The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-07-30
AT HOME. July 2Sth f69.


tricts: perhaps hurried sketch of tn
trip may suit you.
Starting from the busy Main street O
the marrow City, we found teams innu
mcrable and clouds of dust unbearable.-
For the first seven miles the ride didn't
pay. Then the garden of Eden, on largt
scale, opened before us-thc handsomest
and one Of the most fertile bodies of undu
lating prairie, interspersed with groves ant
belted by the timber of the Turkey, tn,
Yellow, and the Mississippi rivers. From
Bigelow's fine farm westward our attention
was directed to the grain fields now ready
for the reaper. The renowned Chintz bug
has made its mark on the wheat of nearly
every field we passed in ride Of thirty.
five miles. Stopping to examine the petite
devils that are playing the role Of Pharaoh
lice and locusts in North Iowa, we found
these pernicious insects as thick on the
ground and about the roots Of the wheat
as the hair on the figure head of travelling
music master or modern spiritualist.-
They (the bugs, not the humans) are in all
stages Of existence, from the small, red
larvae through the grades of first motion,
crawlers, black-racers, grey-backs, up to
the winged perfection Of the complete bug
Countless myriads of them are in the same
fields, whole acres being destroyed by them;
nearly every field is more or less scabbed
in appearance by the contrast of the killed
or faded stalks and heads with the green
portions yet unreached by this destroyer
Land that had formerly grown hazel, su-
mach or other bushy timber seemed to be
most visited; it is said corn land of last
year is also favorable to them, enabling
them to find secure deposit for their eggs
in its large stubble; the burning Of the
wheat stubble Immediately after the har.
vest is the Illinois practice in sections
where they were formerly troublesome.
Farmers estimate the damage done by
this visitor at % per cent, but as the dis.
ease is less noted in the wide, open. prairie
soil it is not likely that the country will
sustain greater loss than is usually expe.
riened from rust, blight and other troubles
from which the grain this year is thus far
exempt; the crop is not heavy one howe
yer. The Chintz attacks the roots of the
wheat and cuts off the juices that supply
the stalk the ears or heads look ripe but
there are only shrvclled grains in them
Our subject has the active motion and the
unpleasant aroma of that interesting fami.
ly of dodgers with which all house keepers
have had more or less trouble and which,
from their eternal prevalence in badly man.
aged hotels, are probably regarded by Bon
face as household gods, entitled to the
same veneration as were the dogs and cats
in the temples of old Egypt Not to be
abrupt in dropping this fruitful subject let
us remark that this year of 1862 is the best
bug year on record: myriads fgreen, plump.
looking insects took up an early residence
on our currant bushes, equal numbers Of
small, black ants laid sege to our cherry
twigs and leaves and "moved in" with their
families an unusual army of the cabbage
flea has been in our gardens; the eucum-
Der bug still continues its raid on our vines
and as the leaves grow old and tough it at
tacks the younger shoots and even the
fruit itself-you may find red bugs on one
class Of weeds, black on another, green on
another and so on through most vegetable
matter Of the season. A "reliable gentle
man. informs us that strong decoction of
aloes syringcd among the plants will cause
them to vanose; if this be true we would
suggest the use of an immense syringe at
Washington to drive the hum bugs out OF
the administration Of national affairs.
Arriving at Monona We take dinner at
the Egbert Hotel, learn that Mcnamara
has traded his tavern for farm have a
political chat with "Uncle Paul. and 60
into ecstacies at the happiness he enjoys
on hearing of the progress Africa is max
ing in its march towards equality with
"white trash;' promise to pray for his re-
covery from the political insanity which he,
in common with many other excellent men
| is laboring under, quarrel little bit as
usual, then make friends as alaoays, call for
our team and proceed northward towards
Volney. This town contains about 200
inhabitants and is Economically located on
Yellow river, small, deep, dark, swift
stream, belted at this point with high Bluffs.
John Morrison, formerly of McGregor,
keeps the only Hotel; there is a Touring mill
nearly finished saw mill has been rum
ming for years an excellent bridge is just
completed across the river. Volney looks
dull to McGregor man but it is harvest
time now, the mill is unfinished and bust
at this period of this unhappy year is not
lively anywhere. With the names of its
citizens we are not familiar and hence we
cannot individualize its inhabitants or speak
of their vocations.
On the road again and up the long slope
We find wooden country of more value
liidH oeduty vi We Sct 10 hosSVine.-
Rossville is miles from Volney, 10 from
Monona and % from McGregor, it has
large grist mill. public house kept by S.
Nichols or ''old Nick" as he is Familiarity
called. mick" does not handsome much
bat he is landlord all over, ready to OBJ
lige his guests in any way possible and in
no particular is he ever complained of by
those who call on him. The country about
Rossville is excellent and beautiful, the
town wearing quite business appearance,
but like all other towns not very active just
at this time; it is built on burr oak land
and those who know its quality need not be
informed that rich country surrounds the
village.
Again on the road and travelling little