Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-23
U. S. Appropriates Mere
100000 to Aid in
Battle Against Insects.
BY JOHN STEVEN McGrOarty.

mission Of observation of the activities
of the Mediterranean fruit fly opened
up the whole problem Of insect pests.
Investigation led me inevitably into
the camps Of the entOmologists and
quite as inevitably into the profound
conviction that the world Of insects Is
populated with foes to the human race
SO sinister and SO capable OF deStruc-
ton TO mans food supply that only the
development OF science to an ef1clency
1t has not yet attained can cope with
the great struggle already now appar-
emily ominouSly near.
1t will not matter that We have per-
formed scientific wonders in a mate
rial way. that we can wing our way In
the upper air, journey upon the floors
of the seas. light our way with elec-
tricity, communicate by radio, and do
all that we are doing and plan to do
II we can't eat.
The factories cannot manufacture
foodstuffS out of iron. copper and
bronze; the smiths cannot hammer
grain and fruit from their anvils; the
foundries cannot puddle flour.
Unless the soil produces food, We
StarVe. And unless We can prevent the
insects from consuming the food the
soil produces before 1t reaches us, We
starVe.
Small Sum for Fisat.
Out Of the billions Of dollars that
flow annually into the vast Golfers Of
the Government Of the United States,
increasing ever IN volume, the ridicu-
lous and altogether tritiing sum of
little more than $2.0O0,O0O is appropri-
ated for the conduct Of the fight against
insects.
One need not be prophet to foresee
that some day We shall be sorry for
this.
Take the word for 1t of q man who
knows. What DR.. l.. o. Howard, who
was for years chief OF the Bureau of
Entomology in the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, says should
cause any man in the world to stop
and think.
Anatomically and physically, says DR..
Howard tuSing his own words), the in
sect type has great advantages over the
human type. In small size, in enor-
nous fecundity and rapidity of multi
plication. in power Of speedy adapta-
ton to condition, in powerS-of conceal
ment, in rapidity OF flight and locomo-
tion the insects are vastly superior.
The only persons III America who
are facing the problem are the ento-
niolosiSts. whom our Government APP
pears 10 treat Shabbily. viewing them. 1t
would seem. as harmless nuiSances To
whom pennies are doied out as a rich
man would dole ~ his poor relations.
Live In Poor Quarters.
1 found these devoted folk in poor
quarters some Of them rented quar-
tiers. while the Army and Navy, the
Treasury. the Department of State and
the other arms OF the Government are
Quartered palatially,
Golfers are already worried that t
japanese beetle, now attacking wide
nf ha 1trN Will Anuf hn
greens" Of the golf courses.
While was in Washington the visi-
tor from Japan was playing havoc with
shrubs and other things. There it is
chewing up the grass in front OF the
White House.
1t is probable that the pest reached
this country through the importation
here was first discovered In nursery
near Riverton. N. J. 1t quickly spread
over the State and invaded Pennsyl-
vania. in which section 1t continues TO
this day its frightful depredations.
Everything has been done to get rid
OF the pest, but 10 no avail. The plants
OH which 1t feeds have been sprayed
with arsenic, the soil has been Satu-
Prated with cyanide poisons deadly
to man. The Jap bug only laughs.
| The adult Japanese beetle Is quite
omnivorouS. Not only will he devOur
grass but he attacks fruit as well. He
will strip an apple and peach tree OF
its foliage. He delights in cherries,
grapes, beans, clover, alfalfa and sweet
corn, shade and ornamental trees,
shrubs and herbaceous plants.
Fear for Larger Areas.
| The graveSt fears are now expressed
| by the Bureau Of Entomology that the
pest will infect new territory and larger
~
from the Orient to attack it.. but no
results are yet visible. New Jersey and
Pennsylvania find they have to put up
| lot of money TO continue the fight
or else take licking.
h We have seen now what the Medi-
terranean fruit fly and the japanese
BEETLE can do, single handed and alone.
In combination, both of them occu-
plying the same territory, what do you
suppose would happen? And there Is
no guarantee that they won't occupy
the same territory.
The insects that attack wheat, corn
and the small grains are many and
mercileSs
The Augoumois grain moth, so called
because its native habitat appears to
have been in the AugomoiS Province OF
France, has been established in the
country for more than $50 years, and
Is still doing business here. It Is pop
ularly known as the fly weevil." 1t
plays havoc with corn and wheat, most
ly in the warmer climate States OF the
Union.
Contemplate the green bug, soft
bodied aphid, which conducts its war
fare wherever the small grains grow
over all North America. In one year
this plant louise caused the loss OF
$4,000, 900 bushels OF oats and wheat in
Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas alone.
Nearly the entire wheat acreage IN
Texas was abandoned in 1907 because
Of the depredations Of the green bug.
Corn BOrer Is King.
But the king-pin corn killer Is the
European corn borer. 1t attacks aud
destroys every species Of corn every
where III the United States and Canada,