Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-13
Vanquisher Of the Chinch Bug

Vanquisher of the Chinch Bug
He was at first an assistant in the United
States Entomological Commission. In 1883
he became field agent for the United States
Department of Agriculture, and was at
tachod to the University of Nebraska. He
became instructor in entomology in the uni
versity in 1890, and was promoted to a full
professorship and the head of his department
in 1895, and has been State Entomologist
since that date.
When the chinch bug was destroying the
wheat crop in Nebraska young Bruner dis
covered a parasite, harmless to the wheat,
but deadly to the devouring bug. He tanned
It, and let it loose to multiply in the fields.
What was the result? The wheat crop of the
State, which was 17,45O,OOO bushels in 1886,
fell to S,5OOOOO bushels in 1894 through the
ravages of the bug.
In 1896 1t rose to 100000 bushels.
In 1905 1t was 52,2SSOOO bushels.
And in 1914 1t was 100000 bushels.
They may say that republics are ungrate-
full II they choose
But Nebraska farmers and all Nebraskans
dependent on the prosperity of the farmers
are grateful. They know who has made
wheatrasing possible
Bruner has saved the crops of the state on
several other occasions when they have been
threatened by insects The despised bug
ologist who used to be seen wandering over
the fields with net chasing butterflies has
proved that bug study is of greater impor-
tance to a Commonwealth than the construc-
tion of rhetorical periods.
The effect of this entomoogists work is
shown in the development of Nebraska as an
agricultural State. OF course he has not
nj bItth tic CHI IL,
been greater than that of any other man.
Since 1890 the value of the farm products
has increased fourfold, while the number of
acres of improved land has increased only a
little more than twice. The exact figures
show that 25 years ago 100000 900 worth of
stuff was produced on 100000 acres In 1900
the number of acres Of improved land had
grown to 11,470,0OO and the value of the farm
products had risen to S4S6 OO,OOO But in
1910 the date of the last census the farm
products were worth 81 $40 900, while the
acreage cultivated had increased only to
I4,2OO,OOO.
The addition OF more than 100000 900 a
year every year for ten years to the value of
Nebraska's agricultural products proves be-
yond the faintest shadow of a shade of doubt
that 1t pays to study bugs.
He Stayed the Plague of Locusts
Professor Burners fame is not local Ar
gentina was being devoured by a pest of
locusts in 1897 and 1898. The Government of
that country had heard of the Nebraska bug
hunter, and cabled to him to come and save
the wheat He went ana conquered the
locusts as he had vanquished the chinch bug
OF the Nebraska farmers. He has told ali
about the locusts of Argentina and Paraguay
and Peru in books that he has written, and
has also put into books some Of the few
things that he knows about insects In gem
eraL He is the author of an introduction 10
the study Of agriculture. as we'll as an intro
duction to the study OF bugs though in these
days OF pestiferous insects the layman might
infer that both subjects should be included In
one volume or, at any rate, that the intro
duction to the study of bugs was really an
to the pursuit OF farming.
A member OF the committee which unani
mously selected the entomologist has ex-
planned the choice by saying:
Political fame such as is possessed by
Bryan. Is a bubble and feeting. True dis
tinction only is lasting That's why we de-
cided Bruner was the most distinguished
man"
And when one considers that every high
school graduate is familiar with the fame OF
but would be put to it to name
any OF the Bryans of the fifth ante domino
century one is persuaded that the commit
teeman speaks words OF soberness and truth.