New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-03
GRASSHOPPERS IN COLORADO.

METHOD OF THEIR RAvAGES-THE BILL OF FARE
WHICH THEY PREFER - BRANCHES OF TREES
BENT DOWN WITH THEIR wEIGHT-THE EFFECT
UPON THE CROPS
FRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
GREELEY, Colorado. Sept. al have told
you about troubles. It need only be added
that while We preparing to restrain those above
US by Injunction heavy rains In the mountains about
the middle Of July gave full river, and Of course we
could make no complaint. The question whether pri
ority OF appropriation gives priority Of right remains
undecided, but 1t is to be hoped that mutual effort will
DO made to save part Of tho surplus IN May
and June.
30 soon as we had abundance OF water grasshoppers
came again and alghted in patches Of few millions
each In wheat fields. The bulk Of the grain
far advanced to be injured, and they only ate of the
blades so that when cut the stalks slippery Late
wheat was badly injured, and oats In many places
destroyed They visited the whole Of Colorado at the
same tme but only in groups, though in larger ones
close TO the mountains and they attacked the oats at
such critical time make the crop everywhere short
and good seed next Spring. or all the crops there
Is none which the grasshOppers love better than oats
unless 1t be onions. In about week they all left, when
the wheat harvested and hopes were high, but In
less than ten days another gang came and they under
took to finish the oats Machines were put in lmmed
atey, when they attacked the OF which we had
largo breadth exceedingly promising. After working
at 1t few days they seemed to have received orders to
start on their travels and they all took wing, and
everybody roiced again. But about noon one day the
light began to fade little. and on looking up the
grasshoppers 500 feet HIGH millions and
millions, going southeast, which made lis pity those
whom they would visit; but soon small portion came
down. and in q twinklng they covered gardens and
fields, though they were not what We called thick
The next day as many more came, and we had them
good II that is the word bad. If one likes it better
They tired and In need OF rest which they took
but next morning bright and carly notwithstanding it
Sunday. they went TO work in earnest. thought
had them thick before, and that knew some
thing about them, but they revelation this
time. They worked expedtOusy all through the valley
and these who had cabbage patches OF few hundred
head at breakfast had none when the bell rang for
church celery disappeared and the currant and goose
berry bushes looked though there had been
heavy frost. Before night much OF the
sweet corn gone, and the whole stock OF
the women's flowers, verbenas, gladiolas, pinks
and the like wiped away. Still some things they
did touch, and among these were roses and phlox
Beets in the field rddled, andpepant was eaten IN
part by the however poisonous Scion Robinsons
oxalic acid in it may be. BY Tuesday they had made
such Roadway in cornaeds that all who could cut 1t and
put 1t u stocks and even then they kept chewing
badly that one hauled hfs into the barn. Twenty
or thirty grasshoppers. manNas could get around
would attack an and gnaw deep among the husks
IL the corn had been planted BY the middle OF May
1t was we'll glazed and they could do little more damage
than OF the blades If in the milk they ate 1t as
readily as hogs would The leaves OF apple and pear
trees disappeared but those OF cherries plums and
peaches they did touch did they interfere with
strawberries backberes but raspberry bushes were
made desolae. Meanwhile they delighted to get into
the house, especially into the par!or, and look
fancy to lace curtains. When night came all
who could got into the trees to roost have
cotton woods, ash, maple and other trees, from 10
bioh yithl ibSfro an
diamater IN all over 100 around the house, and so
many grasshoppers these trees that the branches
down from 10 to Is inches or course the prospects
were dark for we expected them to stay and lay
which would hatch next Spring. However, 1t was no.
ticed Wednesday that they were not quite so thick;
on Thursday there certainly fewer and they con-
tinued to leave gradually. have stated what they
would eat and what they would not but our experience
I'm a former visitation the effect that IL they stay
few weeks there Is nothing green they VIII not
devour They will get into ripe Hubbard squashes
and into watermelOns and destroy them.
We are beginning to>have little grasshopper knowl-
edge and the more we know the less fear; but what
we do fear enough II they come before the middle OF
september they are likely to stay nor to lay eggs
They to lay their eggs where they de which tney
do not reach us until early wheat and are 50 far
advanced as to be beyond their ability TO destroy.
Therefore there need be fear OF their our
bread If we get the grain in early but the grasshopper
is terrible enemy to the lazy farmer II he comes ate
fry come out in June and whatever is green on their
Matching ground is destroyed, aud there Is no possible
cHsp the he Whole country Generally the eggs
laid ground that haa d0a green Ss b Gn9p
Where the ground is not cultivated The rule would be-
then be to SOW no grain on GROUND wnete eggs
are deposited and to trust to keeping them on when
they begin to move. When they are young they can
only crawl but they must eat or die though II uneer
tain how long IL will take to starve ihen. gram
field Is near their birthplace they VIII set OUT Tor IT, ana
ha tinJshed that will for the next growing as
final
time they likely to drop down anywhere Is VIII
Inc about the first OF July, when late corn. Duckwheat,
turnips vines few other things may be grown
but generally the farmer Is so DISCOURAGED he dues not
feel like IRVING tho Spring season, when men
arc ambitious plant passed, ana everything goes
by the hoard. ... -.
may be thinking Of finding new nome III tae Me5.,
hut IL Is surprising to us, Tor we TOOK the
grasshOppers when we bought the LAND ine nsory oi
thls country goes back Is years during which the grass
hoppers have In about four years. hui In
some localities five, six, and seven years Iney
certainly In vast numbers out from Tue
mountains az far as Greeley, at tue foot OF the
Never have they destroyed all the cropsoI
a setement as they are reported to have done In the
ars states east and we would think OF asking the
Territorial Government for help by means OF lrfisa
tion certain Is the pursuit of farming that we caa
raise an average 30 bushels OF wheat 10 the acre ana
give the grasshOppers all they can get, wne Win ni-
lions OF acres region we can Keep cal1 IN
where else All tHis inahes
ma good country as now is left for new comers In ad-
dtion these two staple products we can raise, TOUT
years out of fve vegetables anu sna hdsscs I s r.
Is denied that the grasshOppers are terIpie
affection. and probably more so because We never eau
tell when they likely to come Inc sword always
hangs suspended. However, II we're not Tor this the
country would be to good. we would get 700 ron, anu
we would all be happy IL Id Detter W hve Oh Inc
ragged edges OF fear sometimes. ~ " N
NEW ORLEANS BUSINESS MEN DIsHEARTENED.
10 the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: send you an extract OF letter re-