New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-28


was continued until tho locusts became disguised
and flew away. saw to-day two fields of wheat
with only ten-foot road between them. Before
the grasshoppers came, one promised equally as wei
as the other The pests alighted on both heids az
the same time and one was roped while tne other
was not. The former will iyet yield from ~ 10 10
bushels to an acre; the latter is not worth harvest
ing Some farmers found smoking very enectuai.
When the grasshoppers were flying, they Piaceu
damp prairie grass on the windward side Oh their
fields and set fire to it, The grasshoppers ei'her uu
not alight or if they did, did not stay long, DuV
this was not always successful farmer III
county east of here who tried 1T told me that al nfst
he Thought the "hoppers" about to leave; he went
away for a fresh load of grass and when he came
back he found the rascals roosting on the fence
and warming their feet by his fires" After that.
the hotter he made the fires and the denser the
smoke the better they seemed to like it.
The locusts have now nearly disappeared from this
entire region, and have gone without laying their
oggs In one field of flax which visited in Waton-
wan County on Sunday, saw them in great num-
bers and they were breeding, but had as yet
deposited no eggs.
EFFECT OF THIS YEARS RAID.
This years grasshopper raid has extended over
about dozen counties in the southwestern corner
northwestern Iowa. The devastation of this region
was due principally to locusts that were born here,
except that accomplished by the immense swarm
which, coming from the north, arrived here on Fri
day last, and left again Sunday. What the ag-
gregate amount of damage done u.s. 1t Is difficult to
say. In this county, taken together should think
that nearly onehalf the crops of all kinds should be
saved. In three townships of this county every
thing is completely destroyed. Some of the adjOin-
ing counties have been I'M ured more than this some
less
This entire section devastated in Minnesota would
have produced about One-twelfth of the wheat crop
of the State had the grasshoppers let it alone and
prOpOrtiOnate quantity of the other crops think
it is none too liberal an estimate to say that Oneha
crop will be saved. The suffering in individual cases
WILL of course. be far greater than this estimate
would indicate. In this county, where half crop
will be gathered, there are one hundred and fifty
families who have nothing and who viii have to be
cared for and furnished with seed for next season.
Two hundred dollars would be a small sum to keep
one of these families year. So that at least S3OOOO
will be needed in this county, and suppose not less
than S5OO,OOO will be needed in the entire
section. The most of this aid must como from
outside of tho devastated region. This
country has only been settled from to five years.
and the majority of the people have yet to raise
their first paying crop. Nearly all the farms in
this section are mortgaged, as well as tho stock,
farming implements, and in some cases the crops.
The local merchants have given all the credit they
have been able to, and must now have their pay
from those who anything from this years ruin.
The State either by act of the Legislature or by
a well organized system of contributions, ought to
help these people, for they are generally tenn
perate. frugal industrious class, who, If carried
over this Winter and given any chance in the fu-
ture, will, In few years. add more than ten-fold
to the future wealth Of the State. Gov. Davis's
appeal and Representative Dunnell's promise
to obtain from the General Government aid
for these people. was think, illadvsed. But they
must live during the coming season, and will yet
develop from this wonderful soil one of the richest
agricultural sections on the continent
total estimate for the damage inflicted that ap-
pears to be approximately correct is, for value of
crops destroyed in Minnesota $3,OOO,0OO; in Iowa.
S2,O)O0OO About 1000 persons in both States will
require help to the total extent of about SsOOON.