Evening Star Newspaper, August 29, 1926, Page 19

HORTICULTURIST'S KEEN EYE SAVES D. C. FROM INSECTS H. B. Shaw Describes How He Found Japanese Beetle in His Petworth Garden. Timely Discovery Prevents Spread of Dreaded Pest Throughout City. The opportunity to be a hero comes to men in stringe places and under unexpected conditions. Thus H. B. Shaw, a member of the staff of the Federal Horticultural Board, can testify. Mr. Shaw devotes his Sunday morn- ing to looking after the flowers in his vard at 723 Upshur street—a prosaic occupation the value of which con- sists largely in the pleasure it gives the sclentist, But while he works with the flowers he keeps his eyes open for any devel- opment that promises to be new and instructive. Suddenly his eyes fell upon a glittering, metallic-looking beetle of a kind seldom encountered, which was feeding on a rose leaf. probably ninety-nine gardeners out of a hundred would have given it only a passing glance. Mr. Shaw happened to be the right man in the right place and his ob- servation may save the District of Columbia from a loss that might have run into thousands of dollars to say nothing of detraction from the beauty of the National Capital. Most Dreaded of Insect Pests. The Insect was the Japanese beetlo, the most dreaded insect pest in the United States. The timely discovery enabled entymologists of the Depart- ment of Agriculture to put a curb op any further spread for the time being. “I only knew the beetle from dead specimens,” Mr. Shaw said. T had never seen one alive. I usually de- vote Sunday mornings to looking after the plants and shrubs about my home, and always keep an eye out for everything interesting. “Suddenly my eye fell on this glistening, metallic beetle. It startled me. I thought I recognized it, and fortunately was able to capture it. At once I killed it with carbon disul- phide and bottled it. Then I looked over every other leaf in the vard to see if there were any others, but failed to locate any of them. “The insect evidently had been on the rose bush a very short time. As is well known, it rapidly skeletonizes a leaf. But fn my yard its activitles had been confined to a single leaf, and it had only punctured about 10 small holes. Probably it had been deposited there that day.” Scientists Start Search. The next morning Mr. Shaw got in touch with Dr. L. C. Quintance, assistant chief of the Bureau of Entymology, who identitied the cap- tured specimen as a Japanese beetle and sent two experts to the scene. Afterwards the force was increased d the utmost diligence used in in- specting all growing things in Sol- | diers’ Home Park and Rock Creek Cemetery. Petworth home owners, thoroughly alarmed by the report, eo-operated with the investigators .\ the search. Bureau offi discovery proves the Japanese heetle tr: mobile, and that there is an incr ing menace of its spread becs of the numerous tourist parties going through the infested area of Penn sylvania and New Jersey. They sus- pect that in this particular case the spectmen was carried by an auto- mobile which had come into the city by way of the Georgia avenue pike, aithough Mr. Shaw's house is three blocks from Georgix avenue and off the main route of tra The beetle found was female, and if it had not heen discovered in the nick of time. have laid eggs, 1 brood of the beetl The Department of sought in vain a very ve means of combatting the spread of the pest. Explorers from the Bureau of [ mology now are searching in China, Japan, Korea and Manchuria for some other insect parasite which preys upon the Japanese beetle. In its native land the pest is not so werfous because of these parasites, but the department will introduce its natural enemies only with extreme cuution, for fear they might prove even more injurious than the beetle. | Object of Quarantine. Vor several years an iron-clad quarantine has been enforced upon ihe infected area. Shipments of wursery stock, vegetables and grains srom the area has been strictly pro- nibited, except where they have first Mween treated to insure that they are not infected In spite of these precautions, the pest has spread slowly but steadily, like an advancing army. from one itrench to another. It crossed the Maryland line last year. but thus far has not appeared in the center or south of the State. In coming to Washington it made @ consider ible jump. and {llustrated the increa ing menace of its presence. Bureau of Bntymology scientists are breathing easier, with con- viction that the specimen found by Mr. Shaw was entirely isolated, and that no others have been brought in trom the North. Mr. Shaw’s discovery, it was point WATCH THIS FELLOW! Japanese beetle—One of whose sisters was found si around in Pet- worth the other A capable of ruining an unlimited erty allowed sufficient time. ed out, also opens up the possibility that there are small areas of Japanese beetle infection established from 60 to 100 miles of the quarantined zone which have not yet been located and where the insects are breeding free- 1y before spreading out. ® Motorist Tells Experience. An official of the Federal Horticul- tural Board sald yesterday morning that while motoring through New Jersey near Trenton recently one of the insects alighted on his shoulder. He brushed it off without thinking, but his companicn captured it and preserved it as a specimen. There must be hundred; of similar instances, he_pointed out. From now on, it was stated, the large number of entymologists em- ployed by the Department of Agricul- ture and who live in Washington and the suburbs will keep a close eye for the appearance of the insect, so that there is not much likelihood that it will get a foothold in Washington. But the National Capital is fortunate in having a considerable number men able to identify it on sight, while its appearance in an isolated farming section might go unnoticed for months. DISEASE TURNS LUNGS OF SAGEHENS YELLOW Game Warden Instructed to Inves- tigate Strange Epidemic Killing Birds in Idaho. Special Dispatch to The Star. BOISE, Idaho, August 28.—Some disease, which causes the birds’ lungs to turn yellow, is epidemic among the sagehens of Clark County, it is an- nounced by the State Game Depart- ment. W. A. Patt, warden at Dubols, has been instructed to investigate and report. Sportsmen have been writing to the department, said J. W. Keeffe, chief clerk, tolling how the disease is killing the birds and making others so sick they cannot fly. There is a possibility it is parasitic infection, said Mr. Keeffe. Bodies of dead birds will be sent to Dr. R. R. Parker of the United States Blological Survey, in Helena, Mont., who is studying ghe diseases of game fauna in connection with the Rocky Mountain or tick fever. “When Dr. Parker was in Boise,” said Mr. Keefe, “he told us of a tick, nilar to that which causes the fever, | which infests small rodents, particu- rabbits, ultimately causing their death, and he suggested that some time we might find a similar disease among our upland birds. He asked us f any such disease came to light to end him a carcass for study.” Dr. Parker also has asked for spe- cial permission from the department to kill an elk, a mountain goat and possibly a deer to further his study of 1he fever tick. -- o Hindus Have Boy Scouts. The Boy Scout movement has pene- [ trated wellginto Indla, where several good working organizations have already made themselves felt with the vouth of the land. The Hindu Boy Scouts recently held an exhibit howing the results of their work in camping. ploneering, handicraft, hookbinding, carpentry and many in- door as well as all of the outdoor arts. Strangely enough the boys have not adopted any of the Indian games for 1110 & EST, 1879 Special Clearance . Sale 30 USED CARS BEGINNING TUESDAY, AUG. 31 PRICES RANGE FROM 502 to 750 EVERY CAR IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION YOUR CAR IN TRADE REASONABLE TERMS USED CAR CORNER 16th and YOU N.W. THE WASHINGTON-CADILLAC CO. Franklin 3900 ¥ THE. SUNDAY STAR. /*YASHINGTOY, D. C. AUGUST 29. 1926—PART 1. 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