El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-10
Pests Cause Heavy Loss
Strict Enforcement of Plant Quaran-
tine VIII Save Millions to
United states.
-By Frederic J. HasiSin-
AsHINGTON. D. q. Jan. 1o


| States are rejoicing that this year win
see put into full effect the various
provisions of the law passed by con
gress last year authorizing a quaran-
| tine against all plant products affected
with any kind of insect pest or disease
which may be spread and thus cause
the trouble to extend to other parts Of
the country. The Importance Of some
method of protection of plant life has
been actively urged by the department
of agriculture for number Of years.
Guard Against Pests.
Soon after the laws became effective
in October last, four quarantine no
tees were issued These are regarded
as a good beginning TO the great pre-
ventive work 1t is hoped viii soon
be in operation against the many pests
that cause such enormous annual
waste. The first is against the white
pine blister rust which is a new dis
ease not yet widely prevalent, but
which, if not checked, may become as
serious as the chestnut canker. The
quarantine fOrbids the importation into
the United States Of three specified
species of pine from Great Britain,
France, Belgium, Holland Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
The second quarantine was placed
against the Mediterranean fruit fly
which is prevalent in Hawaii and is
new to and not widely prevalent as
yet in the United States. This prOhib-
its the importation into the mainland
from Hawaii Of a considerable number
of fruit and vegetables executing
those which have been passed upon by
special inspectors appointed for th2t
purpose.
Quarantine Potato Wart
The third quarantine Is against the
potato wart, a disease which has been
found TO exist in Newfoundland, the
islands of St. Pierre and MiquelOn,
Great Britain, ireland, Germany and
Austria Hungary The fourth notice
was directed chiefly against the
spread of the gypsy moth and the
brown tail moth 1t chiefly affected
the New England states and was
slightly felt by dealers in Christmas
though its affect was much less
serious than was at first feared by the
dealers in those products.
OF the four quarantine notices, per-
haps that against the potato Wart at
tracted most notice for the reason that
some New York dealers who had IN
vested in large quantities of potatoes
in Newfoundland endeaVOred 10 secure
a suspension Of the law in order that
this special Importation for which they
had arranged might be admitted TO
the New York markets Their efforts
were unaYaillng, however, and the
quarantine has been rgidly enforced
from the day 1t was issued, and viii be
so long as there is any need Of it
Many Potatoes Imported.
Notwithstanding the number Of pO-
tatOes raised in the United States.
over $4,000, 600 bushels were imported
last year so that there is a possibility
that this quarantine may have some
effect upon the price Of the popular
tuber which is in daily use upon most
American tables. There could be a
/Tuore permanent scarcity IF the supply,
however, IL this disease were to be-
come established in this country as,
when once in the soil, it absolutely
destroys the potato and, therefore, pre-
vents its culture.
This disease. was first discovered IN
Hungary in 1866 and has since spread
over different parts Of Europe. 1t has
also reached England and NeWfOund-
land. The latter territory has been
the grea test source OF danger in the
United States This potato wart is a
much more serious pest than the Colo
RADIO beetle or potato bug on account
CT " hich the German government near
" 80 years age issued a quarantine
against American potatoes
Pests in Forests.
The most serious pests with which
the forestry service Of the United
States now has to deal are the brown
tail moth and the gypsy moth These
two pests are now costing the New
England states an expenditure Of more
tEan s1,OO0,00O annually merely Tor
their control In addition to this, the
United States government has been
ezpending 100000 a year to aid in
controlling this pest along the high
ways ana by this means check its more
rapid distribution In spite OF these
efforts it is spreading and the yearly
damage done to private grounds,
woodlands and orchards can hardly be
calculated.
The brown tail moth is prevalent in
France and during the year 1910 in
infected nursery stock was brought
into this country and distributed into
at least p states. As far as possible
this stock sent to the different states
has been followed, examined and the
insects removed or destroyed This
has incurred expenses which might
well have been avoided and 1t IS OF
course, impossible to trace all of the
points of contact through which the
cOntagion may have spread to otner
localities.
The gypsy moth is most frequently
found upon cOniferOus trees. The IN
sect destroys the leaves of the tree
and it dies in a few months The
brown tail moth attacks the declduous-
trees, but does not always Kill them
the first year because a new lear crop
is more readily formed Thls pest eA-
tends its ravag es to many KINDS or
trees including those bearing fruit
Loss Totals Billion.
Besides these pests, for which quar-
antines already have been declared,
the United States is ravaged by many
other pests of almost equal destruct-
i've qualities It is estimated that the
loss due to insect pests OF farm pro-
ducts, including fruits and livestock,
now exceeds the sum Of $1,000, 600 goo
annually. The larger percent or TINS
is due to imported insects which this
quarantine law viii materially lessen en-
The San Jose scale, the cOddling
moth or apple worm, the cotton boil
weevil, the Hessian ny, and the wheat
plant louise are only a few Of the
most important of these. The San
Jose scale attacks orchards and des-
troys millions of dollars worth of fruit
each year At least SlO,OOO,O0O are
expended annually in the preparation
and application Of the sprays for its
determination
Apple work is Destructive.
The apple worm occasions a loss IN
cost Of spraying trees and the injury to
fruit amounting to $16,000000 each
year.
It is believed that the Hessian fly
causes an average annual loss Of $50
600, 900 in destruction Of wheat and IN
some years it has even reached
500. 100000, while according to w. D.
Hunters estimate, regarded as conser-