The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-07-18
The GrasshOppers and Crickets
of Montana.

This year the grasshoppers have almost
totally destroyed the crops of Madison Val
ley, and last year they committed serious
depredations upon the late crops. saw
them moving in the valley, and they seemed
to be in swarms of millions. When flying
they almost literally shadow the sun. AS
far as the eye can distinguish an object the
size of one Of these teartully destructive in
sccts, they may be seen circling around, ap.
parcntly in general confusion, but careful
examination shows that the countless body
is steadily moving on toward some desired
point. In the evening, when the eye can
face the sun. they can be seen until the
white specks fade out in the dimness of dis.
lance. Then they migrate from place TO
place, and wo to the luckless ranchnan upon
whose fields they light, if the crop is still
green. Bn, their devastation does not end
with the destruction of the growing crop
They deposit their eggs while desolating the
fields this season, and thus give the farmer
notice that their successors will be more de-
structive, if possible, next year. Last year
they migrated into the Madison Valley, and
this Spring the valley swarmed with little
grssshoppers, who began their fatal work
before they were half an inch in length
AS fast as vegetables or field crops grew,
they were eaten down, until finally they de.
stroyed the last remnant of life, and the
fields and gardens were left as bare as the
highway. Of all vegetables, the potato
alone escaped their deyouring appetite, and
while there is a general destruction of crops
and vegetation in the Madison Valley, there
will be an immense yield of potatoes. Here
and there ranch escaped their march, but
how or why, no one can guess. | saw iso-
lated fields of elegant grain where there was
nf,tI |, I,,,t ,ft Il
below them. Next year there are but few
who will venture to put out anything like
full crops in the valley Of the Madison, and
many ranches will be sold out at sacrifice
this Fall by the ever restless and discomfort.
ed settlers
At Meadow Creek left the river, as it
rushes down into deep, narrow canon, and
ceases to aid the farmer until it reaches
near to its junction with the Jefferson at this
point Another long and steep " divide "
had to be crossed to reach the Hot Springs
mining district, one of the most celebrated
in the Territory. AS | arrived at the foot
of the hills, | saw for the first time the crck.
cts, which are no less destructive to the
crops than the grasshoppers. came sud.
denly upon an immense flock of them, COW
ering. acres of the prairie, and awkwardly
jumping and numbering along toward the
Galatin, as if they considered the Madison
" sluiced out" They are four times as
large as the largest Of eastern house crckets,
of every color from black to pale yellow,
and have Il most clumsy motion. They are
about an inch and Il half long, half an inch
thick, and stumble and tumble over each
other when frightened in the most ludicrous
style imaginable. They have no wings, and
trave! by walking, or hopping slowly but
steadily until they reach some field or gar.
den on which to try their appctites. As
they cannot fly, they are sometimes repulscd
in their movements by water bitches, when
they flank the ditch and move on to the
fields of some less careful and less fortunate
tarmer.-Erhdct from letter TO the n. y.
Tribune, from Montana, IN 1867.