Semi-weekly herald., 1914-03-12
Agriculture Department
to Battle Against Bugs

WASHINGTON, d. c., March II.
Bugs! Bugs that fly and bugs
that burrow, bugs that bite and bugs
that sting; big bugs and tiny bugs,
lady bugs, and bugs anything but
lady-like are going to cost the fed
eral government 100000 in real
money during the fiscal year Of 1915.
That is the amount carried in the ag
ricultural bill now before congress
DIR. l.. o. Howard, chief of the bu.
reau Of entomology and Uncle SANS
champion bug hunter, has pointed oui
however, that these insects will cost
the country fully 100 times that
amount in cotton destroyed; corn, anf
wheat and other grain crops injured
forests devastated; root crops ruinet
and fields laid almost bare. 1t is t.
stop such ravages as these that the
bureau is maintained. That 1t saves
many times its cost every year is eas
lily demonstrated by statistics.
The biggest bug from the stand
point Of dcstructiveness Is the Dol
weevil which is slowly but certainly
retreating before the desperate at
tacks of government scientists. Blu
the "sinews Of war" provided by the
appropriation bill are also wanted TO
campaigns against the gypsy mott
that attacks tree foliage, the hor,
worm thst destroys tobacco plants
the cane insect that lays low cane
fields, the alfalfa weevil that attack,
that crop the cinch bug that suck
the life from wheat and corn stalks
the codling moth that spoils tire
fruits, the pine beetle and the bark
beetle. The latter insect Is seriou
menace to the national and private
forests because it destroys millions OF
feet of standing timber.
The cotton red spider also has beer
condemned as a public enemy, anc
two new menaces that have slippe
past the immigration authorities are
the Argentine ant which ruins grow
ing tobacco and the Australian potn-
to tuber moth. This latter pest lays
its eggs in young potatoes with the
result that when tho farmer digs
them he finds large caterpiller in
side each tuber eating 16 meals day
And finally there is a lot TO be done
in the way Of reducing the number Of
house flies and stable flies which
carry diseases moro to be feared thar
crop failures.
1--WE have undertaken an extensivs
study OF the house fly" said DR.. How
ard on this point. "In the small farn
and village SO per cent Of the house
flies are bred in stable refuse and WI
have been cooperating with the bu.
reau Of chemistry to find some sub
stance that will kill the fly larvae
and not impair the fertilizing value o.
the refuse. We have found recently
that there are one or two such sub
stances which may be used at an econ
omical rate. think we are on tbs
verge OF very practical discover,
which will be Of great value in tht
way Of reducing the house fly pest
I'VE have several lines Of worl
now going on in regard to the effeci
of insects upon the health of man anf
animalsc. We wish in the first plaei
to complete the records Of lonRevit,
Of the cattle ticks. Then, as to stab!'
flies, this insect has been shown u
be instrumental in the carriage Of in
fantile paralysis. We also expect 4
undertake series Of malarial fevel
studies and the Economies Of mala
rial mosquitoes, in order to provid,
remedies for the requirements o.
plantations, especially in the Missis
sippi delta where malaria Is so rife
the idea being to find out what spe
cies Of mosquito carry malaria II
those districts, exactly how the!
breed. what can be done In th4 VA