The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-15
LOCUST YEAR.
Swarms of the 17-year S1 Also the
13-year Locusts Predicted in
Nav and June.

Washington, March 8.-Great
swarms of the 17-year locust Will
infest the United States ia late May
and early June this year, which is ex-
pected by scientists to be one OF the
worst locust years on record. Ex-
perts Of the department Of agriculture
however, see nothing alarming in the
prospect.
Once regarded superstitiously as
harbinger of disaster, the periodical
cicada, popularity known as the II
year locust because it comes at long
intervals, is seen now to be no more
than an ordinary non-poisonous in
sect pest, which can do little dam
age if proper precautions are taken.
The chief injury inflicted by the insect
consists almost wholly in chisellng
grooves in the branches Of trees for
depositing eggs. Young fruit trees
sometimes are killed but the damage
generally seems greater than it actual
ly is, according to the entomologists.
and popular alarm is out of proper
ton to the real danger.
Suggested precautionary measures
are:
Defer putting out young fruit trees
until next year; postpone budding
operations; do no pruning this spring.
When the insects begin coming out,
hand pick them from young trees or
spray thm with pyrethrum powder,
kerosene emulsions. or solution of
carbolic acid or acetic acid.
Later, when the insects are ready
to begin laying, spray young fruit trees
with whitewash.
The department Of agriculture has
kept close check for many years of all
the broods of locusts and can fore
cast accurately when and where the
pests will appear. Large regions viii
be affected this year where one brood
appeared II years ago and in other re-
gions which suffered 13 years ago.
the States including Alabama District
Of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Illi-
nois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mary
land, Massachusetts,, Michigan, New
Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West
virginia ana w lSCONSlll.
Belief that the 1919 brood will be
exceptionally large is based on the
fact that the 17-year brood coming
out this year is brood 10, perhaps the
largest Of the 17-year brood, and that
brood 1S Of the 13-year family comes
out at the same time. The year 1858
was the greatest locust year in history
1,-o hn 1or nf
year family, appeared in conjunction
with brood 10 of the 17-year family.
There will be three regions Of great
est occurrence of brood 10. one Gov.
ering New Jersey, Maryland and east
ern Pennsylvania; another covering
all of Indiana. the greater part of
Ohio and southern Michigan; and
third covering western North Caro-
lima, eastern Tennessee and northern
Georgia. While brood 10 will affect
20 States, brood 1S will appear in only
five States-Alabama, Georgia, North
Carolina, South Carolina and Tenn
essee. and only limited areas in those
States
c. L. Marlatt, chairman Of the Fed
eTal horticultural Board, who has per-
fected tho information on the cicada
calls the insect the most interesting in |
the world, because of the spectacular |
swarms in which it appears, its queer
recurrence at long intervals and the |
portentous significance frequently at
tached to it. Every locust year has !
been a year Of fear and dread, ever
in civilized times. Some people have
fancied that they could detect in Il.
cry of the insect a resemblance to -
name Of the Egyptian monarch. Pha-
raoh, who prosecuted the 1sraclites
attached also to the shape
Of the filmy bars on the cicada's
wings, which seemed 10 form the let
ter w" interpreted as a forecast of
war.
Since this outbreak Will come just
at the conclusion Of the greatest war"
Mr.. Marlett said, "and when even the
imagination of the rural prophet i
could hardly conjure up the likelihood
If another one. some new explanation