The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-06-03
THE HOPPERS.

Ravages of the Hungry Pests in Missouri
and Kansas-A Gloomy Outlook for the
Future.
The Chicago Times, of May %, has
extensive telegraphic reports of the east
ward march of the grasshopper pestilence,
from which we take the following ex-
tracts
A dispatch from Liberty, Mo-, gives
the following discouraging report of the
progross of the pests "The warm
weather of the last few days has caused
the grasshoppers to increase alike in
numbers and voracity, and matters are
becoming worse here, though in some
localities they are said to be dying. At
| this place, there is nightly illumina-
ton of gas and coal-oi dispensed. Nu-
merous torches appear in nearly every
garden, and millions of grasshoppers,
dreaming sweetly of the harvest of the
morrow, are rudely awakened, and meet
death at the hands of the fire-fiend. In
this manner much has been saved, and
it is now the common way of fighting
the insects. In portions of the county
they are now making depredations on
wheat and corn, which were hitherto
but slightly injured. A prominent attor-
ney of this city has just returned from
Bates and Cass counties. In the former,
he confirms the report of perfect desti-
tuition. In the latter, the hopper is
sweeping everything, and farmers are
making no futher efforts at crops"
Au Atchison telegram gives the follow
ing account of the ravages Of the pests
in Kansas: "If any difference could be
detected this morning, the grasshoppers
appear more abundant than ever, at
least in Atchison. In the southern and
western portions of the city the ground
is literally covered with them, and they
appear to be going in a body toward
| the southeast. But very few are noticed
with wings, and they appear to be flying
away shortly after the transformation.
From certain localities we hear the most
dismal reports of their depredations. In
portions of Doniphan county, especially
along the line of the railroad, they are
reported as destroying everything
corn, wheat, flax, barley, and oats
hardly leaving a spear to mark the fields.
Farmers are fighting them desperately,
by every means known. In Brown
| COluGN WllOlC WOlh W.
gether, pursuing some systematic and
thoroughly tried plan, and bushels of
the little red legs are disposed of. The
same course is being pursued III many
parts of Atchison and Doniphan coun-
ties. Nearly every farmer we have con-
versed with from Atchison and the coun-
ties adjoining express themselves as
somewhat discouraged, but not at all
disheartened, and they are even now
making arrangements to plant as soon
as the pests take their departure.
Lawrence, Kan, sends the following
report: "The grasshoppers received a
severe punishment here to-day by a Sc
we're storm of hail which passed over the
city this afternoon. Thousands of them
were pelted to death by hail stones,
which were. SO large that many windows
were broken. AS the season advances
the 'hoppers grow larger. 1t is evident
the damage will not be as serious as at
first supposed, still the crops have re-
ceived very great injury, and not more
than half growth of wheat may be ex-
pected."
A Leavenworth Kan telegram says !:
"Observations confirm previous reports
that the grasshoppers are on the move.
Columns of the insects can be seen skip
ping along in a southwesterly direction.
Many farmers are going over their corn,
fields, replanting the hills that have been
destroyed. Owing to the backwardness
of the season, many say they will con-
tinue to plant corn until the middle of
June, with fair prospect of a crop"
The report from Lexington, Mo-, is
equally gloomy: "The grasshoppers are
still with us, in countless numbers.
Myriads Of them passed through this
city to-day, going east. 1t WIS quite
amusing to see whole families-men,
women, and children-fighting them, i'll
vain attempt to keep the "nasty little
critters" out of their gardens and flower
beds. Farmers on the prairies are burn
ing them by the millions. They organize
into platoons, drive the grasshoppers
into ravine, throw straw on them, and
set it on fire. One farmer says he has
kept them out of his fields by burning
them off of the fence every night"
Richmond, Mo-, reports: " Grasshop
pers are here by the million. They arc
} destroying gardens and meadows, and
several pieces of corn and wheat in this
locality have been nearly destroyed by
them, They commenced going in {
northeast direction this morning, making
clean road"