Page 6 THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1978
Tumbleweeds get new enemies
United Press International
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Tumbling
tumbleweeds, the rolling shrubs
that add a touch of color to western
movies, have become such a nui
sance that scientists are adding two
new insects to this continent in
hopes of controlling them.
Dr. Dick Goeden of University of
California at Riverside is doing some
delicate tinkering with nature, but
he says insects may someday replace
tractors and herbicides in control
ling plant pests.
The tumbleweed, or Russian this
tle, grows across a wide band of
southeastern Russia and western
Siberia but seldom does it grow as
large as it does in the United States.
Tumbleweed seed came into
South Dakota in shipments of flax
seed in the early 1870s. By the latter
part of that century it was reported
as a pest in states and 13 Canadian
provinces.
The control project was started by
the Department of Agriculture
biological control laboratory in Al
bany, Calif. The bugs were shipped
to Goeden who began efforts to es
tablish colonies.
Goeden, an entomologist in the
still unusual field of biological weed
control, says it is a science for pa
tient people.
“The rule of thumb is, that it’s a
seven-to-10 year period between
saying let s go to work on a weed
and the effective abolishment of in
sect predators and parasites,’ he
said.
Scientists found the two insects
— the stem-borer and the leaf-
miner — in Pakistan. The bugs were
tested there and then transferred
here. Now the stem-borer is re
garded as “established here, mean
ing it has survived for at least three
generations.
The leaf-miner was only recently
colonized. But the stem-borer is al
ready at work chomping into
tumbleweeds in select locations in
Southern California, Arizona, Idaho
and Nevada.
Part of the long process involves
two or three years of tests in the
bugs’ native land to make sure they
will not attack useful plants. Dr.
Lloyd Andres of the US DA said it
was determined first that the two in
sects would not attack sugar beets
and spinach, close cousins of the
tumbleweed.
He said that the stem-borer will
attack only tumbleweed and a
poisonous weed native to the Great
Basin which, he said, is a desirable
spin-off.
The tumbleweed propagates itself
as it rolls along, driven by the wind.
Its round shape once it separates
from its root system helps it spread
seed far and wide.
The Russian version is less apt to
tumble. It’s much smaller and
scraggly.
“A recent group of Russian scien
tists visiting UCR were amazed at
the size of our tumbleweeds,
Goeden said.
“In Russia, where the thistle has
several natural enemies feeding on
it, it may have a shortened stem
with only four or five branches and
stand a foot or so tall.
Our Western version will get to
two or three feet in diameter.
The California Department of
Transportation spends $1.5 million
on tumbleweed control and cleanup
every year. Farmers and property
owners spend many millions clear
ing tumbleweeds.
“Last year was an excellent year
for the tumbleweed, Goeden said.
“Normally soil moisture is depleted
in August, but the opportunistic
weeds made full use of the rains that
came with Hurricane Doreen.
Now farmers and clean-up crews
have allies. The stem-borer feeds
within the branches of the weed,
hollowing them out so they lose
water. The leaf-miner attacks the
plant leaves.
Stripping of tropical forests
could mean bird extinction
By KATHRYN GOFF
North American migratory birds
face a “new wave of extinction, ” be
cause of recent stripping of South
American forests, according to Dr.
Joseph J. Hickey. Hickey, a guest
speaker of the department of
wildlife and fisheries sciences,
spoke on “The Ecology of Recent
Vertebrate Extinction.”
Hickey told the crowd of about
200 Tuesday night that stripped
tropical rain forests in South
America result in rangelands. These
rangelands, composed of laterite-
clay-like-soils, incapable of soaking
in water, allow the top soil to wash
away.
“You can just watch the silt wash
away,” he said. The laterite soil,
when exposed to the sun, bakes
solid. The plant and animal life that
once flourished in the rain forests
cannot survive on these sterile
lands. Such North American mi
gratory birds as redstarts “will un
doubtedly go down in number,’
Hickey said.
Although man has caused such
birds as the Great Auk, the heath
hen and the dodo to vanish, Hickey
said that man has nurtured other
“We are always finding new
species of birds, and insects never
described before are discovered,”
said Hickey.
species.
Conservation groups are now sell
ing so much bird seed to people who
want birds at their houses, Hickey
said, that the evening grosbeak-
population has increased. Because
of the cattle industry, the cattle
egret has become one of the most
common birds in Texas. Birds that
were reported as rare by Audubon
over two centuries ago are now
common, he added.
Hickey received his doctoral de
gree from the University of Michi
gan. He is a professor of wildlife
ecology at the University of Wiscon
sin at Madison. For the extent of his
30 year career, Hickey has re
searched population ecology, the ef
fects of pollution on bird life, and
rare and endangered species.
Honors Aggie sons
Antique piano give
A solid rosewood, 130-year-old
square grand piano has been
given to Texas A&M University
by Mr. and Mrs. Cramon Stan
ton of Houston.
It was presented in honor of
their Aggie sons, 1974 graduate
Charles and John ‘66.
Built around 1850 by the
Chase Piano Co. of Ripley, Ohio,
the instrument is located in the
Schiwetz Lounge on the first
floor of the Memorial Student
Center. An identical piano was in
President Abraham Lincoln s
White House. Another is in the
museum at the Washington on
the Brazos.
Texas A6rM officials including
Dr. John Koldus, vice president
for student services, and Robert
Walker, vice president for de
velopment, attended the formal
Monday presentation. Singing
Cadets member and pianist
David Stevens played for the
ceremony.
The piano will be played on
special occasions.
MSG President Lynn Gibson
expressed student appreciation
for the gift. “Your gift will be ap
preciated by thousands and
thousands of Texas A&M stu
dents through the years,’ Gibson
said.
The Stantons acquired the an
tique from a Mt. Gilead, Ohio,
stone cutter. Handbuilt, the
Connie and Cramon Stanton of Houston observe
vens as he plays on the historic grand piano they tlonateil|
the University. It is valued at $10,000.
piano has carved cabriole legs
and hand-turned screws. The in
strument was appraised at
$10,000.
“We have a great deal of
for Texas A&M though neitli
us attended here, said Stanl
a University of Michigan gradi
An author of over 100 papers and
articles on wildlife, he wrote the
book “A Guide to Bird Watching”
and edited “Peregrine Falcon Popu
lation: Their Biology and Decline.”
Hickey has received the coveted
Aldo Leopold Award, and the Ar
thur A. Allen Medal.
Cost of A&M traditional formal
other bashes continues to rise
“We’re the best
damn outfit
off the
To paraphrase the
boasting of our
ryi r>l IC beloved Corps
Irdl I of Cadets in
which we’re proud, we believe we’re
the best apartment complex in Aggie-
land" Not only do we have attractive
: onei two" an'3 tfiree bedroom apart
ments with loads of closet space, all
electric kitchens, individual heating
and air conditioning, but we have our
own lighted tennis courts, supervised
intramural activities, social functions
and 24-hour maintenance.
Just ask anyone who lives at the
Viking. They’ll tell you we have the
best and fastest maintenance crew
anywhere, and the friendliest, most
considerate property managers in
Aggieland. After all, “We’re the best
damn outfit off the campus.’’
Come live with us! Happiness is
living at the Viking. Call Jean or
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.APARTMENTS
693-6716
By JUDITH DUNN
Class formals are an expensive
Texas A&M tradition, and the costs
are continuing to rise.
Hal Gaines, associate director for
the Memorial Student Center, is in
charge of the Senior Class bash at
Lakeview, the senior banquet, and
the formal dances held this year.
“We’ve already spent approxi
mately $2,()()() more than last year s
senior class, he said.
This year’s “Senior Weekend,
April 28 and 29, will cost the Class
of ‘78 approximately $15,000,
Gaines said.
“This price includes the costs for
the bash at Lakeview, the banquet
before the formals, and also includes
the cost for two dances this year in
stead of just one, he explained.
This year there will be two dances
going on at the same time. This re
sults from the large turnout last
year.
“The other classes don t spend as
much as the senior class, but this is
their last year, and they want to
make it their best, Gaines said.
The junior class formal will be
held Feb. 25 in the ballroom of the
Loo kill ^ For A Good
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Zachry Enginnering Cente
Jane Eike, class chairman id
of finances for the formal.
‘‘It will cost the junior da
proximately $1,400,” shesaii
This is the cost for only®
mal, including expenses fbi
and the band, Eike said.
The sophomore class wi
only one formal to pay for, to
Mary Ann Wallace, adviser
sophomore class.
“With refreshmentsanclak
pay for, expenses will total
where between $1,100 andSL
she said. The sophomore das
hold their formal in the Zadin
gineering Center on Feb. 11.
James Randolph, adviser!
freshman class, said that the
hold their formal on Feb. 18
MSC. This formal wjll cost ap
imatelv $1,800, he said.
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