2 INSfeQT* JPES^fi&J ;FAjlM^ GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



economy, which forms the warp of American prosperity. It 

 should be borne in mind that these figures are based on pre-war 

 estimates and that they now need considerable revision upward 

 but that the totals will not reach the amounts expended by 

 the nation during a state of war, 



A brief resume of the damage done by insect pests, of the 

 costs of fighting them and of the estimates which form the basis 

 for the above statements will make them more convincing. 



Growing Cereals. Probably no insect does as widespread 

 damage as the Hessian-fly, attacking our chief staple, wheat, as 

 well as rye and barley. One-tenth of the whole crop, valued at 

 $150,000,000 to $175,000,000 is generally conceded to be destroyed 

 by this pest every year. In some sections the loss is frequently 

 as great as 30 to 50 per cent, and it undoubtedly was responsible 

 in a great measure for the necessity for governmental regulations 

 of the use of wheat flour during the great war. The southern 

 grain-louse or " green-bug " caused a loss estimated at from 

 $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas in 

 1907, and every year there is a considerable shrinkage in the wheat 

 crop as a result of the presence of this and other species of plant- 

 lice. This injury will doubtless amount, on the average, to as 

 much as 2 or 3 per cent of the entire crop, worth from $30,000,000 

 to $50,000,000. 



The corn crop of 1919 was worth at least three and one-half 

 billions of dollars. The total was reduced at least two to three 

 per cent by the chinch-bug and not less than 5 per cent by the 

 corn-earworm while other insects accounted for several per cent 

 more or less. Estimating the total insect depreciation of this 

 crop at only ten per cent gives a total of $350,000,000 for the one 

 year. 



The total value of cereal crops in 1919 was over$7,000,000,000, 

 which was undoubtedly at least ten per cent less than it would 

 have been could the insect injury have been totally eliminated. 



Hay and Forage Crops. A host of small insects attack our 

 grasses and forage crops, many of them being so small that they 

 are unnoticed, though their aggregate injury is sometimes 

 enormous. Of the larger pests of grasses and forage plants the 

 army worms are among the best known and have often caused a 

 loss of over half a million dollars to a single state in one season. 



