The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-27

THE GREEDY GRASSHOPPERS.
THEY GO FOR GARDENS AND STRIP THEM Oh
THE sUCCULENT sASs-THEN DESCENT
LIKE THE WOLF ON THE FOLD INTO THE
GREEN FIELDS OF GROWING GRAIN AMI
PARTAKE OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT-THE1
WOULD FAM FEAST ON THE FRAGRANT
ONION PEEL AND WEEP OVER THE DEAD.
The Chicago Times has the following
specials from various points in the south
west:
FROM KANSAS
| FORT SCOTT.
| Grasshoppers in this section are quite
numerous. They are doing considerable
damage in some places. They are small
yet, and do not seem to grow much. 1t is
| thought that as soon as they can fly, they
will leave.
Grasshoppers are very numerous, and are
doing considerable damage to grass, oats,
flax, and wheat in some localities, the crops
being almost completely destroyed. Early
gardens disappeared long since, and the pests
are now beginning on the leaves of fruit
| trees Some farmers have lost pretty heav-
| lily already, while others have escaped their
/ ravages.
LEAvENwoRTH.
Statements 10 regard to grasshoppers are
somewhat conflicting, but careful sitting of
reports from this region shows the following
conditions: Wheat but slightly injured,
being too far advanced. Oats, Hungarian,
mille., and clover considerably damaged in
places. Corn but slightly injured. Garden
stuff has suffered considerably. The insects
select only the most tender and Succulent
vegetation to prey upon. The cool, rainy
weather of the past few days has greatly
benefited the crops, and arrested the opera
tons of the grssshOppsrs.'
ATCHIsoN.
The countless myriads OF young grasshop-
pers that have appeared are as yet doing but
little damage. The pests are confined to a
very small territory, and are by no means
general over the state. As near as can be
ascertained, they reach about 40 miles west
and 20 miles north of Atcblson. This ter
ritory embraces all of Atchison and Doni-
phan counties, and portion of Marshall,
three OF the most populous counties in the
state. They are also reported in great num-
bers in southeastern Kansas. The section of
country that was entirely laid waste by
them last year is now entirely free from
their presence. They are still wingless and
move with the wind. Corn is suffering; flax
and barley are entirely used up, aud they
have commenced their ravages on wheat. 1t
the damage will be, and farmers are anx-
iously waiting the result. Many plans are
being tried to destroy them, but so far with
out much avail.
NORTHWESTERN CoUNIEs.
The young grasshoppers are Matching out
in countless millions and seem to be increas-
ing in numbers. They almost literally
cover the face of the country in Northwest
hov al oil da
stroyed garden vegetables, and are commit
ing heavy depredations upon oats, barley
and spring wheat. AS yet they have not
materially damaged winter wheat. A great
portion of the farming community is panic
stricken, and prospects are very gloomy.
Some farmers are turning their cattle upon
their grain fields, thinking TO save some
thing in the way of pasture. 1t is feared
that in their efforts to save crops from the |
grasshoppers, they may destroy more than
these pests would. The more hopeful class
express the belief that when the grasshop-
pers finally depart, the damage will be tar
less than is generally anticipated.
LAWRENCE.
Considerable alarm continues to be felt
about the spring crop ofgrasshoppers south
west of here. They are very numerous, and |
farmers continue TO fight them. Mr.. Glib |
son, a farmer of this county, dug a ditch |
about two feet wide and over a foot deep |
around his cultivated land. The ditch is |
full of grasshoppers, but they cannot get to
his crop. He scooped up three bushels in a
few minutes. 1t is reported that some kind |
of insect has destroyed the grasshoppers in |
Bourbon county, as they lay dead in heaps |
on the roadside. 1t is said they are dying |
everywhere in the southern part OF the |
state. farmer from Jefferson county says /
that some kind of an insect or parasite is |
destroying them by the thousands in his To-
celity. Another farmer reports the same in |
his locality, and that handsful of dead grass |
hoppers can be gathered. We are having |
continued rain-falls, and it is said the wet |
weather is favorable to the destruction of
these pests. A gentleman just returned |
from a tour through Jackson, Cass, and |
Bates counties, Missouri, says the grass
hoppers are much more numerous in that |
section than in this.