The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-12
[ADYB|RD BUG IS
 EATING CROPS OF
 S25,OOO,OOO VALUE
Jumped Here From Middle West and Is Demolishing Peas and BeanS---Au-
 thoritieS to Act Quick

Alabama crops valued at $25, 5,000,000 are so seriously
 nenaced by the bean ladybird bug recently appearing in lief ferson and eight adjoining counties, that eradication is the only remedy to be consid- cred.
 This is the opinion of Professor tural department at Auburn. Professor Starcher spent Saturday in Jefferson country and visited numerous patches of cowpeas garden beans and soy beans. One man had plowed up patch of cow peas that last year had brought him a return of $500 and bought the peas required by his sam- lily.
 According to Professor Starcher, the new pest made a jump of more han 1000 miles to get to Jefferson and ad- Joining counties. Heretofore, it las been peculiar to the arid lands of Col-l orado and that portion of the Rocky mountains west. He is of the opinion that the ladybird got here by slowing herself in western alfalfa hay that was brought to this market and found it's way to the mining camps. The lady birds emerged from the hay and at tackled their natural source of food, the cow-peas and beans.
 THOROUGH WORK
 The work of the ladybird is thorough. Professor Starcher showed some specimens of its ravages. Every leaf the vine had been eaten into a cob-webby texture and there was rot a particle of fruitage. The bugs were as thick as hops. In the pupa state, they are a brilliant light yellow. In the adult, they are yellow, with sixteen black spots, eight to each wing. They | fly with ease and swiftly in the adult state.
 Something must be done." said Pro- lessor Starcl.er, "or next season we will have our cow-peas quarantined against by other states. They will slso quarantine our hay because the lady birds shelter themselves in hay and are transported in that manner If we are to have crop valued at $25, 900, 900, we must eradicate this pest. It is the most dangerous one that has appeared since the boil weevil, and it | is especially menacing because it at | leiChS dH important IOOQ crop. 1 NEED MONEY l "To eradicate it, we must have funds. The horticultural board has the au- | thority to act. but is without money with which to proceed We must have inspectors and money. The Alabama I Legislature, in it's special session, i'll be asked to come to the rescue of his Important crop. Delay means disaster. The work of eradication must begin
 now and be completed before the rext planting.
 Congress is to be asked for $100,- GOO to fight this pest, but that money Twill not be available until next July If Alabama is to save this valuable Icrop, action must be taken now" Professor Starcher is In extreme
 earnest about the danger and has en- listed the interest of the truck grow srs of the section. It Is estimated that
 the truckers of Jefferson county alone
 have lost $25,000 by reason of the lady bird. Professor Starcher says hat nothing less than complete eradication will do the work and that this cannot be done satisfactorily unless it is done l scientifically and by experts. This requires money and this the legisla- ture will be asked to provide.