Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-28
Annual Depreciation of
Foreign Insect Pests
Total 100000, 600

In discovering America, Columbus
not only opened up a vast new home
for man, but for insect pests of Gull
| tivated crops and domestic animals
as we'll Fully 100 of these foreign
ers have made their way to Ameri-
Iican gardens and fields up to the
present. They have multiplied SO
that today their destruction of or
chards, garden and farm crops is es-
timated approximately at $500,000,-
600 a year-more than $1,0O0,O0O a
day Their havoc would ks much
more than this were it r It for the
Quoted by the UniteG States depart
ment of agriculture through it's bu-
reau of entomology and it's federal
horticultural board.
onlzs Few Native Pests
that attack cultivated crops and cut
into the profits of the American
farmers severely, there are relative
ly few of the more important ones
that are native to the United
full things. insect pests and diseases
have followed the course, of civili-
cation. They are carried in many
ways from one country to anoth-
er, and it Is the work of the depart
ment of agriculture TO guard the
oldIcS against IIClL CAL1 anu
to prevent their spread once they
make their appearance here.
While many of the pests have come
from European countries, Asia has
contributed it's share of them. Prom
inent among these for its destruc-
tive activities is the San Jose scale,
which made it's first appearance in
the United States 40 or so years ago,
having made it's way here from
throughout the United States in the
late nineties, and at the present
time there is practically not a COM
mercial deciduous orchard In this
country that does not have to be
sprayed once a year to control this
pest.
Some idea of the burden which this
insect puts upon the orchardlsts OF
the United States can be had when
it is realized that the expenditures
for apparatus and spraying amount
to approximately $10,00O,OOO annu-
ally. In addition to this are the
losses that the insect causes in spite
of this control treatment, and they
are very large, especially in small
orchards and household paintings,
where spraying is not commonly
practiced. This insect alone I'M
ing it's presence here upwards OF
500, 100000.
The oriental peach moth, which
gained entry in 1912 with imported
oriental cherry trees from Japan, mas
just begun it's spread and depreda-
ton. 1t affects practically all de-
ciduous fruits and bids fair to be as
destructive as the well-known cod
ling moth, the cause of wormy ap-
pies.
The Japanese beetle, brought IN
about the same time as the peach
moth. has already gained such nrm
foothold that. in view Of its habits
and prolonged flight, 1t is prooaoIy
incapable Of extermination and may
States. 1t attacks not only practl-
cally all fruits but also many garden
vegetables and corn. Attempts 70
check the spread of this pest are
being made by means of federal and
local guarantees. particularly IN
New Jersey. Under this quarantine
| the government maintains a super
vision over the movement of articles
| likely to carry the pest from infested
areas to other sections Of the coun-
try. Another foreign pest in com
paratively recent years which has
made its appearance In this country
| is the European corn borer. lnfes-
tations have been discovered in sew
eral eastern states and local quaran.
tines by the federal horticultural
| board have been instituted to pre-
vent it's spread to the corn belt. Re-
Gently heavy infestations were dis
covered in Canada, presenting a
more immediate menace to the corn
belt. Specialists Of the department
are now considering steps for guard
| ing against this new source of dan
ger.
Posts from Mexico
NeTico has contributed its share