The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-09-10
for the farmer.
REMEDY FOR THE eRAssHOPPRRs.

F. Kramer, of Shannon township, in this Coun-
ty, writes to the Kansas Farmer very sensible
and timely letter concerning the grasshopper
.erurge Mr.. Kramer is one of our best and most
intelligent farmers. He is a close observer, and
has resided in the State for many years. His
suggestions, therefore, are worthy of considera-
ton. He says of the grasshopper visitation:
at is q calamity not only Of local but of ma
tonal effects. Every man ought to set his brains
at work to devise remedies and make them Puo-
lie.
A writer in the Farmer of August 5th, suggests
the prairie chickens to be saved to. destroy the
Erasshoppers. ! know they not only eat the
grasshOppers, but also their eggs; but an viii a
nit that all the prairie chickens IN the OnIteu
States would not he able to destroy the grass
hoppers here in Kansas, and if we would nave
the required number of chickens they would ds-
mand their pay for it, and not leave us Single
grain of all we could raise, ana we "o"iu "o -
bad of as ever. ,.,..L
when thew were here before, l noticed that they
only Law their eggs on bare, clear ground, ana
nowhere in grass or weedy SOIL Az lnae 'i,ne
had patch Of onions, of about hall an acre, Kept
very clean which seemed to be their iaSorite
.nof 10 denoSit their eggs. The entire surface
far an inch in depth was nothing but eggs Know
ms that any kind of seed, II covered too deep
With soil, would not terminate, l put that plan
in oneration and plowed that piece of ground
from ii to IL inches deep, and planted it with
garden vegetables. Not single grasshoPper aP-
3eared and everything grew nicely until later in
the season, when an army of grown hoppers APP
peared which had been Matched mile south of
my farm on much Travelled rOac, ana destroyed
every green blade.
They are already making preparations for next
wears brood, and danger to Dext years crop rs
imminent; but we should not be frightened Let
us look our enemy in the face and prepare ioT the
battle Let us mite and each one pillow his land
not less than ten inches deep, which Will bury all
the grasshopper eggs beneath the line OF vegeta-
tion-and probably also the chinch bugs-and
WILL at the same time, save us from the dronth.
Every travelled road must also be plowed at the
same time.
The sparssly settled Western States have al
ready suffered severely from insects and drouth,
which is due to the fact that every farmer Is
skjmming over too large surface. We often hear
of men who pillow from p to 3 acres per day.
would not have man on my place VINO would
blow an average of more than 1t acres per DAY
Good blowing should be measured by cubic, and
not square measure.
the drouth. and the prospect was fair this year
until the grasshoppers interfered with 1t; but
always aim 70 pillow ten inches deep.
Last spring set out 5000 grape cuttings. Ine
ground was prepared by running Two P ao~s -,
the same furrow, as deep as possible, loosenins
the ground 16 to Is inches deep ana the cnttlngs
are the admiration of all, in spite OF the dronth
MANY having made a growth OF ~ 10 three ieet'
Others who set out large numbers OF cuttings, re-
port that they grew hnely unti the urs weather.
which has killed every one
Every intelligent man knows there is always
nlenty of moisture in the air, no matter how the
season NAV be, and when warm air strikes cold
surface moisture is deposited. If we aim to stir
the ground deep enough, SO the air can penetrate
10 tie cold soil below, moisture is deposited in
the soil like a continuous shower. believe that
ali plants which go deep down with their roots
can be grown without any rain.
If every one could be induced to pillow the soil
deep, perhaps our insect pests might be so re-
duced in numbers as to prove blessing instead
of a calamity. +. KRAMER.
ATCHIsON KANSAS.