Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1919-08-01

the stalks i'm corn field may be in
tested. Over two hundred bOrers have.
been found in the stalks growing In
one hill of corn. Control is made more
difficult BY the fact tfsat the borer
feeds on Il number Of other planrss
including the. stalks Of weeds and flow
ers, and may 1--we over winter in grass
roots. It is SO rrrenacfng that the pres
ent agricultural department appropri-
alton bill contains an fterG Of S25O,0O@
for fighting it
The bureau of entomology, UniteG
States department. OF, agriculture: mas
published descriptions Of over 3,OOO'
distinct Insect pests which, are likely
to be introduced into this country and
cause serious Toss. About half OF
THESE are European insects which feed
upon forest and shade trees and the
rest infest various cultivated crops
Among the, important Insects which it
rs hoped to- exclude from: the Americana
continent are the Mediterranean fruit
fly, considered by entomoOgistS to take
first prize as. a destructive fruit pest
and the pink boil worm Of cotton. from,
Mexico, which is capable, Of making
the best efforts of the cotton boil vice.
vii appear puny in comparison
/ The life stories Of some Of these
pests, as unfolded by years of study
on the part Of patient scientists, are
SO amazing as to be Chased with fairy
| stories by those who are little arg
quainted' with the wonders of nature.
White pine, blister rust is an instance.
This parasitic fungus is native to the
old world, attacking the stone rine
and other native ive4leaved pines OF
Europe White pines, imported from
Germany; France and Holland, brought
this disease to the United States. prfn-
cipal1y- i'm 1908 and 1909. CuriouSfy.
the safety Of our white pines depends
entirely on whether we can control the
spread of the disease on curralH and
gOosebprry bushes. The fungus cam
not g0 directly from one pine tree TO
another but first must Spend pare OF
it's lffsf on currant or gOOseberry leaves
and in this stage it has the power OF
spreading rapidly ard widely to other
currant and gooseberry bushes: The
fungus then develops another stage by
which it is enabled to pass back to the
; pines. If we destroy the currant and
} gooseberry bushes we prevent the dis
ease from injecting our white pines
: Hence, the salvation Of these magnifi
Il cent trees depends to a large degree
? ON whether people are willing to fore
: go the luxury of currant Jelly an(
$ gooseberry jam.
s The system Of inspecting the impon
3 tations Of foreign nursery stock hat
D proved Intellectual because the eyesigh
4 Of the most competent inspector is NO
). capable Of discovering every insect o
i plant disease on every plant. Man
h Of them, especially fungi, are hSs1del
} under the bark and are entirely invis
9 ible 1t must be remembered that o
/. many OF these pests we have no cor
It ception. based on experience In it's Ms
e tive fand, as to it's destructive power
l. under American conditions.
/. The question "what shall we
l. about 1t ?" has been answered correctl
IS By the federal embargo, which prohif
1t it's further Importation of plants frOl
j. abroad except such as are specificall
j. sanctioned by the United States d.
Of partment Of agriculture.