INJURY TO CROPS BY INSECT PESTS 7 



This table will indicate that two billions of dollars is a con- 

 servative estimate of the damage done by insects annually to 

 the agricultural interests of the country. 



The old saying, " One man's loss is another man's gain " will 

 not apply to this damage. While the fluctuation in the amount 

 of crops does influence prices received by the farmers it does not 

 obviate the loss, even though the farmer receives as much money 

 for the reduced crop as he would have for a full crop. The 

 effect is merely to shift the burden of the loss from the farmer 

 to the consumer. The damage done by the insects remains as a 

 definite destruction of wealth of the community just as truly as 

 loss from fire and storm, even though such loss is borne not by 

 the owner of the property destroyed but by an insurance company. 



A real benefit to the community at large from these insects 

 is coming to be recognized more and more. That is, that to 

 succeed against the handicaps of insect injury as well as the other 

 hazards incident to modern agriculture, the farmer must be- 

 come a student of the factors insuring success. He must, as he 

 usually can, learn the methods of agriculture best suited to pre- 

 vent the loss from insects. This will tend to broaden his educa- 

 tion, to make him more observant of conditions affecting suc- 

 cessful farming and indirectly is bound to make him a more 

 intelligent and efficient farmer and a better citizen. Who can 

 say that such benefit does not largely overbalance the tremendous 

 loss due to the presence of the insects . 



