The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-05-20


concerning the depredations of insect
pests. it being estimated by the Ma
tional Conservation Commission that
the loss of farm, orchard and garden
crops from this cause reaches $685.
100000 annually in the United
States. One of the most effective
ways of checking this annual drain
upon the country's agricultural re-
sources is by enlistiug the aid of in
sect enemies of the destructive spe-
cies.
good example is given by the pro-
pagation of the ladybug to check the
San Jose scale, that threatened the
very existence of the orange-growing
industry of California. and is now
even a peril in Missouri. The San
Jose scale is nothing but a vast accu-
mutation of minute insects: and these
are attacked voraciously by the lady
bugs. or ''ladybirds," which must,
therefore, be numbered among the
most desirable of mans friends. They
have not only saved the day for Cali
fornia orange growers (the same San
Jose scale originated there) but they
have been introduced into Spain.
Italy. the West Indies and other
orange-growing regions in which the
destructive pest has made its appear
ance. in addition to nearly all the
fruit-growing sections of the coun-
try.
The Domesticated Insect.
However. there is another class of
insect friends of man, of somewhat
different nature. that may be called
domesticated insects. The most con-
spicuous example of these are the
honey bees and the silkworm. both of
which produce commodities of COM
mercial value of many millions of dol
lars annually
Every one is familiar with both the
honey bee and its product. so that no
description of it is necessary More
books have been written concerning
bees and bee keeping than concern
ing any domestic animal. even the
horse. Bees have been known and
kept for their honey and wax from
the remotest antiquity. but these
products enter into the worlds COM
merce TO a greater extent to-day than
at any period in the past. The honey
and wax industry of the United States
now has an actual value OF twenty
five million dollars, and a capital in
vested OF one hundred million dollars.
The number OF bee keepers. producing
hnnnx- al
quantities. is estimated at 275.000,
not taking into account the very large
number who keep bees simply in or
der to obtain honey for home use.
The silkworm is the most perfectly
demesticated of all insects, the adult
moth having practically lost the
power of fight through many centur-
les OF breeding in captivity. and the
species not being found in a wild
state at all. In China the rearing of
silkworms for the manufacture Of
textile fabrics was practiced at least
as long ago as $500 B. c. About $50
a. D. the insect was introduced into
Europe and the production of silk
soon became an industry of impor-
lance in Turkey, Italy and Greece,
and later in France, Spain and Por-
tugal
For centuries the Orientals care
fully guarded their monopoly OF silk
production. The story OF how monk
carried the eggs OF the insect TO Eu-
rope in hollow cane is we'll known.
and is probably true. Japan is now
one OF the worlds leading silk-pro-
ducing countries. and supplies about
half OF the importstions into the
United States. The total value Of
the worlds annual production OF raw
silk is not known. but runs into the
hundreds OF millions OF dollars. The
United States alone imports raw silk
TO the value OF between forty and
fifty million dollars every year, be
sides sreat quantities OF manufac-
tuTed silks. For more than q century
efforts were made TO place the rear
ing OK silkworms for the production
OF the cocoons upOn paying basis
In this country: but It has been found
quite impossible 70 compete with the
cheap labor OF the Orient ard the
soath o. Europe. That Is the story
of the Ne Boissiere silk venture OF
S.lkvilie. near Ottawa, Kan, fifty
years ago.
Al insect beneiacio- OF the human
race. with which most Americans cut
side q the san Joaquin Valley OF
California are unfamiliar. IS the { :
wasp. 81. 70 give Il its scientific name.
the BiastopAzga grossoTum. without
whlch TIE commercial p-o1ucsioa Of
fgs would BE impossible.
A Peculiar Fruit.
The az i s peculiar fruit. consist
Tag simply o. a receptacle FOR the
foweTs. AZ the apsx o. the recsp-
tac.s Is a small oTincs. siving passage
from the exterior e the very heart o.
the fFuit. TIE varieties q hss eaten
fresh contain What are known Is
male blossoms. OF imperfect pistli-
late blossoms. and mature the fruit
withsat the Intervention Of insect
agsacy. altAoagh the seeds are infer.
BYZANTINE AR