Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-07-22
Insect Foes of Life and Prop.
erty.

In connection with the opening of
natural history classes next week,
the, following article will be read
with interest:
| Few people Tin generaD realize
the extent to which public and phi
vate welfare is affected by insects
creatures commonly looked on with
contempt on account of their insig-
nificant size--unless the fact has
been brought home to them by
severe personal experience, whether
having had their crops devoured by
locusts, their orchard and shade trees
destroyed by caterpillars, borers, or
scales, their stock killed or injured
by Texas fever, grubs, or other
pests, or themselves laid low by ty-
phoid OF malaria.
1t has been estimated by compel
ent authority that the agricultural
interests alone of this country suffer
to the extent Of one-and-a-half bill.
lions of dollars annually by the raw
ages OF insects. Add to this sum
the destruction causedto many other
kinds of property and the ravages of
insect-borne disease and we find an
appalling total to be charged to
their account. We can no longer
ignore the fact that these so called
Insignificant creatures are not only
one of the most important factors in
the cost Of living but that the public
health is seriously concerned--it is
even said that the decadence of
Greece as nation snay be traced to
mosquito-borns,4 maiar}s they
must perforce receive g. greater de-
gree of intelligent public interest
than hitherto. .ls
The citizens OF Massachusetts,
alone are taxed today at least $3.50,
900 year by single insect, the
gypsy moth, which, but for the lack
Of intelligent public interest and adj
equate appreciation, might have
been exterminated or at least held
in permanent check by a fiftieth part
of that sum. Now, every state in
New England is confron ted with
the same formidable problem in
economic entomology.
Here is work for the Boy Scouts
No finer practical patriotism could
be encouraged than the, protection
of the community against the inya-
sion of its insect. foes, whether of
foreign or native origin, whether in
relation to the destruction of prop.
erty or of human life. In many
places the interest and activity of
school children has been enlisted in
the destruction of shade-tree pests
mosquito brigades have been formed
in others; and recently, in the city
OF Worcester, Mass, through the
enterprise of one of its leading daily
papers more than 100000 house
flies were destroyed IN three weeks
by the efforts of boys and girls spur
red on by the offer of prizes. The
greatest pood done, however, has
been the education OF tfis; public to
an appreciation of the damage and
of the perils of insect PESTS The
outbreak of yellowofcver in New
Orleans in 1905 wrought lasting
benefit on the community, in spite
of the temporary paralysis of trade,
by doing away with insanitary con-
ditions.
There are friends as well as. foes
! among insects, but with the excep-
ton Of the silkworm aud honeybee,
the friends are chiefly those which
are parasitic or pretlaceous on the
injurious species, and a knowledge
of these is both important and filled
with interest.
But aside from the practical value
of knowledge of and interest in
insect lite no other group is SO well
J fitted for observation or to train the
reasoning powers. The singular
adaptations in form and color to
I
habits, the intricate lite-histories and
inter-relations OF different kinds, the
marvellous instincts, all appeal
strongly to our aesthetic faculties
and their study becomes not only of
practical worth but Of intense inter-
est. A. p. MORSE.