Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1919 — Page 3

"17 YEAR LOCUST" DUE THIS YEAR

MOST MYSTERIOUS INSECT KNOWN TO SCIENTISTS WILL INVADE LARGE PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

(Prepared by the U. S., De partment of Agriculture* HUE most interesting insect in the world, the periodical cicada, is going to be seen, perhaps in very targe numbers, during the coining spring and early .summer over large regions of the United States where this brood has not appeared before for 1? years, and over other regions where another brood appeared 13 years ago. This is the insect commonly referred to as the “17-year locust,” a name that is incorrect in at least two particulars. It is not" a locust at all, that name being properly applied oply to members of the grasshopper family, and while it has a 17-year period, it also has a 13year period. It has been so long miscalled by the name of locust, however, that there is no hope of divesting it of that incorrect appellation, and in thd regions where there is the longer period of recurrence it will continue to be known as the “17year locust,” and in the areas of the shorter recurrence period as the “13-year locust.” The scientifically accepted name of periodical cicada, therefore, is the only one that exactly fits. The statement that this is the most interesting insect in the world will hardly be questioned anywhere, and it is the most interesting because it is the most anomalous, or possibly, because it has always appeared to be so mysterious. The fact 'that it appears in countless numbers one year, then is not seen again for half the average lifetime of human beings and then suddenly appears again in countless numbers, has kept the popular mind mystified and has woven many superstitions about the cicada. When it is known that the insects spend the 13 or 17 years in slow development beneath the ground and emerge at almost exactly the same spot where they entered the ground 13 or 17 years before —then the mystery disappears, but the interest, If anything, is intensified. 'One of the queerest tilings in nature is that in spite of such extremely slow growth in their subterranean habitat, all the millions of individuals attain maturity and

burst from the ground at almost the same moment. Every “locust year” is, in some sort, a year of fear and dread. It appears to have been so with the savages and has remained so with their civilized successors, notwithstanding the fact that the cicada has been under investigation for well over 200 years, and the appearance of the swarms are foretold by entomologists as accurately as eclipses of moon are foretold by astronomers. • People have fancied that they could detect in the cry of the cicada a resemblance to the name of the monarch, Pharaoh, that persecuted the Israelites, and that occult belief or fear added to the somewhat dolorous sound has served to make

the cry of the cicada generally an unwelcome one. Very long ago some superstition attached to the dark bars of the filmy wings. These bars are always in the shape of the letter W, but few people remember that through a period of 13 or 17 years, and great significance is attached to it at each recurrence. Some prophet has arisen always to announce that the W on the locust’s wings means “war.” Since this outbreak will copie just at the conclusion of the greatest war, and when even the Imagination of the rural prophet could hardly conjure up the likelihood of another One, some new explanation will apparently have to be found this time. But no doubt the cicada will, as usual, be greeted as a harbinger of disaster, and, as usual, there wijl be reports of deaths caused by stings of the cicada, a belief that has persisted in spite of positive proof that the cicada has no sting, that only by the extremest accident could it inflict a wound' either with bill or ovipositor, and that it could" not, in any case, inject a poison. Injury Is Usually Overestimated. Upon every appearance of large broods <ff the cicada, fear is aroused that trees will be destroyed, particularly young trees of the fruiting and ornamental species. There would seem to be some ground for such a fear. The number of the insp tremendous that one can hardly understand how they can deposit their eggs in the young and tender branches of the trees without killing them. Yet the fact remains that there have been outbreaks of cicadas In some sections of the United States in most of the years since this country was discovered and that no very grave damage ever yet has been done. Very young fruit trees sometimes are killed or seriously injured," but little or no permanent injury is done to forest trees or mature trees of any kind and measures of protection can employed that will save the young and tender ’stock from serious injury. Inasmuch as the coming 1919 brood of locusts . 'may be oneof the largest on record, it is particularly important to allay excessive fear of destruction to timber as well as to have people on guard, ; so that the few preventive measures possible may %e applied. The belief that the 1919 brood will be exceptionally large is based on the fact that the 17-year brood coming out this year is brood 10, perhaps the largest of the 17-year broods, and that brood 18 of the 13-year family comes out at the same time.' The year 1868 was the greatest locust year in history. In that year brood 19, the largest of the 13-year broods, appeared in conjunction with. brood 10, the two combining to made an unprecedented infestation. The coincidence of the largest

OCCURRENCE OF THE PERIODICAL CICADAIN 1919. LARGE DOTS REPRESENT DENSE AND SMALL DOTS SCATTERING ' COLONIES OF THE l?-YEAR PEST. CROSSES COLONIES OF THE IS-YEAR CICADA. -—" * '

The two broods due this year are brood 10, which belongs to the 17-year family, and brood 18, which belongs to the 13-year family. Brood 10 has the widest distribution of any brood. Beginning at the eastern extremity of Long Island, it sweeps west and south to the Mississippi river at Cairo, 111., and extends as far north as central Wisconsin and as far south as middle Georgia, with some Isolated colonies as far northeast as upper Vermont,«and one as far west as the boundary line between lowa and Nebraska. The whole or portions of 20 states are included within this range. There are three regions of greater occurrence, orie covering New Jersey,Maryland and eastern Pennsylvania; another covering, all of Indiana, the greater part of Ohio and southern Michigan, and a third covering western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and northern Georgia. Brood 18, the 13-year brood that comes out this year, is comparatively a small brood and Is made up of scattered colonies rather than of the dense and compact swarms that mark the larger broods. Five states are affected by it —Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — but it touches only limited areas of these states. Cicadas Will Appear in May. Latitude does not appear to materially affect the time of emergence from the ground, the 1 cicada in the lake states coming out within a week or two of the same time as in the Gulf and South Atlantic states. This data ranges from the last week in May to the first in June, and the shrieking hosts may be looked for throughout the whole territory indicated at about that time. Late in May. or early in June the under sides of leaves on practically all trees in dense brood areas will be studded with the cast skins and every wooded place will be resounding with the shrill drums. A month later the desposltlon of eggs in branches, will have become general. Fear aroused by the presence of this insect in great numbers is out' of proportion to the real damage likely to be done. People in infested sections should not become* , unduly alarmed,, but should apply such methods of control as are possible. In young orchards and nurseries, the safest method is the hand collection of the insects at the time of emergence or as soon afterward as possible. Every cicada tries to climb some plant or tree immediately after coming out of the ground, and. great numbers of them can be shaken off end collected in bags or umbrellas. This practice may be continued for an indefinite time after emer-

THE EVENING REPUBLICANS RENSSELAER, IND.

17-year brood with a smaller 13year brood this year will not bring about conditions approaching fhose of 1863. The United States department of agriculture has long kept close check on all of the broods of both families and Is able to say with almost complete, unfailing a C|C ura c y just when and over what territory' any brood will appear.

TRANSFORMATION OF PERIODICAL CICADA NUMBERS INDICATE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

When the “17-Year-Locusts” Come.

The year 1919 is likely to be one of the •worst “locust years” on record. But entomologists of the United States department of agriculture see nothing alarming in the prospect. The periodical cicada, the real name of the insect commonly called “locust," will appear this year in the following states: Alabama, District of. Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, lowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. . The injury done by the periodical cicada consists almost wholly in chiseling grooves in the branches of trees for depositing eggs. This injury always appears to be greater than it actually Is. Popular alarm is usually out of proportion to general damage. Young fruit trees are sometimes killed by the cicada. The precautionary measures are: Deter putting out young fruit trees till next year ; postpone 'budding operations; do no pruning this winter op spring. When the insects begin coming out, hand pick them from young fruit trees or spray them with pyrethrum powder, kerosene emulsions or a solution of carbolic acid or acetic acid. Later, when the Insects are ready to begin laying, spray young fruit trees with whitewash.

gence, and the work should be very early In the morning or late in the evening when the Insects are somewhat torpid and sluggish. > Insecticides Are Effective. The destruction of the cicada may be accomplished with insecticides if applied at the moment of emergence from the ground or shortly after it has shed its pupal skin and is still soft and comparatively helpless. This kind of work can be made very successful in small areas, but could not be applied on a large scale. Best results are obtained with pyrethrum powder, kerosene emulsions, a 2 per cent solution of carbolic acid, or a 15 per cent solution of acetic acid, sprayed directly on the insects. Not much success has been attained with washes or other applications to prevent bviposition. 11l smelling substances appear not to the cicada. There are some indications that the insect dislikes to sit on a white surface, and therefore whitewash is believed to possess some efficacy as a preventive of ovlposltion, though the cicada will oviposit on whitewashed trees if no more pleasing place can be found. A spray of bordeaux mixture is also believed to have some value.as a preventive. Certain precautionary methods, however, are Of more importance than the curative ones. In all regions where there is to be an appearance of the cicada, ’fell pruning operations should be neglected during tfie preceding whiter and spring in order to offer a larger twig growth and thus to distribute the damage, over a greater surface. The -planting of young orchards should be deferred until the danger is past, and the same ad vice-applies to’ budding operations in the spring prior to iho cicada’s appearance.

FOR SPRING SUITS

Peplum Blouse Is Regarded as the Newest Thing. L Georgette Moat Used Fabric—Soft Satins Popular for Semi-Sport Blouses. While the long smock, costume or peplun blouse for spring is the most interesting member of the blouse family just at this time because it is the newest thing, it cannot be said to be the actual leader, notes a fashion authority. The smartest shops show groups of these long blouses in connection with the regular line, but conservative waist length blouses have a larger sale. Georgette is the most used fabric and soft satins are very popular for sport or semi-sport blouses. The sketch shows a smart little blouse that may be made of soft satin, georgette, cotton voile/or fine handkerchief linen. One of the attractive features of this blouse is the front finish, consisting of a wide vest formed by a panel of pleats or tucks in the center a plain section on either side of this and inch-wide pleated frills. This vest arrangement appears

Semi-Tailored Blouse for Spring Suit.

to splendid advantage when worn with one of the new spring suits, with coat flaring open in front. Comparatively few of the spring suit coats or jackets are so arranged that they may be fastened in front, although the majority are equipped with buttons and buttonholes, and simulate a fastening. Some do fasten with one or two buttons and button-holes, some have buttons and loops, so that the fronts of the coat or jacket are not quite. drawn together, and many flare frankly front neck to lower edge. For this reason great attention must be paid to the blouse, unless a number of separate vests are to be arranged for every suit. The lingerie blouse, according to present indications, is to be very fashionable during the spring and summer. Voile is the fabric preferred and plain white as well as flowered, checked and striped voile is featured. Plain pastel shades also are quite smart. If they are entirely hand-made, these little cotton blouses are very dainty.

WHEN MILADY HAS HER REST

Should Have Comfortable, Loose and Flowing Robe, Allowing Freedom of Movement. Health rules , all prescribe rest periods as Indispensable to a woman’s day if she would maintain her mefital vigor and physical elasticity and prolong to its proper limits the very capacity for activity in which she so prides herself, and, indeed, upon which she may be depending for her livelihood. The ability to relax completely and at Will, and to remain so for a short time, is an art, but one that can be cultivated, providing the effort to atthln it be persisted in by habitual practice. A prime essential to this rest period, as every truly feminine soul will attest, is suitable habiliment. In this connection —which might, however, be said of every sartorial connection —it suitably includes comfort and grace, To be comfortable the rqbe must be loose,, flowing! allowing full freedom of' movement,. and complete relaxation to the mobile muscles. * But this looseness of line and freedom from restraining bonds is not incompatible with grace and comeliness. On the contrary, if treated right, it is conducive to both.

Ornaments Are Gay.

Summer ornaments are to be gay, and those for next fall and winter brilliant, it is promised. Not really on the market yet are dress accessories made with rhinestones. These will, be seen jn designs upon velvet bands and run over at either side upon a fine net which allows them to blepd into the material of the gown without too strong a contrast.

VEST POPULAR FOR SPRING

This vest Is of gray kurrtsl kumsa and valencier lace and la a splendid creation. It- is worn with a very smart blue tricotine, braid bound, and long roiling collar.

OSTRICH PLUMES IN FASHION

African Bird Once More Cornea Into His Own—How Hats Are Being Decorated. Ostrich feathers are coming into fashion as fast as spring weather. One thinks of them more in relation to winter than summer, but the milliners do not allow their inspirations to be hampered by the calendar. The long, heavy plume is tised evert on straw hats, but the majority of milliners prefer to make what they call fancies. They use wheels and cockades and buckles of ostrich flues. They shred the long feather and use the fringe over the brims of hats, or they make a shower of It, like dripping water, over the crowns. Whatever they do, one feels the power of the African bird once more. He has come Into his own. There has been an effort to replace the plumes by roses, but as far as th© season has gone the flowers are more talked about than seen.

Through the Looking Glass

By EVELYN NESBIT

One Of, woman’s exclusive prerogatives is the right to have the blues.

A great many of us dote on the privilege, and spend hours in company with perfumed handkerchiefs, hours In a dim, dark corner, moping by ourselves. Never does the world appear more gloomy than when we look upon it from that dim, dark corner. If we were Ilt- . tie children someone would have the right to,spank us for Indulging

In this privilege. But being grown up, we may make outselves and others miserable and uncomfortable without hindrance. We may even invite sympathizers to participate in our feast of sniffles and tears. But stay a moment See the delicious wrinkles that creep up our noses and into our cheeks. See the dark circles under our eyes and the cold welcome w*e give to hubby when he comes home at night tired and overworked. Those are the after* effects that are sure to result from this feminine pastime. - We are then no better than the intoxicated man who stumbles horn® from the ginmill. And it all comes as a result of foolish self-indulgence that is no more praiseworthy than the self-indulgence of the drunkard. For you know we have not been sorrowing. Sorrow does not creep into the dim, dark corners and mope. We have merely had the blues. Drop your blues, ladies. They are a pose. Get out of your dim, dark corners—the sooner, the better—and look into the sunlight Qpen the windows wide and breathe deeply. Watch the glooms fade away. And if it happens to be raining, all the better. Inhale the delicious smell of the sky’s tears. If that’s not. enough to chasd the blues, get out into the open for fifteen minutes, rain or shine. some oxygen into your stupid hinga, and then buckle down to some real, live z work. You’ll mark the difference at once.