Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-25


many of the states, devotes all its time to de-
vsing means for the protection Of human beings
food crops and live stock from insects.
1t is not an exaggeration TO describe modern
life as struggle between men and insects, for
the bugs are the only form OF life that man has
not succeeded in controlling. Some animals he
has domesticated to furnish him with sport and
food He dominates the animate world-all
ccpt the insects They are more numerous and
more arbitrarily developing some forms OF life
and destroying others and the insects seem to
profit by almost every disturbance
SO it is seen that the insects are really the
most dangerous enemies that we have within our
country and now that our food supply must be
increased by every possible means the insects de-
structive to food crops are the special concern
Of the bureau of entomology 1t has worked out
methods for the destruction of all OF them; it
has a corps OF trained men and is in constant
touch with many other entomologists The means
OF combating insect depredatons are at hand; the
chief problem is to learn of the existence OF pests
before they have increased to dangerous pro-
portions. 1t is for this purpose that the bureau
has just completed reporting organization that
covers the entire country and brings INTO the
Washington Office daily information of any
threatening increase of insects. The basis OF this
reporting system is the 200 field workers of the
bureau who are scattered all over the United
States Their observations are supplemented by
those OF the state entomologsts and the entomolo-
gists attached to the state agricultural expert
nlent stations, while reports are also sent in by
the government crop reporters, the county agents,
the field men of the bureau of animal industry,
the bureau of plant industry and the weather
bureau. These observers total several thousand
and there is little danger that any insect pest will
reach serious proportions without coming to the
attention of some of them. Although this
porting system in its full extent is war meas
ure, the bureau of entomology hopes to make it
permanent.
In the present emergency man has one ally
among the insects as well as host of enemies.
The honey bee promises to attain in the next few
years entirely Importance in the United
States. Heavy European demands are steadily
cutting down our sugar supply, which has been
still further reduced by revolutions in Cuba. We
produce little cane and beet sugar and little
maple sugar, but our production of plant sugars
cannot be greatly increased. On the other hand
there is enough flower nectar produced in the
United States and used for no other purpose
whatever to supply large part of the national
demand for sweets. There is only one known
way OF manufacturing this nectar into sugar and
that is by the agency of the honey bee.
For this reason the bureau OF entomology is
launching most determined campaign for the
increase of our production of honey. The presi-
dent of the National Bee Keepers association,
Francis lager, with several assistants, is working
III the Offices of the bureau in cooperation with
the government experts. A meeting of represent
atives of all the state keepers associations was
held in Washington few days ago.
This honey campaign includes not only prop
uganda for the increased production of honey, but
the working out of system of marketing it and
teaching the people its value as food. For not
only may honey be used for almost every purpose
served by sugar. and makes a better cooking
sweet, but honey at IS cents pound is palat-
able substitute for butter at 40 cents.