The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-14
THEGRASsH0PPER PLAGUE.
Their Ravages in Minnesota.
be LIE Sueur Statesman. July 5th.


of Renville, Brown, Blue Earth, Nicollet,
LIE Sueur and Scott, this season, in num-
bers and destructiveness, equals anything
ever known in almost any part of the civ
ilized world. The locusts of Egypt were
nothing to compare with them in many
localities! Thus far their ravages have
been confined chiefly to the prairies, but
they have recently commenced flying and
alighting in the timber known as the
Big Woods" and there is every iproba-
bility that they will pass through and be-
yond it, and sweep the southwestern part
of the State. Although they have been
the most destructive heretofore in the
counties of Renville. Brown, Sibley and
the western part of Nicollet, there are only
too strong grounds for believing that in the
six counties named there will not be an
average of more than one-half the crops
left to harvest, and there will hardly be
enough vegetables left for seed. Corn has
been less injured, thus far than any other
crop, and wheat has suffered most. !, IN
On Saturday last they commenced fly
ing over st. Peter and vicinity about 10
or IL o'clock, and IN a few hours, the air
was dense mass of Them, flying in q
southerly course. When they began to
drop down the, sight resembled that of q
heavy, storm of large snow-Aakes, and in
less time. than we OCCUPY in writing this,
the earth in st. Peter, Kasota and SEVERAL
miles around was a living carpet of grass,
hoppers. Those who have gardens taxed
their ingenuity to the utmost some build
ing large fires to smoke them away, others
attempting to drive them out, with brush,
and still others throwing water on the
smaller vegetables; but wherever the
plague tarried few moments the destruc-
ton was complete. Cabbage and onions
were q favorite dish, which fact win essen
tally lessen not only the indispensable
,substantials of German tables, but the
wholesome variety Of well regulated Amer
lean and Celtic dinners!, r.; 4osl. 49,, RI
Toward evening the sight was awful.
Houses and fences, and, every shrub and
brush in gardens and on the prairie, wore
sombre hue; all were covered with
grasshoppers thick that many persons
had to keep their houses closed until dark.
In Henderson there is hardly a plant or
weed left, and the naked lots, tell q sor-
rowful tale of the desolation Of the plague.
Current bushes and young fruit trees and
shrubbery of every kind have not only
been stripped Of foliage, but Of bark also.
One man attempted q little strategy, .
by planting a few tomatoes in q bunch Of
weeds that had not been destroyed, but
his work was hardly left when the little
devils made clean sweep. He then set
box of plants on a house-roof which,
up to the time of their flying, was safe.
Another family had kept q box of tomato
plants in their house until they attained a
good size, but one of the doors having
been left open ten minutes, the destroyers
invaded the sacred apartment and left
nothing but the box and earth. s. 49, -
Some of their peculiarities may not be
unworthy of notice! In some fields of
wheat they have entered they have simply
cut Q straight swath of several rods width
through clean to the ground, never devia-
ting from direct line, and leaving the re-
mainder untouched They deposit their
eggs in small sacks in, the warmest and
loosest earth during August and through
autumn, and the number laid by single
grasshopper certainly reaches into fifties
or hundreds. As soon as the earth warns
in the spring they hatch maturing in
about two months, when they strip them
selves-body and legs-of their old skin,
and come out schooner-rigged and full
sails. The wings at first are very tender,
but forty-eight hours of exposure prepares
them for their journey, and woe to the
places where they tarry! e so +
o say, is there hope2 is there aught but de-
spair? W.
From the st. Peter Tribune. 9Th. b f4.
( GRAssHopPRRs.-On Thursday last the
grasshoppers made tier appearance in
this place in a million battalliOns, of mil
lion in each battalion, taking everybody
and everything by surprise especially the
gardens. From ten O'Clock in the fore
noon, Until two or three in the afternoon,
the air overhead seemed to he, and was,
perfectly filled with the pests, apparently
on their way to York State perhaps, or
some other eastern locality. The main
body, or great bulk, we might say, of the
party, passed over this place-oHly about
one trillion stopping here. Several gardens
in the lower part Of town were ruined in q
very few hours. In one or two gardens. COM
panies of brave small boys, armed with
bushes, were stationed; with instructions
to dispute their right and demand q sur
render. They did so, but nary grass
hopper would succumb. Numerous skir-
mshes and battles resulted in the defeat
OF the boys-the grasshQppers having won
every field. It was SUPPOSED that if the
weather kept clear, they would leave Us
on Friday, but as it did not large numbers
YET remain in this locality. g
r.o; Since the above was put in type,
1ne whole grasshopper tribe have fed
leaving on Monday. From this locality
they went south, but from Swan Lake and
vicinity they went west. May they never
return.
In this vicinity the injury done the crops
is comparatively slight. 4 few miles fur
Their west we learn that about one. third of
the crop is destroyed; and in Iafsyette
and West Newton crops are entirely de-
stroyed. - . n,