The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-09-17
For tue farmer.
THE GRAssHOPPER.


J. W. Taylor, ESQ.,, United States Consul at
Winnepeg has contributed paper upon the
rrasshopper to the MdHifobaa which is full of in
terestng information tn the rayages of this
pest and the methods of preventing and destroy
ing it, As this lively insect is now at work
throughout nearly the entire West, aud is slowly
but surely working its way East, brief state
meut of Mr.. TaylOr's paper may suggest some
timely hints TO the sufferers 10y its depredstions.
The grassh0pper is ancient enemy to the crops
and vegetation. Early mention is made of him
in the records of the Jesuit mission to California
The year 1722 was a very disastrous one. IL next
appeared in 1746, and afterwards in 1888 and lIoo
continuing three years. The periOds0f great des-
truction in this century IN California nave Deen
1923 1885, 1886 and 1855. In 1856 1t did mueh
ipiuty in Texas aud Kansas. Since the settle
meut of Minnesota there have been nve grass
hopper years; 1856, 1857, 1865, 1918 and ic'i; IN
the Red river settlement, il first appeared IN lIiz
and in 1879 and not again until lo9I' AFTER tna'
Il anr,eared in 1864 1867, 1869, 1872, and now IN
1874 with probability that the o'a VIII thiea-
ten the crops of lSl5 .
arc Of three kinds: |. Remedies provided by ma
-. ExnedieBts by man against the full
len Crasshopper. 3. Devices for destroying
~ 100 The remedies which nature has pro-
vided are the bright sunlight, which gives them
ON instinct to "mOve on" insects, such as The
TachiDa, which deposits its destructive larva on
the grasshopper, the ichneumOn and short-winged
;chneumon; BIRDS such as the starting, black
bird lark jackdaw and domestic fowls; and the
driving of herds of animals over the spots infes-
ted by them. The human agencies against the
fnIl-Growp insects which have thus far been used
with effect are as follows: /. Smudges, produ-
cling dense, sitting smoke, which should be
kindled an hour before sunrise and kept fuml-
eating so long as the insects are on the wing. q
Ropine them of the grain to the ground and con-
tipuing the operation until they fly. 3, Netting
sbem in huge bags made of sheets and then plung-
ing them in hot water. 4, Turning in cattle,
hogs and poultry to feed upon them. The most
inportant question is how to destroy the larve
or the just hatchedinsect next spring. One plan
suggested is deep blowing. A Texas planter
wrote in 1867, to the Department OF Agriculture,
as follows:
As soon as the grasshopper has laid its eggs the
planters pillow their fields and turn the soil over
AZ that the eggs will he buried under layer OF
Earth. which will crush them, and thus destroy
the spring crop of grasshopPers. This exPeri,
ment has been made in small spots OF ground
where myriads of eggs were deposited, and not
a orasshopper came from under the layer of soil
that covered the eggs.
The Asiatic traveller, Locher, also says:
Deep blowing, with view to crush the eggs
under the weight of the soil turned upon them,
is undoubtedly recOmmendable, while pigs and
poultry allowed to roam over SO plowed fields
would greatly assist in the determination OF these
locusts in embryo.
Prairie fires, set as much as possible in circles,
90 that the young insects cannot escape through
the ring of fire. The MennOntes collect the eggs
in the fall and destroy them, and in the spring
roll the ground with heavy rollers. In addition
to this, they employ the smudge very frequently
On the island of the LemnOs, the people are re-
quired by law to furnish a certain measure of
the eggs annually to the authorities In China,
also, the people are obliged to assemble in the
spring and effect the destruction of the Larvae
In France, Italy, Hungary and Spain, rewards
are paid for the eggs. After summing up all the
remedies Consul Taylor recommends the people
of Manitoba to pillow not only ell the fields down
deep this fall but all the highroads and lanes, as
these bare surfaces are the chief breeding grounds.
Then, if necessary, harrow the grounds and roll
the surface. He also suggests the planting of
the field pea, which is unpalatable to the grass
hopper ON the margin of every grain field, as it
may divert the insect before it has become win
ged from passing the barrier; and systematic
prairie-burning in circles and the frequent use of
the smudge Whatever is to he done for the pro-
lection of next years crops must be principally
done this fall, and for this reason Mr.. TaylOrs
suggestions both timely and valuable.-Ch. Tri.