BENEFICIAL AND INJURIOUS INSECTS 



follow the silken thread into the whole labyrinth of 

 woman's life. Now visit a "school of art-needlework," 

 or a "Woman's Exchange," or some Uke organ or or- 

 ganization for the sale of fine sewing and embroidery. 

 Take from the books a number. It may be "No. 9" or 

 "No. 999." Only a nmnber— that is all! But how 

 much it represents! There is a story, a romance, it may 

 be, inwoven therewith, which will slowly unfold as the 

 thread within your hand unwinds. Yes, indeed; the 

 silk worm's dainty skein has enmeshed many human 

 lives. 



All this — and there is nmch of like useful service — is 

 on the credit side of the insect account. But there is, 

 unhappily, a heavy per contra. Civilization is influenced 

 by disaster as well as by prosperity. Misfortune often 

 paralyzes effort and retards development. But some- 

 times it awakens, stimulates, helps. On this line of in- 

 fluence insects have been potent, for they have been 

 agents of inconceivable disasters. So terrific were the 

 inroads of insect swarms in olden times, that they were 

 compared to the desolations of invading armies with 

 their aftermath of famine, pestilence, misery, and loss. 

 They seemed to afflicted peoples to be judgments of 

 avenging deities. Our own sacred books thus refer to 

 them; and Bible readers will recall the terrible picture 

 drawn by the prophet Joel of insect depredations in 

 Palestine wrought by palmer worm and locust, canker 

 worm and caterpillar; and also some of the "plagues" 

 of Egypt. 



In recent years insect ravages have been equally ex- 

 tensive, but the recuperative power of humanity is so 

 much greater that the consequences have not seemed 

 so appalling. It is worth while to sum up the losses 



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