The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-09-03

I''iiJ t.iI,i LII snc 1CSuldI manner.
They also distribute to the laborers
the established compensation for their
work.
"in the time of the Eastern Roman
Empire, the whole population was
wont to hasten forth to the destruc-
ton Of the locusts. Kerchiefs and
sheets were spread out On the ground
under the bushes and trees, and upon
these the insects were driven and
shaken down. These clothes we're
then rolled up and twisted hard. In
other places they used sacks, into
which the locusts were thrown and
smashed under foot. At the close of
the hunt the whole gathering was
weighed, and the Greek patriarch dis
tributed for it fixed payment. Such
regulation exists to the present day
in many parts Of Turkey, where, on
the appearance Of the locusts, the To-
cal authorities, for the purpose of
destroying them, drive forth the peas
ants armed with brooms and shovels.
Some years ago, in single morning,
as many as 5000, and in the course
Of the spring $4,000 okas (220,00O
pounds) of the young Larvae were col
lected in this manner.
'In France when the locusts make
their appearance, every one turns out
that can-men, women and children,
and with whatever is at hand. From
the earliest times, by regulation Of
the government, a common price has
been paid for locusts collected, and al
so for their eggs. About Aries, St.
James, and other parts Of the Prov
ince, women and children are mostly
employedin collecting the eggs, and as
the locust breeds there perpetually,
its destruction is a task constantly de-
volving upon the inhabitants.
'In Italy, likewise, a price is paid
for collecting locusts, and once, in the
neighborhood Of Milan, the rural po-
lice received not less than 10000 sacks
of them, which had been gathered in
the course ofa few days.
"In Hungary not only all the peo-
| pie turn out to the locust hunt but
even the domestic animals and fowls
|join> eagerly in the pursuit, and for
what is collected a reward is paid by
the government. The same is the
case in Spain, where, in the year 1880,
about Zamora in addition to the peas
antry, the troops were employed in de-
stroying the locusts. They were sta
toned around the young locusts, just
hatched, and with long brooms swept
them into common heaps, around which
! fires were kindled. Three thousand
men were employed by turns in this
work for three weeks, and they sue
ceeded in collecting about $4,000
bushels Of locusts. So that each man
) in twenty-one days caught six BUSH
els, or little over nine quarts day"
THE SITUATION IN MANITOBA.
Mr.. Taylor closes his voluminous
dissertation with number of remarks
and suggestions as to the situation in
, Manitoba, which are briefly as follows:
1. If the grasshoppers had not TAX
en- half the crops, Manitoba would
have smothered in its own fat-and as
the half crop left is in consequence of
the diminished production worth as
much as the whole crop would have
been, the loss is not so severe after
, all.
2. Where fields were ploughed in
the fall, two weeks important time
was gained in the spring, and hence
the loss from the hoppers was at least
one-fourth less than on the spring
ploughed lands.
> 3. He is hopeful that the ova of
+ the ichneumon fly has been deposited
: with and will eat up the grasshopper
e eggs if not, the eggs must be disturb
r ed and trampled out this fall.
4. For this purpose there is moth
e ing like deep plowing.
0 5. The pea is unpalatable food for
S the grasshopper, and so he recon-
J mends that ''every field of wheat, bar
/: ley and oats be surrounded by a mar
,, gin, say one hundred feet wide, of the
s. field pea
n 6. Burn over the prairies in the
n spring.
e 7. Ample provision for smudges
s. for use when the adult grasshoppers
= begin to fly.
r 8. Every parish club to organize
$, for associated effort against the pest
1t 8. For every acre heretofore sown,
y plough and SOW two acres in 1875.