The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-04

American liberty into license as soon
as he got here. He became an insect
gun-man. He multiplied faster than
could Blind Bill, the Mathematical
Prodigy, and there were none of ma
lures police to check his illicit activi-
ties.
Quarantine For Bad Bugs
There are perhaps hundred insects
in the United States that are dangerous
economically, and almost every one Of
them was imported. They came in on
ships, sacks of seeds, blankets, fruit,
inventors, everything. They are still
coming, although we now have a strict
quarantine against bad bugs. 1t is, Of
course, difficult of enforcement. Here's
an instance. Hawaii is an American
Hawaiian products are shipped to the
United States.
That made little difference, so long
as the chief port of entry was San
Francisco. There the shipping district
is as bare of vegetation as the back
of a watch and the entomologists did
not worry. Now Los Angeles is open
ing port of entry which il surrounded
| by some of the finest fruit and vege-
table lands in the world, coming right
down to the waters edge. The welcome
sign is hanging out for bugs. No doubt
DR.. Howard will work out a check
mate eventually, but right now the sit
uation isn't SO good.
Too many bugs" as the old proverb
goes, spoil the income tax"
Bugs Instead OF Surgery
When DIR. Howard began his fight
against the insects the only place one
could find an entomologist was in the
dictionary. The world knew them as
bug-hunters, and bug-hunters, 1t is no
torious, are persons with cracks in
their heads you could put two fingers
in. When he was graduated from Cor
nell and accepted an invitation to 10
on the staff of the bureau Of entmolr
ogy, instead of becoming a physician
and surgeons, his grandmother was sad
dened.
Leland" said she, lis a nice boy.
It is too bad that he took up such a
trifling business"
The agricultural department did not
amount to much then. President Lin
coin had made his milkman the head
of the first agricultural bureau, which
was then under another department.
Then. the present red brick building
was erected by an architect who want
ed to show just how contemplate q
building could be made. By and By a
chief entomologist was selected because
he could draw beautiful pictures of
bugs. He did not enter upon more in
innate relations with the insect world.
Five thousand dollars a year covered
all costs Of the bureau then. Now the
annual appropriations are two million
dollars, and of the five hundred en-
ployes four hundred are trained scien-
lists.
Congressional Laughs Costly
The reason why is that the entomolo-
gists have made good. They are not
bug-hunters any more. So late as fif-
teen years ago, when DIR. Howard was
scouting through Hungary for more
and better bugs, the Hungarians re-
fused to admit that their chief entomol-
ogist-one of the foremost in the world
was scientist. Yet the Hungarians
were an enlightened people. Many a
quaint quip was pulled by our con-
gressmen in those days at the expense
of the bug-hunters. That humor was.
perhaps, the most costly fun ever lib
Grated to a laughter-loving public. Most
Of the bad bugs got into this country
during the fourteen years in which
Congress was cachinated instead of an
propriating.
Now DIR. Howard has seventy-five
investigating stations scattered through
the country. He hopes to have great
many more, eventually. One of these
days he hopes to have stations abroad.
where the bugs may be examined on
their native heaths, together with the
smaller bugs that bite 'em. He has
one on the Riviera now on a sort of
temporary plan. The frontier of de-
Tense against bugs must be far-flung.
because we are in more danger from
bugs than any other nation. He could
not have accomplished what he has
had 1t not been for the fine co-opera-
ton between international entomoIo-
gists. No sooner does one man find
out the sort of bug that can be relied
on to call to order another sort of bug
than he passes on the word.
Is Leader OF Anti Bug Army
Howard has the name of being an
easy boss. All he asks is results. He
gives his men all the help he can and
all the freedom of action they desire.
Then it is up to them to show goods.
He has translated or written eight hun
dred books and pamphlets on insects
and belongs to and has been honored by
every one of the great national entomo-
logical organizations. He is a quick.
fluent, lucid talker, never at a loss
for a word because he is never at a
loss for a fact. Friendly, kindly, busy
and business-like. He is the general
OF the army against insects. Like the
head of any great modern organization
he has no time to waste but plenty of
time to be pleasant.
His men teach American farmers how
to fight against their insect pests. Bet
ter and more thorough cultivation
such as is the rule in Europe-would
be a great help. But that is out of
the question over our great wheat and
corn and cotton farms. They advocate
all the new methods Of busting and poi
soning. But the situation will prob
ably be saved by the importation of the
insect enemies of insects.
Have You Squashed Your Bug?
Not all bugs are bad" says DR..
Howard. Some are benevolent"
At any rate, the bureau is saving
the American farmer half billion dol
lars a year now. Maybe, in time, half
the annual loss of two billion dollars
may be saved. That is about all that
can be hoped for.
Have YOU gauashed your bug todayR