The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-26
These With Drought Threat
en- to Cut Production in
Half.
STOP RAILWAY TRAFFIC
Government is Waging Wig
orous Fight Using Me-
tallic Barriers.

BUEEOS AIRES, Dec. %. - The
plague of locuGts that has assailed the
crops of the northern provinces OF the
republic is slowly working it's way
southwark These insects. together
with an unprecedented drought, threat
ca to reduce the crops by half. and in
some sections by an even greater per-
Ccntagc.
The locust comes from s0rlc part OF
the uneXplOrcd region OF southern Bra
I'll and pours over The country III great
streams SO thick and long as to often
darKcn the sun. From Pcna today
there comes dispatch saying that
stream extending over 50 kiiometers
has settled upon the fields and left no
green thing in that part. The young,
Matched from the millions OF c5gs de
posted, have in places covered the
railway SO thickly as to impede traffic
and trains have been stalled until the
insects have been shovellcd from the
tracks and burned in bitches.
The government is waging vigor.
Gus fight but seems to be making lit
tie Roadway. The Department OF Ag.
riculture defense has 20.000,000 meters
OF metallic barriers for the purpose OF
penning swarms which are then burn.
ed, trampled by farm animals or bur
led. This is accomplished because the
young locust is without wings. 1t much
resembles young grasshOpper except
its coloring is much brighter, red and
yellow, black and green, predominant
ing.
From tho eggs Of the flying locusts,
which are always deposited on the
hard roads, millions OF these bright
hued, hopping insects come to assault
the fields on either side. Besides the
wire barriers the government is also
using an apparatus which resemble
gasoline blow pipe. The farmers arc
being instructed to dig trenches about
their fields, drive the hopping locusts
into them and with the aid OF the gasI-
line blowppc burn the mass. Mil.
lions have already been thus destroyed
but telcgraphic reports from all over
the northern half Of the republic re.
port other millions arriving.
So serious has become the situation
that the government has threatened to
fine all farmers who fai! to maintain
corps of men for the purpose OF fight
ing the pest, and the railways have
been asked to transport free of charge
all locust fighting apparatus.
Devastated fields threaten to occa-
sion the starvation OF many head Of
cattle and the railways, at the request
OF the government, have made % per
cent reduction in the rates for the
transportation of live stock, to remain
effective until February % of next
year.. BY this means stock can be
hauled from the devastated regions
to proinces of the south. The lives o.
thousands of thousands OF animals will
thus be saved.
The progress Of the swarms of flying
locusts is daily being telcgraphed
ahead, direction and speed of flight be
ing given so that the farms about to
be attacked can prepare. These telG.
graphic notices are publishes in the
press and have grown to occupy col.
umns.
The linsced crop has already gone.
At times million tons Of this has been
exported annually to the United States.
The promised shortage of the wheat
crop has caused a considerable ad.
vance in the price OF bread and the
| hgarian League has petitioned the gov.
crnl ent for the imposition Of an en-
barge on the shipment of wheat in or
der ito obiate further exploitation OF
the public" This is the first time such
n request has been made in Argentine
ono of the wheat and meat storehous-
| as nf tho world.