The Litchfield County post., 1826-08-01
COUNTY POST.
TUESDAY, (MORN.( AUGUST |, 1896

| TUESDAY, MORN j. AUGUST l, 1se6. I GRASSHOPPERS-We learn from diff fere6t parts of Vermont and New Hampshire, that these apparently harmless insects are ma-
 king an almost entire destruction with the | whole vegetable kingdom. A letter from a gentleman of good information, residing in Rutland County, Vt. to the Editor, says, It is truly dubious time here, in relation to az riculture. The early drought has been suc- ceeded by seasonable and refreshing showers, which would have given great crops, but for the grasshoppers, which are making great de- vastation in all this partof the country. The earth is literally covered with them, and un- less they cease their dcpredations soon, every thing must fall before them. Our crop of grass cannot be more than one third its quan- tity."--We have also been informed by d gen tleman direct fromVt. that accurate and care ful calculations have been made as to-. the number of bushels, and weight, of this desola- ting army. lin Ponltney, where theytare less numerous than ins some other towns, they have been calculated at from two to four bush- els to the acre, and their weight will far ex ceed that of the weight of all the neat stock in the town. Fr0uia we'll authenticated account published in the Portsmouth tN. H.) Journal. we are inclined to, consider the above calcula tions sufficiently within bounds. This account says that quaker in Epson N. H. named Thompson, caught in the evening, between the hours of eight and twelve, no less than fues sbushels andVthree pecks ef grnsshoppers in his grain Aeld., '' His mode of catching them was by attaching two sheets together, and fastening them to,a pole. which was used as the front part ofthe drag. The pole exten- ded beyond the width of the sheets 50 as to admit persons athosh sides to draw it forward. At the sides of the draS, braces extended from the pole SO as to, raise the back part of the sheet considerably from the ground, 90 that the grasshoppers could not escape. Afterrun- ming the drag about dozen rods with rapidi- ty. the braces were taken out and the sheet doubled hegrasshoppers were thenswept from each end towards the centre of the sheet, where was left an opening to the mouth of bag which held about half bushel; when de- posted and tied up, the. drag was again open. ed and ready to proceed. When this bag be- came filled so as to become burthenson1e, was opened into . larger one and the grasshoppers received iato a new deposit. His manner of destroying them was, by dipping the large bags into a kettle of boiling water. When boiled they had reddish appearance, and made fine feast for his hogs.'
 To Keene N. H. the work of tlestrection is by no means less efFectual than in other parts of the state. and in Vermont. Currant bush es have been stripped not only of leaves, but of the bark, to satisfy the hunger of these ra. paeious insects We can easily imagine that such visitation will almost entirely cut ofF the labours of the husbandman, and leave him to mourn tho consequences of an evil, for which there was no human remedy. Weare not atheist enough to doubt the peculiar prov idence of God in this sore calamity, and al- thoughwe ara happily exempted from all the evils which have been visited upon our agri- l cultural brethren in different parts of the coun- try, in the realization and prospect of an abun- dant harvest. in this county, and state, we should feel spirit Of fcommisseration for our friends who arc thus afflicted, and humble ourselves on account of transgressions which have merited this chastisement.
 A late Kentucky paper contains a letter from the HOa. Judge Shannon to the Hon. Mir. WicklifEe of the Kentucky Senate. 1t IS striking portrait of Kentucky manners, and as such may with propriety De inserted in our columns. Such Biliingsgate sisng is not uncommon in our land, and it's publication is generally attended with good. rather than evil effects. Tho virtue of community, 1.-the common sense ef tho peopIe--win invariably view it IS . portrait of the writer's heart; and it thus operates as sapowerful weapon against himself while is fails harmless, at the feet of the accused. even should heip reality be some. what deserving ofthc charges uttered against