Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-27
COSTA RIGA DESTROYS
 AN INVASION OF LocusTs
Even Women and Children Turned
 Out to Fight the Insects.

San Jose. Costa Rica, Aug. 26.- This country has recently completed the destruction of an invasion of To- custs. It was the first appearance of the insect here since 1878, and was so extensive that it called forth the resources of the government to check it.
 The population was for a time thrown into a panic and even women and children turned out to fight the insects. Some of the methods used in exterminating the pests were not un- like those employed in destroying hu- man beings on European battlefelds and gave to the fighters semblance of real warfare
 The invading army was bombarded with cannon loaded with sand and with rockets, sprayed with asphyxiat- ing gases and blown up with gunpow- der. The torch was also used and there was likewise let loose to attack the insects an army of coco-bacii, which has been discovered to be a mortal enemy of the locust
 Disease among the locusts them selves, however, did most to destroy them as has sometimes been the case in human armies
 The locusts came over the border from neighboring Central American republics The press of the latter had been reporting the devastating effects of a locust plague for a year, which were so alarming that the Costa Rican government made preparations for an invasion of its territory. Dishearten- ing reports reached here not only from Guatemala and Honduras. but also from Salvador and Nicaragua, where through neglect or for other reasons no efforts to eradicate the plague were made either by the governments or by private agricultural interests The damage the insects wrought on crops in those countries advanced cereal prices to such an extent that their large shipments of grain which were sold at moderate prices.
 This. together with the increase in the rate of exchange caused by the European war, caused dealers in this country to ship large quantities of | in a considerable increase in the local market price and all grains underwent | what might be termed boom In view of the excellent prospects for the sale of the next crop all farm CTS in this country, notwithstandiAg the threatening plague, were attract ed to the planting of cereals and large tracts of land were prepared and cul- l tivated
 As warning of the impending peril I a small swarm of locusts invaded Cos ta Rican territory by the province of | Guanacaste. but owing to the prompt action on the part of the government with d>loaded cannon and rockets. | the swarm was easily >repulsed and
 turned backeinto Nicaraguan territory, After this two or three months | elapsed in which the government had time to make more thorough prepara- tions and adopt special meaaures. A certain quantity of coco-hacili was imported by. the ministry of public
 works which was cultivated in the
 national laboratory and held in read mess Almost all signs of the danger
 seemed to have disappeared. when
 about the middle of May one horde
 after another invaded Costa Rican ter
 ritory on the Nicara@uan border.
 No locusta had visited this country for ST years and therefore the panic
 amongst the inhabitants was unprec-
 edenteds The daily newspapers pub hshed columns and columns of re- ports on the advance of the plague:
 the government sSent experts with
 thorough equipment to fight the in ivasion and congress enacted a specia