Bisbee daily review., 1915-07-31
SUCCESSFUL WAR IS WAGED AGAINST THE
 LOCUSTS IN AMERICA
Costa RiCa, Invaded By Plague of LocustS, AdOps Stern Mea- Sures and Finally Rids Coun- try of Terrible Swarm.

SAN JOSE, Costa Bica, July 3O.-t- This country hae recently completed the destruction of an invasion of lo- 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 1t.
 The population was for 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 unlike those employed in destroying human being on the European battle fields, and gave to the fighting a sem blance 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-bacih 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 oyer the border from neighboring Central American republics The press of the latter had been reporting the devastating ef- fleets of a locust plague for a year. which were so alarming that the Cos ia Rica government made prepara- lions for an invasion of it's territory. Disheartening reports reached here not only from Guatemala and Hondur- as. but also from Salvador and Mica. ragua where, through neglect or for other reasons, no efforts to eradicate the plague were made either by the governments or by private agricultur- al interests. The damage the insects wrought on crops in those countries advanced cereal prices to such an ex- tent that their governments were forced to import 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 grain to these markets. This resulted in a considerable increase in the To- cal market price and all grains under went what might be termed a boom
 In view of the excellent prospects for the sale of the next crop, all the farmers in this country. notwithstand- ing the threatening plague. were at ,racted to the planting of cereals and large tracts of land were prepared and cultivated
 As a warning of the impending peril. small, swarm of locusts invaded Costa Rican territory by the province of Guanacaste, but to the prompt act ion on the part of the government with sandloaded cannon and rockets, the swarm was easily repulsed and turned back into Nicaraguan territory.
 After this two or three months elapsed in which the government had time to make more thorough prepara- lions and adopt special measures. A certain quantity of coco-bacili was im- ported by the ministry of public works which was cultivated in the national laboratory and held in readiness. AL most all signs of the danger seemed Go have disappeared, when about the middle of May, one horde after anoth- CT invaded Costa Rica territory on the Nicaraguan border
 No locusts had visited this country for 37 years and therefore the panic amongst the inhabitants was unprece- dented. The daily newspapers pub lished columns and columns of re- ports on the advances of the plague the government sent experts with thorough equipment to fight the in- vasion and congress enacted a special law by which every citizen was forced to pay a special and direct tax for cov- ering the expenses of exterminating it.
 The swarms were numerous and of huge proportions. Everybody, without exception. helped in one way or an- other to destroy the insect. Private subscriptions were raised and in ma ny towns invaded the women and children turned out with torches. lamps and other implements to aid in it's anihiation
 Although blasts of sand from can non, trains of gunpowder. asphyxiating gases and rockets were all used with more or less success, 1t was thought by the government officials that had it not been for the appearance of dis ease among the swarm. the coco-bacili would have undoubtedly proved most efficient means of getting rid of the pest. This disease killed the locusts by millions It consisted in the devel- opment of a worm in the stomach of the insect which gradually increased in size until the insect was unable to hy and fell dead to the ground. The disease s0emed to be highly infectious amongst the swarms which quickly succumbed The plague has now com