El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-10

DUENOS AIRES, Argentina, April 10
IA have spent this week with
some Of our scientists who have
come TO Argentina to aid in improving
the farming conditions. There are a
dozen or more Of these men, connected
with the department Of agriculture, and
they represent every branch Of farm
efficiency work. Last year we had Dr..
Willett N. Hays, formerly assistant
secretary Of agriculture OF the United
States. He came here at a salary Of
$1,000 a month as consulting adviser to
the agricultural department Of Argen-
tina During his stay he introduced
many new methods for improving the
organization and efficiency Of the de-
partment.
Walter G. Davis, the head OF the M
tional weather bureau, has organized a
service which is superior to any other
on the South American continent He
has been in Argentina for more than
50 yearE. and was brought down to be
one of the officials at the University Of
CordoYa- H n. Curran. who for sew
eral years was connected with our for
estry bureau in the Philippines, IS
studying the timber resources Of the
4 a. ana InH1Al anu aAHAAAE ELEBEeL4OIE as
TO the organization OF lumber indus
try.
Laurel DuvaI, OF Ohio, mas charge Of
the Standardization Of grain. and Wal
ter Fisher, Of the same state, is at the
head OF the experimental stations en-
gagged in fruit culture in Patagonia. His
work is chiefly along the Rio Negro.
We have also experts who are organic
ing a. soil survey and some who are in
vestigating the insect pests. One Of the
latter Is George r. Smith, OF Colorado,
who has just returned from an extern
sive tour through the wilds Of the
north. where he has been studying the
locust Mr.. Smith is at the head Of the
chronological bureau OF the depart
ment, and he fknows much about this
pesuferous grasshopper that eats up
the crops.
Locust May Control wheat Price.
The locust may raise the price OF
wheat to the armies in Europe, and it
may bring starvation TO thousands. It
is the terror Of the Argentine farmer
1t afflicts him, even as It afflicted
Pharoah at the command Of Noses when
he hardened his heart and would not
let the Israelites 90. The chief differ
ence is that Pharosh had the locust for
only a season. while the Argentines often
have IL year after year in succession.
The lOcusts that spread over Egypt
sailed in on an east wind Those that
cover Argentina fly down from the
north, and, like their sisters OF Egypt,
they come in such swarms that they
cover the face Of the sun and darkness
falls On the land They eat every herb,
and when they depart there remains
not any green thing in the trees or in
the herbs OF the field throughout all
the land that they cover. Said entomo-
logical expert, Mr. Smith, in talking
with me;
Destroy Every Green Thing.
1.-THE bible description OF the plague
Is not ovedrawn. With the exception I
Of the paradise tree, the -Iocusts de- /
stroy every green thing They eat the
crops from the fields and chew up the
grass They clean the fruit trees Of
their leaves, and eat off the bark to the
wood. have passed through orchards [
where the oranges were still hanging
on the branches, although not leaf {
was to be seen The locUsts viii go
into a cornfield and strip the leaves ]
from the stalks, and II the corn IS small {
they may eat il down 10 the ground. /
[ have Travelled through miles Of such 4
fields, and through orchards where the I
ocusts have hung to the branches like ;
lees when swarming, the branches 4
lften breaking with the weight Of the !
Ocusts"
During a tour up the Rio de Ia Plata +
saw fields devastated by locusts, and 4
Travelled with DR.. Habenicht, who is /
with a colony Of Seventh /
Day AdFentists from the United States [
That colony is located in the province |
IF Entire Rios, in a region that has fire. 4
luent invasions Of locusts. said DR.. 4
5abenicht: