Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-02

OAooED 81 MUCH LOSS TO THE I FARMERS.
Prof. c. E. Hamlin of Colby University in the
Maine Farmer
Let me begin by repeating what has
oeen said in print a thousand times before,
out what 1t seems very difficult for people
70 oremember-that our destructive grass
hoppers are locusts, true American repre-.
sehtatives OF the voracious insects that
from II the earliest times have ravaged Syria,
Egypt and other countries of the East.
The so-called ''locustsn of the United
States are not locusts, but "harvest-flies"
or "cicadas." of which we have in Maine
two species, both harmless insects.
According to a convenient distinction in
common use few years since, but not SO
much observed of late, the name of grass
hoppers was reserved for certain species
that do not collect in swarms, flor thev are
not numerous), and are chiefly active by
night. Such are the katydids of Massa-
| chusetts, Connecticut and more southern
States, as well as our long-horned, green
grasshoppers, and a curious, pale brown,
spotted, wingless insect that never lives
IN grass, but is found in rotten logs and
under stones in our grounds. None Of these
do any considerable harm.
by the distinction above mentioned. the
name locusts is appropriated to those grass
hoppers that are best known to us from
their greater numbers, and because they
are active by day, and are more vigorous
leapers and flyers than the former. These
are the devourers that during the last year
made such havoc with the crops and
profits of Maine farmers. And whether
the others are rightly called grasshoppers
or not, these deserve the name Of locusts,
for they differ but little more from the
original and famous locusts than do Ameri-
can men from Asiatic men. But as it
seems generally best to use the name by
which anything is most Familiarity known,
we do SO in this case, it being understood,
however, that when in the rest of this ar
licie we say grasshoppers, we mean To-
Gusts, as above defined.
According to the catalogue of Mr.. s. I.
Smith, a native Of Oxford county. but now
an instructor in the Sheffield Scientific
School OF Yale College, we have in Maine
from sixteen to twenty species of locusts,
though fortunately not more than . third
OF them are ever so abundant as to do
great mischief. 1t is not necessary to
speak OF the appearance or habits of any
OF the species, for your readers are only
too we'll acquainted with those already.
But there is no need that correct informa-
ton be circulated respecting the mode in
which grasshoppers are propogated, since
prevalent notions upon the subject are
grossly incorrect, Notwithstanding all that
has been written on it,
All grasshoppers are produced from
eggs so large as to be quite conspicuous,
if sought for in the right places, for they
are from-say twelfth to nearly q quar-
ter inch in length. having the shape of
slender cylinders rounded or pointed at
the ends. They are laid more commonly
in adhesive clusters, of from fifty to one
hundred, in holes bored by the female in
the ground to the depth of an inch or
more. One species has been observed by
the naturalist before named to deposit it,
eggs in holes which it excavates in old
logs or pieces of soft wood lying among
the grass. And neighbor of mine, for
many years a practical farmer, once found
a grasshopper laying her eggs in the chaf
and dust that had collected in the crack of
a barn floor. The most troublesome spe-
cies pair as late as October, and very soon
lay their eggs and die; for like other in
sects they do not long survive the compile.
tion of the reproductive process. Tho
eggs hatch in the spring, and the offspring
coming to maturity during the month Of
July are ready for vigorous action through
August and September. This is true Of
the small Red-legged species. which WAS
unusually plenty last season, and is per-
haps the most destructive grasshopper
found in Maine. DR.. Harris insects In
furious to Vegetation, p. 175) says of it
that lit seems to constitute those large
migrating swarms whose flight has been
observed and recorded in various parts of
the country" 1t abounds In all the States
east of the Mississippi, and in Canada,
and before me are two specimens of it
which l took upon the very summit Of Mt.
Katahdin on the 18th of August last. This
species has been at intervals, ever since
New England was settled, great ravager
of salt marshes.
Another species the Goat-headed locust,
that is common, chiefly in dry pastures,
for some two months from the middle of
May, lays its eggs in July. The young
are hatched in the fall, and spend the VIM
ter in an immature state. Specimens be-
fore me, probably OF this kind. were taken
March "a, 1865, from the sunny side Of
granite boulder in pasture. Their wings
are mere sprouts, and had the youngsters
lived they must have required some weeks
more OF growth to have reached full ''con-
dition." This species (there may perhaps
be two, nearly alike,) is ordinarily not
troublesome, but sometimes after dry
spring, increases SO much as to be de-
structive in fields and gardens during
June. 1t would seem to be the one to
which Williamson refers, in his History of
Maine (vol. l, p. 1922 as having been, in
June, 1749 and l754, Every numerous and
very voracious; no vegetables escaped
these greedy troops; they even devoured
the potato-tops:'
1t is we'll known to those whose who
have observed our grasshoppers closely.
that there are more than one spec'es IN.
are common in April and May, and again
in late August and September. In the IN
teryal none such are seen, until near the
clcse of July. when the young in their
fnl search would doubtless discover them
At the same stage late in the fall. Mr..
Smith enumerated at least three Of these
species that appear twice in year. They
I-., ks.~~- Al.-~~ A.