Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-08-29
HTasshCprtrs.

Our country has q great Of native
species, fsmiliarly known as grasshorper
and the damage which they commit yearly
is considerable. AT the present time, the
inhabitants of Minnesota territory are suf-
fering 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 the members of this fam
lily of destroyers appear to be indifferent as
to the kind of food which they devour We
have known them to eat up mans shirt in
short time, in this Western Reserve and
providing it is living, green, vegetable mat
ter, wheat, oats, corn, or the produce of the
garden or orchard, all share alike. -.
/ In the other hemisphere, laws have been
passed and enforced compelling the people
to destroy locusts in the egg, larvae in per-
feet winged states. Such law is in force in
China, similar ones in portions Of India and
Africa, and at one time the Bashaw of Tri-
poll raised an army of 1000 men to fight
the lptuSts, and ordered all to be hanged
who would not do battle against these small
enemies
The territory of Utah has suffered almost
every season from the locusts, one OF the
species of which according to Haldeman, in
''stansbury's Expeditions to the Great Salt
Lake" is very near related 10 n Aayrotogia.
Whether it is this or another species that
has proved SO injurious to the crops Of Min
ncsota, we are not aware.
All the Locustido deposit their eggs i'll
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 collect large number. This is done
in France, where the government gives a
considerable reward fer. tie eggs, by weight,
and slso fQr tic grown insects. The latter
are caught generally with long drag nets,
formed of piece of common cloth, ten o.,
twelve feet long, with tie loaer edge held
close to the ground, the upper held back
slanting, forming a bag. When the insect
jumps, it falls into the bag, and its efforts 70
escape, either by jumping forward CT up
ward are rendered abortiEe Two men are
required to handle this net, one at each end,
and ii has to be passed over the ground rap
idly. When sufficient number Of the IN
sects are caught, they are put up IN a can
vass bag, and the process repeated until the
field Is cleared. The bags containing the
locusts are then plunged for minute or two
in Boiling water, which Immediately kills,
and partly cooks the insects. They may
then be fed to hogs or chickens, as they are
very nutritious; in many countries mn eat
them. 1hcy were accounted by The Levitt
ical law as cleaa, the Jews and ether na-
tons in the yieipi.y Of Juaea considering
them delicious Ia Africa dogs eat them,
and SO do many of the inhabitants. Their
taste is said to resemble that Of prawns =
We believe, if these insects should increase
to any great extent, that cur State gogora-
ments shorld take action on the s1tJcet, ei-
Their by offering rewards, as in France, fer
the eggs and insects, or by some other avail
able means reduce the number of these posts
At the present time it would be difficult 10
tell what amount of damage is done yearly in
o hio alone by these insects trt /. auouu.e
10 a arge SUN. This every iarier knows hy
i is own bitter experience. Ohio Ft'wer,
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