The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-06-26
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
FORT SCOTT, Kansas,

Fort SCOTT Kansas,
June 10th, 1875.
EDITOR WHICH, notice the Eastern
journals are full of grossly exaggerated
reports concerning the grasshopper plague
(9) in this State, and if you will permit me
the use of your columns will endeavor to
show up "bleeding Kansas in little
better light, and am prepared to prove what
l say.
The very general alarm prevalent among
the farmers and business men in the West,
caused by the ravages of grasshoppers,
chinch-bugs, and army-worms, has, in a
large measure, passed away. The season
was backward, the appearance of the fields
unpromising, even at the time the 'hoppers
made their appearance in some of the west
ern counties of Missouri and Eastern Kan
sas. Discouraged in some degree even be-
fore the insect pests appeared, the advent
of the destroyer created a wide-s spread feel
ing of uneasiness and the country was at
once flooded with sensational reports from
the West. From this cause the most seri-
GUS apprehensions of general failure of
crops had taken possession of the public
mind. But new survey of the field at
the present time dispels all cause for appre-
hension, and should have reassuring effect
upon the public. 1t now appears that less
than half a dozen counties in this State,
and parts of eight counties in Missouri,
| b,,, ;,,o -
the presence of the grasshoppers, and even
the condition of the farmers in that COM
paratively small territory is far from hope
less. All reports from the devastated re-
gion concur in announcing the death or
fight of the 'hoppers, and the chinch-bug
and army worm have thus far wrought mis-
chief in some few localities only. The de-
struction of crops caused by these insects
will not materially affect the general result
of the seasons labor. The season has now
advanced sufficiently to allow very good
estimate of the wheat crop to be formed ;
and, although in this State there will be
fewer bushels of wheat harvested to the
acre than in some former years, the vast
| luSISdSC III bHC W III ludhC buc lOIdl
larger than was ever before garnered, should
no storms or other destructive causes inter-
fere with the maturing of the crops. The
corn crop throughout the West, though
little late, presents promising appearance.
Oats, rye, barley, and other food crops,
promise an abundant yield. Even in dis
tricts which have been most afflicted there
is just time to repair the mischief by plant
ing late corn crops, which, with favora-
BILE season, will mature, thus affording food
for stock. On the whole, the crop pros
poets in the West, if not positively incour-
aging, are very far from being gloomy. 1t
is true that in limited sections of Western
Missouri and Eastern Kansas the farmers
situation is not irretrievable Time enough
yet remains to grow heavy crops of corn,
potatoes, and turnips.
During the past few days the 'hoppers
have all left this section, taking south
westerly course. Just where they stopped
am unable to say. There were millions of
them here a week ago. The voracity of
these insects can scarcely be imagined ex-
| cept by those who have seen them devas-
tate in few moments a field of rich vege-
tation. Their flight may be likened unto
a heavy snow storm, the lowest flakes ap-
pearing large and distinct, and those above
gradually diminishing in appearance into
mere specks, leaving one to imagine them
extending upward to an indefinite distance.
The noise of the jaws of the 'hoppers when
they attack field is like that of prairie
fire, cracking and raspins. They 60 with
| the wind, and when there is none, will
whirl around and drop down in thousands,
and are killed in the fall. They eat any
thing-dead plants, dry wood, the wool off
of sleeps backs, dead animals, and, when
one of their own number becomes disabled,
they fall upon him and eat him before he
has time to die.
The following regarding his home, birth,
habits and death is extracted from lee
ture recently delivered in St. Louis, by
Prof. Riley, State Entomologist of Mis-
souri,:
| "Their native homes are the high and
dry plains of Dakota and Wyoming, where
the vegetation is scant, being dry prairie
grass. In July the vegetation is all burnt
up in that country, or else is devoured by
the insect. If these circumstances occur
before they get their wings, they die for
want of ability to travel elsewhere for food.
But if they have their wings they rise and
are carried to the southeast and the Mssis-
sppi valley by the prevalent northwest
winds. When they arrive in this country
they lay their eggs, but their progeny
brought forth here is weak and diseased,
and instead of increasing in number they
die out. Hence there need be no fear of a
perpetuation Of the pest in this country,
because this is not its home. The insect
will never reach beyond limit formed by
the line of the seventeenth longitudinal
degrees west of Washington. The country
is not suited to it. Again, it can only fly a
certain distance from its native country,
and this line is about as far as it's strength
will enable it to come. Until it WINGS it
can travel only two miles per day, or less
Long before those which are now at work
acquire wings they will be so diseased as
to be incapable of further harm, and when
they do acquire their wings, they will fly
at once so far as possible toward their nat
ural home, so that in 1876 we will see moth