American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-09-04
GRAsSIi0PPERs.

4
Our country has great number
Iof native species, familiarly known as
grasshopper; and. the damage which
they commit yearly is considerable
At the present time, the inhabitants
OF MINNESOTA territory are suffering
by the ravages of immense numbers of
these insects, that have destroyed, in
many places, all hope of a crop of any
kind; for unfortunately, all tie mem
bers Of this family of destroyers APP
pear to be Indifferent as to the kind
of food which they dcvour.a We have
known them to eat up mans shirt in
a short time, in this Western Reserve;
and providing it is living, green, vege-
table matter, wheat, oats, corn, or
thetproduce of the garden or orchard,
all share alike. aa -za.aaa..r .asa a,
In the other hemisphere, laws have
been passed and enforced compelling
the people to destroy locusts in the
egg, larvae and perfect winged states.
Such law is in force in China, SINH,
lar onesin portions of India and Af.
RIGA, and at one time. the, Bashaw
of Tripolia raised an army of 1000
men to fight the locusts, and ordered
all to be banged who would not do bat
tie against these small enemies. ga.}t.a
The territory of Utah has suffered
almost every Season from the locusts,
e,of the species Of which, according
to Halderman, in "Stanbury's Expe-
ditions to the Great Salt Lake, is very
nearly related to II. MigrGt6yia.-
Whether it is this or another species
that has proved so injurious to the
crops of Minnesota, we are not aware.
All the Locatioce deposit their egss
in masses, in a small cavity near the
surface Of the ground, so that those
acquainted with the localities where
such eggs are deposited can easily col
lect a large number. This is done in
! France, where the government gives
considerable reward for the eggs, by
weight, and also for the grown insects.
The latter are caught generally with
long drag nets, formed of 4 piece Of
common cotton cloth, ten or twelve
fleet long, with the lower edge held
close to the ground, the upper held
back slanting, forming a bag. When
1.-THE insect jumps, it falls into the bag,
and its efforts to escape, either by
Jumping forward or upward, are ren,
dered a5ortiye. Two men arc re4uir-
ed to handle this net, one at each end,
and it has to bepassed over the ground
rapidly. When a sufficient number
of the insects are caught; they are put
in a canvass bag. and the process re-
pcated until tile field is cleared. The
bags containing the locust are then
!. plunged for a minute or two in boiling
water, which Immediately kills, anC
partially cooks the insects. They may
then be fed to hogs or chickens, as
they are very nutritious; in many
countries men eat them, u They were
accounted by the Ievitical law as clean
\ the Jews and other nations in the vi.
cinity of Judea considering them de-
licious. In Africa dogs eat them, ant
SO do many of the inhabitants. =
Their tastc;is said to, resemble that o.
prawns. We believe, if these insects
should increase to any great extent
that our State governments should
take action on the subject, either, by
offering rewards, as in France, for the
eggs and insects, or by some Other
available means reduce the number o