New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-17
THE LOCUSTS.

We hear but little this year concerning the
noisy pests whose coming the husbandman breads, but
at times rumor Of their ncursons into fertile fields have
reached US and the heat increases and the heavy rain
storms Of Summer held back the farmers fear thal
the saltatory plague may yet visit them and lay theT
broad acres Of and grass under contributions During
the past week they have been in vast numbers IN
de rent pa rts Of Long Island and in the negborhood
of North Isp the land is covered with them They nfcst
the shrub oaks, and pay some little attention 10 the young
fruit trees; but up To dae have done but little damage
Their song is heard for miles and yOu approach hcr
camps the dscOrant melody which they delight TO MAKE
with their hind legs for bones and thrr backs Tor ndde
Is nearly deaIthhg' MOI I"ne ago luey iniuc tllc. az
pcarance i'm Mercer County New Jersey and after treat
Ing the quiet people Of that region TO their monotonous
music Tor weary "he, pe'3nt s"l"tlHS SArnt' nlHus
myrads OF the sOpgstcrs died. and their brown corp,es
the ground like Autumn leaves Tor many 4
mile In some parts OF me county tney maue dleadiu III
havoc, stripping the leaves from the Yong trees sung
these DAYS brave forests nothing but many wastes 81
dead brown stalks through which the coming winds Will
The American locust an insect often held guilty OF the
rayagps committed by the harvest y and certain species
troublesome little animal. Ills prototype, often men
toned In scripture, gave the early nations OF the eaih
Iocusts IA. the aveugug arir, Of the Deity, do the
Arabs today the latter proving The souuducHs OF their
the divine threat stamped thereon In most excellent
Arabic. oar native ocusts, according TO certain rural
mysagogucs aud sgnreadcrs are Ia orr div ihdorsed
sumcvha in same manner. with the number Of the
year they may be expected again; but the warning ~ OF
H.
the attcrday lOcu-ts visit the spot selected as the
byouac their hun,ugTound, rs it were. or the place
whore the females shall deposit their eggs to the best adj
vantage. they PICK ON tie freshest trees anu We ho
tender tWiC- Of these chosen because they are easily
puuctured and quickly killed. Into the holes which they
pierce in the SOFT green wood. the females lay their eggs
The twig, die. rot from the branches AID fa 10 me
ground Cdrry the eggs with them II is not long De.
fore 'he eggs become young l0cust about the size 81
ants aud they lose no time M making holts ~ the CaJh
and setting mp in life on their own account. Here
they remain unh me umo comes Tor the imminent OF
their parents prophecy 80 1t l. SAID ana WIN Drown
backs fairly marked with new date. sally forth on t,ir
prodcsuucl til'hd ol hisch,I. ooho s'''ea W Wy
locust family very active. Their mud legs are much
serve double purpose and, gymnasts, are far superior
10 their other strJiyIingrd brethren u pity that
injury, have prejudice against them rs an article of
food In Africa they aro eaten by birds, by cattle ana
even by men, In some countries they are fried ~ OIL ana
eaten win Hilsh' som, uh,' u,S arc uiI'u III NV
sun and ground up into flour Tor bread, and IN certain
corner friiycdrT. retain rca1ts shond they ever
become article Of food. they viii doubtless be pre-
eggs and 10 may bee, tat u time. wc shall learn whether
locusts aud Wild honey" ever be made palatab.e
to people living on the western Continent
The most ra,caly of the American ocusts the red
lcg--hc Iouaves Of the 0ithup,crOus tribe They have
that dash that liqn Which has mude tncir human imI
tators valuable on the hrld Of battle. They charge
the frost aud ups their mischief ~ the bud, they
take u oh 300 twinkug When the strife between them
over the 81 their uuburcd dead cover the ground,
infect tine mir with a osous odUr aud render tho grass
ana other herbs near which they fan About
the middle 90 hc eighteenth century ihcy were so abun
baut Ia Northern New England that DAYS OF fasting aud
prayer were appointed 0u acS0uht Of the widespread
calamity Some vI,cacrs insist that the wear 1868 is
destined set be cursed by the presence OF these
plaques In several parts of the United states, since the
humber was distinctly read upon the backs OF several
stray locusts which were found dead In New
Jersey in 1851. Others assert positively that their
next vit T. be made IN lsoj, that date having been
distinctly deciplered ON Monday last on the back OF
Isp Long Island Various methods have been rc,orted
check the ravarcs Of these periodical NoltorS but
thus far all methods have failed and II We are troubled
this year with either the scycuyear or the seventeen
year Ocuss, must grin aud bear the ntictOn salts
fed that all that could be done 20 keep them away has
been done. aud that they simply an inevitable pun
shmeLt for small portion Of our lunuMeTaOlo shOItcOm