Man has been gradually controlling and employing the various
animals on the earth's surface. He taught the elephant to haul
wood and water and to fight his battles. He trained the horse,
the dog. He even taught falcons to bring him back birds from
beyond the clouds, and otters to catch fish in the bottom of
lakes and rivers.
Gradually he has made himself independent of his animal partners.
The rifle made the falcon useless; steam destroyed the importance
of the horse and the ox.
But apparently we have only begun using animal life. We must run
the whole gamut of the marvels of creation before conquering
conditions on this earth. ----
We used to train the biggest dogs to kill wolves. The Government
of the United States is now breeding darning-needles to kill
mosquitoes.
A certain kind of wasp, with a black and white striped body,
spends his time killing house-flies, and this creature could be
bred and used to destroy the disease-spreading pests.
Even the invisible insect life can be made most useful to man and
to his health.
The latest plan for disposing of city sewage involves the
cultivation of microbes, to be employed as disinfectors.
Several towns in Illinois and in Wisconsin have established
plants for the purification of sewage by means of microbe life.
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