Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 43.djvu/119

Rh hundreds of thousands of dollars. What is known as the fluted scale insect had for about twenty-five years a foothold in the orange and lemon groves, and bade fair to cause enormous losses to the orchardists. A study was made of the parasites affecting this scale insect, and in 1888 the United States Government sent two entomologists to Australia to study the parasites of the scale insects in that country, and bring live specimens to California to distribute in the orange and lemon groves. Suffice it to say that these parasites rapidly multiplied and fed upon both the white and fluted scale, to their destruction. With surprising rapidity the beneficial insect destroyed the injurious one. Says Dr. C. V. Riley, United States Entomologist, "The history of the introduction of this pest (scale insect), its spread for upward of twenty years, and the discouragement which resulted, the numerous experiments which were made to overcome the insect, and its final reduction to unimportant numbers by means of an apparently insignificant little beetle imported for the purpose from Australia, will always remain one of the most interesting stories in the records of practical entomology."

I have just quoted Mr. Howard's statement that the chinch bug in 1887 caused $60,000,000 of losses in nine States. A few years ago the attention of entomologists was drawn to the fact that chinch bugs occasionally died in large numbers from a peculiar disease. The bugs were found on the ground dead and covered with a white fungus. This disease seemed to be infectious, and several entomologists gave special attention to the matter. Prof. F. H. Snow, of the University of Kansas, pushed the investigation and thought it possible to artificially induce the disease and communicate it to healthy bugs, and thus diminish their numbers, and for the past three years Prof. Snow has worked upon this line. The Legislature of Kansas appropriated $3,500 for carrying on his investigations during 1891-'92.

In his annual report to the Governor of Kansas, describing his investigations. Prof. Snow gives a list of 1,400 persons who conducted experiments under his direction in 1891, to assist in disseminating the disease. Of these 1,071 were successful, 181 unsuccessful, and 148 doubtful, in their attempts. As a result of their season's work. Prof. Snow estimates that, on the basis of the reports rendered, 8200,000 in crops were saved to those 1,071 persons who worked under his instruction. Four hundred and eighty-two farmers reported to him an estimated saving of 887,244.10 through scattering the diseased insects among the healthy, thus