Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-09-11

ehOso vi ObneI really practical men, were
mere widely disseminated and more care
fully studied-if some of our so.called
agricultural colleges would only pay
more attention to the practical and less
to the sublime in agriculture, we might
now be in q better condition, not only to
investigate the natural history of this
grasshopper, but with respect to many
other important questions.
The natural history of any animal or
plant must be understood before it can
be made valuable, or its depredations or
evil influences counteracted The history
OF the Hateful grasshopper" is now of
special Importance in those regions in.
Tested by them. 1t may be briefly stated
as follows:
Their natural breeding places un-
doubtedly are the valleys and canons of
the mountainous regions beyond the
great plains but we believe they will be
found to be fertile and capable of breed
ing in many of the elevated regions of
the plains. The question then arises
May not this insect gradually become
acclimated further and further East,
until the question of means for their sup
preston becomes question of existence? [?
This insect, like many others, upon at
tanning its growth, migrates to regions
AHA NAobdhbf bllb luG lOMlduu NlO
not seem favorable to its further repro
duction after the generation produced
by the eggs of the fertile incomers have
matured; and, hence, when these take
flight they disappear for good. What is
wanted, beside the observations of the
masses, is the correct study of species by
| entomologists; that they breed the in
sects under various circumstances, to
arrive more fully at the truth, and also
follow 1t to its natural breeding places
and observe carefully the various condi-
tions under which it is found.
In relation to preventing the visits of
these locusts there is only one plan that
would seem to promise entire success.
That is, finding their breeding places
and stocking them with cannibal insects
and birds to keep them in check, and
using means that would naturally pre-
sent themselves for destroying the con
ditions necessary to their propagation
upon thorough study of their natural
history and habits. AS with the cholera,
it is now admitted that the only way of
| preventing it is to crush it out at its
| breeding place, the religious gatherings
of India; so with the locusts, it is proba-
BILE that stamping out in their birth
place is the only effectual remedy
The next question that presents itself
is how to prevent damage when they do
visit the Mississippi valley and other dis.
tricts of the West. If these periodic Wis
its are to be continued, Mohammedan res.
| ignation to fate will avail nothing. Pre-.
| destination is all very well in its place
but it would work poorly in opening up
our Western country. If Chicago had
sat down and mumbled 1t is written
after her great desolation, she would
have shown sublime resignation, but that
would not have rebuilt the city Instead
she showed her" grit" by building up in
such a manner that q fire can bt
quenched when it breaks out. If a simi
lar course can be pursued with thi.
Hateful grasshOpper," the difficulty viii
be about solved. How to do it is the
question.
One plan is to keep the pests moving
and thus starve them out. 1t is true it il
a big job and will cost time and money
nevertheless, through concerted action
it can be done by building smokes, pass
ing cords back and forth over infested
districts, netting and destroying them
and by other methods that will sugges
themselves. Watering the fields will
solutions of Paris green would be eff
4 fectual in killing them, but it would alsC
I kill animals which Craze or individual
who eat the product of such fields. Thi
is therefore out of the question. Their
Is no plan that seems more feasible nov
to US than netting them; and, the seconC
season, when the eggs of the previou
year are all Matching out, the plan is per
fectly practicable, and it may be accom-
plished either by the hand or by horse
power, by individuals or communities
One man with bag-net of four feet il
diameter will go over five acres of lanC
per day. With two horses, drawing a
each end of a net thirty feet wide, a cor
responding area may be gone over. Ev
cry hopper, or at least "a majority o
them, will fly back into the bag of til,
net and be captured. This is a simpl,
and perfectly feasible plan, so far a
least as the broods succeeding the in
sects of the preceding year are con
CeTned.
Another plan for destroying the egg
will undoubtedly be late fall blowing a
such depth as to turn up to the fros
and rain the eggs laid. In ordinary sol
the eggs will be found to be at q depth o.
one to three inches, varying with the soft
ness and friability of the soil 1t Is wei
known that the Larvae and eggs of insect,
viii stand severe freezing; but it is only
when protected by immediate contac
with the earth, or by exclusion from thu
air. When turned up to the surface anC
exposed to the air, rain and frosts o
winter they inevitably perish.
Even potatoes, when enveloped in sol
closely impacted about them, will stanC
an indefinite amount of frost; will Otter
remain sound in the soil where they
grew; will winter perfectly and germi
nate kindly in the spring. Exposure OF
the surface, the slightest frost SOFTEN
and ruins them either for food or seed
Again, if buried to an extraordinary
depth by the plow, and then often rolled
firmly, the eggs and larve of insects
like the seeds plants so treated, wOulC
undoubtedly ish, or upon reaching thu
surface be so enfee bled as to cause com
paratively little trouble.
In all the infested districts, therefore
the Western RuraI would advise Il thor
ough examination this fall, to discove
ut what distance below the surface th,
eggs are deposited. This found, plow a
such depth as to turn the eggs at or n
near the surface as possible. They will
furnish food during the fall for all birds
and in the winter for sparrows and othe
cOld-wcather birds what these do no
destroy the frUsts and rains Of winte
tiiN pIiih1 Niii piNbbJ Nll1NbhellJ iuloh
Those laid in places not capable of be
ing plowed may be easily trapped will
cordinary bagnet upon Matching on
the next spring. sa
A net to be operated by one man i
made by taking light hoop or stron,
wire; to this affiX net of millinet o
other material that will allow the air t,
pass through; have the bag long enough
to COrrpsnOnd tn the width of the hnoD-
say about three feet. If this is passeO
over the ground at a suitable height /
will be surprising to the operator hoV
many of the insects encountered will b.
trapped.
To bag them by horse power will b.
simple enough. A net of suitable siz
and mesh, say covering two rods wild
by four feet high, oval shaped and will
an ample bag supported at each en-,
by wheel, and with perhaps a rea
wheel from the center to support the bag