New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-27
THE GRASSHOPPER PEST or Mn
NESOZi.
THEY MARCH SOUTHWARK LIKE A DE.
STROYING ARMY.

THEY MARCH SOUTHWARK LIKE DE-
STROYING ARMY.
We have heretofore noticed this new pest Of the
farmers in Minnesota and the fact that they are march
ing South and East, and may sweep over Wisconsin
and Illinois in year or two more. We now present
an interesting letter descriptive of the insect and its
depredations, from resident of that Territory:
To ne Editor Of The " Y. Tribune
SIR: propose TO give you some account Of the
grasshoppers in Nil mes ia. la the first place then
Slight description OF "the animal is necessary,
they differ in their habits materially from the insects
bearing the same name in The Eastern States. When
full grown they about QUE and hall inch long OF
q brownish-green color, with four wings, which en-
ables them to fly as easily as a hawk. They deposit
their eggs in plowed ground IN the Autumn, about
three.fouhs Of inch below the surface In bundles
of six or ten in number where they remain through
the Winter perfectly safe until the sun and ge
NAL showers Of Spring. when they seem to roll out Of
the ground like the rising Of Yeast With their fore
legs they grasp the nearest object aud commence kick
ing until they free from the she'll that has protected
them through the months of Winter. When first
patched they are nearly white and about eourth of
an inch long but turn IT, dark browJ. They are
not great eaters at first bat seem tn got ter subsist
ence from the moist earth. In about two weeAs tney
double their size and their wings begin to develop,
although tkey do not use them until they are nearly
full grown. WHEN they are about one-half an inch
long they commence feeding on the young corn, wheat
or other grains and if they are very numerous they
show preference 10 those plants which ar Mtiyated
They commence their onward march early, and DO not
ALWAYS destroy everything they pass along, provided
they see fresher and gTeener Iced beyond foI IN
stance they have passed over my field Of wheat, q
distance Of 80 rods and have not eaten over tso-ehras
oft Whether this in consideration OF ths younger
brood which is coming, or whether thsy prefer the
Young barley which they zee IN advance cannot tei,
bat oresumc il is the latter cause for the advance
yuerd which have already reached the barley and
Young clover, show no such consideration, as they
taken twothds Of the field. Beans, turnips Onions,
cabbsge, and most of the garden vegetables with the
exception Of peas thus far seem particularly suited TO
their taste Like the universal Yankee nation, they
seem to be forever on the move, except the one IS
travelling west, the other east
These differ from the common grasshopper 10 this
particular. They eeem 10 like wei cason ~ well as
shy, as the unusual wet Spring here would demon
'trate One Of my nsisheYrS VINO rs IS oy 'ne Tsy
usual means Of destruction this Spring without eject,
viz cold backward and wet Spring, late aud severe
frosts and frequent thunder-showes. From all the
information can gather, these grasshopPers have
travelled from Mexico through Utah, over the Rocky
Mountains TO the Red River OF the Noth where tney
destroyed the crops for two years IN succession 90
thorough were they in their work that the inhabitants
Pairie Chen for seeds. They have the past Sum-
mer made great havoc along the Upper Mississippi
River ns far south as st. Anthony. Here accounts
differ. Some say they came to ked hiver wltmn Two
years; DINERS Say uicy bafO o0Sh wv"
ing the Journey About SO year, ego esl am informed
nv Frenchman who lived at Re- River at thai Tune,
they destroyed the crop 50 that the settlers 10 tns m
fsnt colony did not their seed, but were oonged
10 live by hunting and fishing. You see how difhcuh
il il 10 come at correct history OF them; and this
one object of my writing this, that those who may
be visited by them in future, further souih ana
east ii thew continue their wanderings, may know
something of their antecedebts. They came mere
LAT Auqnst in such numbers that the air had the ap-
ncarnnce of snow storm. So thick they IN some
places that the sun was darkened. They came amer
most Of the wheat crop was harvested lne corn, mo
~ Il was too hard for them although they deyoured
all the leaves, leaving the bare stalk ane cars ye'
tbey were in season 10 s the leaves oil the Postoes
dc troy the turIips beets onions, buckwh ana
the garden vegetables. This year they thfeen
10 destroy every green thing Uniess they take mel
departure coon there will be great suffering here &
II tbey move on soon they will probably destroy mo'o
in value as the part Of the country where iney A..
are has been settled later and beng mo'uX ~ 90.
timber has q less number OF acres ia crop. 80 49,
settled by class who have less means -. =, aui
through year ard half Of scarcity 10. " "a ;n,'
fanine--as you are aware those VIZ IN and de-
prove Wild land suffer great de a. % ~ r ,h NJ,
p,iya,ion al best AL their energy IL 'aAea ~ -"
a,t 80 ast in sufficient crop for theH own WANT ana
~ 80 small stock: add TO this the TACT sns ls
tuo ms, years have been extremely dry 20 uat 0or
III 20 n and well tended which is seldoin tne oa
Ie flln much short of their owners sArso
t;ons This Spring, although quite oaok.aa have
Sorer bopes of good crop thaa any sino Magma
been IN tbsRerrifory, were 1t lot ioi in'' '"' Pc
Of Egypt, the grasshopper. LHH.
70 ~e'f' Respectfully yours, ,,p, "
y,da;ue Lake HsHHepa Co., W. IT, 'sne '~