1930 ] 
The Food of Insects 
11 
honey bee, silkworm, etc. This can only mean that, practic- 
ally, the activities of insects that appear to be of greatest 
human interest, are those which serve to destroy other 
things. As the ultimate purpose of the human species is 
to destroy and make over the face of nature, quite naturally 
insects and man are at once both in accord and conflict, 
and our most competent practical entomologists predict a 
battle to the death between insects and man. Unfortunately 
for ourselves, man has proceeded to change the face of 
nature as rapidly and completely as possible. In so doing, 
he has found his progress seriously impeded by an unfor- 
seen increase in the numbers of insects that feed upon agri- 
cultural, horticultural and forest crops, combined with an 
equally unexpected migration or spread of many phytopha- 
gous species into regions where they did not previously 
occur. There is no need to press this point for we all realize 
that this is a serious situation that confronts agriculture, 
horticulture and forestry today. It is equally clear that this 
distressing condition has been brought about mainly by 
two factors inherent in our prevailing mode and philosophy 
of life. One is the growing tendency throughout the world, 
and particularly in America, to devote more and more ex- 
tensive areas to the propagation of easily managed crops 
that give promise of large pecuniary returns. This matter 
then goes deep into the fabric of our commercial life. The 
other factor concerned is the unprecedented increase in the 
bulk and variety of vegetables, fruits and food-stuffs of all 
kinds that are shipped here and there in all directions, aften 
to the uttermost corners of the earth wherever they may be 
disposed of at a profit. If, as generally occurs, there is great 
local over-production of certain foods, the urge for wider 
distributional opportunities is so powerful that it must 
needs invoke the aid of advertising propaganda and every 
other known method that may be put to the tune of modern 
jazz. No one has ever suggested the curtailment of such 
shipping on economic grounds. This matter is, of course, 
likewise not a suitable subject for unbiased discussion ex- 
cept in purely academic circles, since it is too deeply con- 
cerned with the business of transportation, with advertis- 
ing, with the love of luxury and with other matters of vast 
and immediate pecuniary importance. 
