The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-10-18
INSECT INVASION
THE STATE BEING ovERRUN By
MANY KINDS OF PESTS.
May Be Profitable If We Profit

1t does not require scientific know
ledge but merely ordinary observa
tion to convince the farmer and othel
citizens that South Carolina is now
receiving an invasion of insect with
out parallel in the present genera
ton.
The Pine Bark Beetle has riddle6
the pines of the Up-Country and is
rapidly movini eastward into the
great commercial pine belt. In ord
er to check that insect energetic
measures must be undertaken an6
kept up for number Of years.
The Pea Curculio did immense
damage in certain sections early in
the year by cutting off cotton blooms
and reports from Whitmire, in New.
berry county, and elsewhere show
that the Melancholy Rose Beetle is
repeating what he accomplished two
years ago in other sections.
Several small ilvasions Of grass
hoppers, resulting in wiping out
small fields Of corn Gone of forty
acres near Columbia and one Of shir-
ty acres in Aiken County, are also
indications Of far worse to come.
The whole Up-Country is being
swept by a mosquito plague that in
certain towns has reached enormous
proportions. Greenville has been
carrying on war against these pests
through IFS health Office. Capt. P.
S. Land, Of Columbia, for many years
a conductor on the old Columbia and
Greenville railroad, says that thirty
years ago mosquitoes were practically
unknown from Greenvil1e to Colum-
bia-a statement that any old citi-
zen will confirm.
The list of destructive insects, now
for the first time in evidence, is a
long one, and space is lacking mere
~ to chronicle it. Enough has been
said to call attention to most sin
lister and important fact.
At the last session Of the General
Assembly I appeared before commit
tee on Fish, Forestry and Game and
stated TO that body that before the
Boil Weevil arrived there would be
such an outbreak of insects as would
ar the teeth in their heads" They
will remember that prediction, which
has already come true, although
more is to follow. If any member
of that committee has any doubt in
his mind, he has only to go into the
Up-Country and see for himself.
The situation has been brought
about by a rapidly, diminishing bird
supply, which the General Assembly
has done nothing to check, for moth
ing but nominal protection is accord
ed birds, there being no way whereby
the laws can be enforced.
In the case of the Pine Bank Beet
lie DR.. F. E. l.. Beel, of the Biologi-
cal Survey, writes me that Scolytld
beetles (the genus to which the Pine
ark Beetle belongs) have been found
not only in the stomachs Of wood
eckers, which tear off the bark to get
at them, but also in the stomachs OF
nighthawks, fycatchers and other
birds whose food is taken on the
wing. The loss of birds has meant
an outbreak of beetles and the farm
er pays the freight.
1t is also true that nighthawks Tor
bullbats) along with martins, chin
ney swifts and swallows, feed very
largely on mosquitoes, taking thous-
apds at meal. Inasmuch as these
birds must fill their stomachs from
eight time to ten times daily, one
can see what an enormous amount OF
mosquitoes would be carried OF by
them.
In other words, 80 long as these
birds were plentiful and unmolested
mosquitoes were kept within the
bounds set by nature. With the
birds destroyed below the point OF
efficiency, the pests spread. Night
hawks (bullbats) have been reported
as being shot at different points all
over the State, but this department
is powerless to take effective action
without money to hire Wardens ano
to prosecute cases.
1t is nothing less than a special
act of Providence that the Cotton
caterpillars (called Army worms
generality came so late in the season.
otherwise the first crop would have
gone the way of the top crop.
Now it does not matter what any
mans previous notions have been
be must recognize facts when he sees
them, if he is an honest man. More
over I have told the General Assem-
bly, that they need not believe my
unsupported word, but that the gov
ernment scientists will furnish them
independent information as to the
situation whenever they ask for 1t.
II what / have told them does moi
conform to the facts, there is an easy
way to prove it.
But the General Assembly has not
done this. No action has been taken
to get information; nothing has been
done to protect the farmers OF the
State, and if the cotton Boil WeeVl
finds the State unprepared, then the
men charged with the responsibility
will be liable to the grave charge OF
criminal carelessness with PUBIC
trust.
1t is the duty of the General AS
senlbly to take steps at once to safe
guard the interests Of the farmers o.
the State. There is no time to waste
and no time to argue with lndlvld
uals. The law should be passed anc
the people informed afterwards, tol