A Plague of Locusts in Algiers.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 385, 17 July 1889, Page 3

A Plague of Locusts in Algiers.

Sir L vmbekt Yla\ hvuk, in his last report on Algiers (remarks an English contemporary), refers to recent lavages ofiioou^tifc in that colony,' 'and' -to the eftbrts- thab" are being made to a&a'te' this scourge. He say's v that three times -in three years their propagation has been favoured by a disastrous drought. In 1888 all efforts seemed of no avail to stem the enormous flood* which moved forwaid with irresistible force, destroying all vegetation in their progress over an area of about 750,000 acres, containing <a* population of 700,000 soul?. The estimated amount) of loss caused by this, disaster is 24,860,000f., or about three times as , much as duiing 1887 Theunfortunate colonists saw the labours of years obliteiated, while thousands of Arabs tound themselves without the means of- existence, 'and had to sell their cattle for any sum that could be obtained, as every scrap of pasturage in their country was consumed. Hitherto the G'o,vernment of the colony have been groping in the dark' in a vain endeavour to destroy the locusts, being ignorant of their habits, of their natural history, and even of the regions whence they come. This year, however, a distinguished naturalist, M. J. Kunckel d'Herculais, president of the Entomological Society oi France, was sent to- study the question upon the spot, andj he has, published two reports. The species- of locust which has ravaged the Department of Constantine since 1885 is by no ■ means, the same (Acridium peregrinum) as that which invaded th'e^ame district from 1876 to 1887 ; it belorigs to even another genus (Stauronotis* Marroccanus). It is found in mostot the countries bordering on the Mediterranean, especially in Cyprus and Asia Minor,- but, its original home is Morocco. It was observed here in 1845 and again in 1867 : specimens collected in ,those years and preserved in spirits still exist, though no scientific observer appears to have noticed the distinction 'between it and the ordinary locust. M. Kunckel dis-' proves the hitherto accepted theory that they are brought from thedesert by a strong southerly wind. There is ample evidence to show that tney have their origin in the. mountainous regions of the Hodna and in other similar places, and that none ha/o, ever been observed in the Sahara. The exact momenlpftheirappearancemaybe predicted witK something approaching to certainty, so that tbe'teisno reason why effectual measures sjiould not be' taken for their destruction. M. Kunckel has completed all his arrangements to this end, by makingaccurate charts of the localities where they laid their eggs last autumn ; he has prepared 800 kilogrammes of screen of the Cyprus model and has arranged a methodical system of campaign. The destruction of the egg he regards as an extravagant and uncertain process. Ordinarily a man can haidly collect more than 260 litres of cocoons in a season. These would produce about 72,000 young locusts ; whereas by attacking the young locusts themselves as soon as they are hatched 20 litres might be collected, containing each 50,000 insects, or a man in a day's labour can destroy 1,000,000 insects. It ha^ 'been -proposed to levy a special tax on all land under cultivation for the purpose of destroying these insects, as the entire population 01-tlie colony suffers more or less P" ink the scourge. Thia, however, has not b'lagyb'ncl the stage of discussion.