Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-30

xrTASHINGTON, May 26.-Not long ago Dr. L. o.
wv Howard, chief of the bureau of entomology
which is that branch the department of
agriculture devoted study OF insects caused to
be dug up the department grounds number of
big fat white grubs, garden slugs of the sort you
frequently turn up when digging bait. These
not intended for bait, however. DR.. Howard turned
them over another government scientist Dr. Lang
worthy the title of chief of the bureau OF
home economies, and knows more about cooking than
anybody else in Washington Dr. Langworthy pre-
scented the worms to his most skilfu chef who made
of them broth, thickened with chopped lettuce
leaves seasoned with SALT pepper and papikra In
this unusual the grubs returned to the intator
of the enterprise, DR.. Howard who consumed a cup
of the with great gusto and proclaimed it
delicious. of his assistants courageousy backed
the chief, he, too said the soup good There
no argument
These conservative scientists not merely in
duging exotic taste for insectivorous diet.
Neither of them knowingly consumed any
insects before. But they shared serious scientific
conviction that insects excellent human food,
which being almost entirely neglected by civilized
and they wished at to put their beliefs TO
test and to give practical demonstration Of the
edibility of bugs.
The argument favor of eating insects is literally
unanswerabe. Likewise the prejudice among
civilized peoples against eating insects
superable. So the situation is deadlock sufficient
number of exalted examples, like that of DR.. Howard,
might suffice to break it. If New society, for
example would cockchafer toast and grass
hopper omelette there is little what these
dishes would come into general adminstra-
ton really DESTROYS of lowering the of living
might do much by having of the more savory
native insects served the White House table DR.
Howard has made beginning Let has the
courage follow him.
The matter is of far more moment than appears at
glance The population of the earth is increasing
a great rate, and everywhere food is becoming more
difficult obtain. Especially is this true of animal
food meat, fish, she'll fish, and the crustacea
all becoming The last of these, the crustacea
including Holsters, shrimps and crabs, first
cousins to insects, having the sort of
and structure Yet the lobster unheard O
prices and with extinction, while his
near relative, the June bug, all considera
ton article of diet.
o,r refusal to eat insects inconsistent, squeam-
isb and rdicuIous-that is apparent That is not the
end Of the matter, however 1t may be stated with
almost literal later will have
to eat the in sefdefense Modern life on this
nlanet is a battle between and the insects-and
the latter are every physical better fitted
TO survive All other forms Of life have been subju
gated by far he has come in contact with
them Only the insect remains in almost undimin-
isbed numbers and continues to menace the life and
well-being of the human Grasshoppers descend
upon and leave whole states and nations to
famine Several Central American republics are now
in starving condition result of these pests The
boIl weeviI creeping southwark threatens the Of
a great industry. Moths devour the shade trees of
whole cities. House fys take thousands of lives by
acting as disease carriers and the mosquito laden
with yellow fever and malaria, kills than any
wild animal that inhabited the earth.
So modern life is in a very real desperate
struggle between and the insects. Some scientists
believe that the insects who will survive, and
that they will the earth long after every other
form of persisted. Dr. Howard believes that
man will ultimately overcome the insects by reason