas Of a scionco that
will ultimately no as eSnct as chemistry
or physics will hold tho powor Of life
and death over tho almost 1pnumerablo
speolcs Of bugs.
Meantime IL Is rathor astonishing to
tho average PERSON TO frd that this science,
about which 80 much has boon written
IN the last few years. 10 still so much in
the future. The insect world 10 not yet
t~hoyoughly known, as those. for instance.
have discovered who have started In
70 wage war against flies.
sIt is not recorded that tho anti-hy
crusade in New York has seriously dimiA-
ishcd tho sire Of tho swarms that brocd
about tho mouths Of the scwors. In
Massachusetts. a State from which tho
universe has frequently boen reformed
by theorists. a apti-fy commission
Fas constituted last spring on tho theory
that warfare against tho house fly would
bring peace to Yankee households. Tho
6ght was abandoned before begun.
Tho commission re- or looking into
tho subject OF fios found il complex
beyond expectation. Grave doubts
cycn were folt regarding tho oxtent Of
tho injuries caused by tho common spe-
etcs. and, admitting tho worst that is
charged. tho methods Of eliminating tho
OWL have not boen scientifically dovcl-
eped. A. Commissioner John Ritchio
Of the Boston Board Of Health said;
&.1t 10 a grave question how to go
9ftor flies In a way that will DO effective
Betty and county,
r"It was wise Of this Massachusetts, COM
m~ission." said a professional dipterist. .to
study into tho facts a little before launch
ing their thunders against the whole
order OF flies. There are about 1000 dis
tinct species Of diptera in the United
States, most of which, are harmless and
often extremely beneficial little flies.
Amy wholes lie destruction among these
species, II such were possible In the pres
ent state Of our knowledge. would cause
more diseases than 1t would cure. The
bfoai question OF the relationship Of the
different kinds Of flies to each other. the
conditions Of their development and
tfowth. their habits as regards the bear
ins OF diseases. should be more carefully
pt6died u before plans for extermina-
Hon are nyen considered
Tho enormity Of the work ahead Of the
economic entomoloeists staggers the
human imagination. The wonder is not
riat there are 80 many Individual flies.
Soas, m-sIuitoes, ants. and beetlee.
Everybody accepts the host Of them Or
faith II not by virtue Of their works.
4 But tho immense number Of separate
Speoies Is what astounds most persons
u whom all Aie1 hook and all wasps sting
alisc.- that and the admitted ignorance
cyea OF tho experts about the life history
Of the individuals Of many Of these species.
T6dt is what put, the final triumph OF
bug engineering far In the future.
pRather more than a0o. 900 species OF
insects are known to exist, with the rea-
sSnAble certainty that many more will
b di covered. Just to contain brief
descriptions Of each a small library Of
books would DO needed.
And in NO single set OF books are they all
described For the most part the accounts
are scattered In books and scientific
journals printed In various languages
snd not ord narily found In the tame
library, 60 tina. whenever In a given
locality as eay in the valley OF the Hack
ehsack, a species is found that was not
before known to exist In northern New
Jersey a long search may be involved II
fhe bug 10 one that has been described
before In connection with the fauna OF
some other locality or u something on
tirely new has been found.
A an example Of the labor involved and
Oh the present extent OF the unknown in
Sed study take the magnitude OF the task
OF gathering a complete collection Of the
insects OF New England. IT IL probable
that In no other part OF North America
with the exception Of California has so
much study OF insects been carried on,
not only by amateurs but by specialists
aonuacted with universities and colleees