Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03
BY ALMA CHESNUT.


IMAGINE q race that knows neither IN
fancy nor ole age, whose warriors go
II forth TO battle protected by natural
armor: a race that numbers among its
weapons deadly disease germs. but is III
self adaptable to almost any circumstances. and
YOU have a glimpse o. the insect army that b
exacting from the United States toll Of about
$4,000 000O 900 annually.
It was Just about half century ago that the
American Government, recognizing the ever
increasing menace Of the insect foe, followed
the example set by three States and employed
an entomologist to outline defensive cam
paign. Dr. c. ". Riley of Missouri laid the
corner stone of the Bureau Of Entomology IN
1877 and, during its first year, employed as
his assostant q young Cornell student, Leland
O. Howard, who had been interested in insects
all his life
DR. Howard was destined soon to become
internationally famous as probably the greatest
generalissimo which the so years war on harm
full insects has developed. He served as assistant
entomologist from 1875 to 1894 and as chief
from 1894 until his retirement from that ONCE
I'D 1927 He now remains at the bureau as
principal entomologist. He has charge OF the
Exchange of useful insects" of which more
later. and is intensely interested in medical
entomology, q field OF research he has done
much to develop, but which, he claims, Is still
virtually unexplored-
He is not an alarmist; neither does he make
he issues warning regarding new pest. that
warning is based upor the experience Of more
than SO years of painstaking study. during
which he has measured the strength of the
enemy from thousand points of reconnais-
Sance.
CONSEQUENCES are still apparent Of ignor-
~ ing one such warning. to the tune Of losses
aRgregating from $3.50 600 900 to $500 0O0, 900 a
year. In 1892 a small. apparently insignificant
insect crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico, and,
scenting distant fields of cotton, proceeded to
make himself at home in Brownsville, Tex.
That insect was the cotton boil weevil the pest
that has crippled the greatest industry OF the
South whose name has become by-word
throughout the Nation.
DR. Howard was one of the few persons who
recognized the menace Of this insect IS years
ago. He issued a sharp warning and proposed
a line of defense. That line of defense was as
simple as it would in all probability have been
effective. He asked the Texas Legislature TO
pass a bill requiring farmers in the small In
tested area to discontinue planting for a year
or two in order to cut of the food supply and
starve out the weevil The bill had the sup
port of the governor but failed passage.
Insects are mans most important rivals IL
Che biological struggle for supremacy, and IN
many ways are far better equipped for survival
than the human species" says DIR. Howard
"But do not believe that they will ever gain
the supremacy. Still, we must face the fact
that while man dominates only by virtue Of his
intelligence, the insects stand at the top Of a
race far more ancient and endowed with the
highest degree of what We call instinct.
I'VE have here at the Bureau Of Entomology
books and catalogues describing between six
and seven hundred thousand different Species
and judge that from three to six million addi-
Nona1 species exist
Man is estimated to have been on the planet
between 800 600 and 100000 years. We have
excellent evidence to show that the insects were
well established 100000 years ago. Their
fossils nave been founc in rock Of the Tertiary
Period and some of these bear q close reSem-
blance to the insects Of today
This ancient race then, has had millions
of years in which to evolve highly developed
forms, equipped to combat even the most adj
verse circumstances. able to feed upon practa-
ealIy every known substance.