The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-06-04
GRASSHOPPER RUIN.

GRASSHOPPER RUIN.
The Whole Northwest Threatened.
Reached by the Vanguard OF the De:
| Chicago Tribune.
The great army of grasshoppers that
poured its vast multitudes over the
northwest last summer reached far in
this direction. the vat penetrating as
far as Vincsnnes, although not in suffi-
cient force TO make any general devas.
tatlon. An irregular triangle, with
that for its apex and the Rocky Noun.
tains for its base, would include the
territory thus far swept far over by the
victorious pest, including large portions
of Kansas and Missouri, and almost all
| of Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and Da-
kota. The question which BOW agitates
the commercial interests of the country
is, can the grasshopper be kept within
that territory, or will they, as some
predict, overrun Canada, Northern
New York and the Eastern States? 1t
is held that in thickly settled parts of
the country, where smalls farm abound,
there can be no great danger from
them, as the birds and domestic fowls
will keep down their numbers, but if
tho invasion is made by such over
whelming hosts as defeated all meas
ures of projection last simmer, such
instr1mentalities will have little eff
cieney at first, however powerfully they
may thin their ranks in course of time.
And even In the event of the advancing
plague being successfully stayed in its
progress east, it can hardly be expected
that Illinois, lying as it does on the
border line, and already partially in
vaded, will escape the attack of vora-
ciOus legions, if the vast hordes of
grasshoppers shall issue forth again.
The intense cold of last winter and the
protracted frosts of the spring have
been relied upon by the agricultural
community to effectually rid them of
this plague. As late as the last day of
April there was a severe freeze, doing
much damage to fruit, but which was
borne with cheerfulness as being sure
death to the grasshoppers. Now the
report comes that in Southwestern Mis-
souri, "the young grasshoppers are de-
vouring everything green. The people
are panic-stricken. Cattle and horses
are dying of starvation. Everything
is being eaten by the pests" Similar
news comes from Southern and West
ern Kansas, and large sections of Min
nesota, Iowa and Nebraska are declared
to be doomed. In the southwestern
portion of the latter state, they are
already swarmiDg out by the million.
with millions yet in the ground. All
this, and only two weeks since a frost.
With the cessation of the cold rains
and the increasing warmth of the SUD,
it is to be expected that the millions of
eggs in the ground will send forth their
myriad swarms, and the invasion of the
grasshoppers begin. In that case it
can hsrdly be hoped that Chicago will
escape a visitation. Already the pre-
monitory signs have appeared. The
warmth of the sun during the past week
has had the effect of causing the ap-
pearance of young grasshOppers in the
southern sections of this city, on the
Hyde Park line, and, although at
present in a state of inactive torpor,
the establishment of warm weather will
send them scurrying through the air,
their numbers rapidly increasing, until
the vast and compact host of 5he main
army joins them.
The so-called grasshoppers that have
been the plague of the west are really a
species of locust, and have all the vora-
cious appetite and omniverous taste of
the genuine African lOcusts. Instead
of proceeding by jumps like the COM
mon grasshopper, these locusts go long
distances in the air, flying and borne by
the wind. They move along at height
of from 30 to 100 yards above the
ground, and extending upward as far as
the eye can reach. These flying swarms
are described as looking like great banks
of snow when illuminated by the sun
shine, and again like clouds tossing aud
rolling in a strong wind. When making
their descent upon the country, and IN
der impulsiOn from the wind, they rat
tie against the windOw-panes like hail,
and beat against the face of whOsoever
may be out at the time, descending in
such myriads that it would be as i'm
possible to escape their contact as it
would be to avoid being rained on when
ont in a shower. The conclusion of
their million of wings on the air make |
a whizzing roar, plainly heard as they |
fly overhead. It is this ability to make !
long and high flights that bids fair to |
make them such a pest in Chicago. |
They fly with the wind and without in |
direction; dropping, after a fight |
Of a few hours, on any place they may |
happen to beover, whether land or water,
town or country, and attack destruct-
ively whatever they can. The country |
is stripped bare of green and living |
things cattle, and even human beings,
die OF starvation. Gen. Ord, com
nanding the military department of the
Platte, last fall reported that the bodies
Of people who died of starvation were |
found by his men in their marches. |
and men and women were discovered |
whose only means of subsistence for
days was clothing, which they gnawed |
at like rats. Had it not been for the |
efforts of the charitable all over the |
country, thousands whose crops had |
been destroyed by this pest would have
4 O ,.-nd Ia dnnhh Lost rinhnr