Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-01-29
The cras.nopper-HIstory and HabI.s

into the history and peculiar habits
of these destructive insects.
i have consulted many persons
who have given the subject much
attention for many years. The state
ments and opinions of these numer-
GUS persons do not entirely harmon
ize, but they agree substantially in
the most important respects.
The abiding home of the grass
hopper is found on the high, dry
plateaus of New Mexico and Arizo-
ma, and the southern foothills of the
Rocky Mountains. There they are
always. for it is their congenial
home. In some seasons, especially
adapted to this end, they multiply
with astonishing rapidity, and be-
come too numerous to subsist.
Then, like bees, they swarm and
migrate to other countries. They
fly until they become weary and
hungry, and then drop down to rest
and eat. They do not all go at once
nor to one place. They become
widely separated and much divided
after starting: but in almost any
case, whether the grand army or
some principle detachment, they are
as the sands of the sea, myriads of
millions. Coming in the distance
they look like light cloud rapidly
riding on the wind, and under the
blazing noon day sun they glitter
like snow-fakes extending from near
the ground to the height of a half a
mile, but cast gloomy shadow on
the earth. When they drop down
to feed, every green and gay thing
is covered in a moment, and the
earth is gray and dismal. Only a
few things do they disrelish-as sor-
ghum, broomcorn, and the peach.
Wheat and oats, when the straw or
grain is green, are devoured in few
hours.
When the straw or grain is some
what dry and tough, they eat off the
stem just below the head, and the
grain falls to the ground.
Corn is their staple, they 60 for
the tassel and silk (f these are out)
then the tender grain, scrambling
and crowding each other like hun
cry pigs. They are fond of pota-
toes, beans, and cabbage; but onions
are their most delicious morsel-
they will dig tn =, ground for the last
particle.
Usually they remain not more
than twenty-four to forty-eight
hours in a place, if the weather is
warm and the sky clear; but some
times week, if the airis chilly and
very damp, and the sky cloudy.
After leaving their native home
they have never been known to pro-
pagate in their colonies more than
three years, and that but twice in
the history of the United States
Somewhat more frequently they
have been known to hatch during
the second year. But out of twenty
swarms this has happened only three
times. In other cases they have
ended their existence and their race,
IN any given place in one year.
Of those which invaded Nebraska
this year, 1874, the first swarms laid
eggs in several counties; but the
long, dry fall hatched them out, and
thus stopped further production.
The swarms that came last seemed
to have been hatched too far north
and too late in the season to come
to maturity, and consequently they
laid no eggs. All these perished in
the first frosts.
| It will be several years before
their native land will be overerowd-
| ed, and when they rise up to mi
CRATE they will be as likely to go in
one direction as another.
From extensive correspondence in
/ Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Min
nesota, it is ascertained that no egg:
have been laid that will hatch next
spring, except in one part of one
county of Kansas.
Ever since the year 1s49 the plains
have been travelled over constantly
and the movements of this Deser
Locust, as it should be called, have
been noted. In all this time there
has been no such devastation as thi
year, nor is it likely that there viii
be recurrence of this calamity fol
many years and let us hope never.
Il The number of persons made des
titute and dependent on aid from
abroad for the next six or eigh
) months is not very fully ascertain
! ed. But for the last two or thre
S years there has been heavy It'd
? I of immigration to the interior an,
E frontier of this fair State, wher
: millions of rich acres have bee
s waiting the brave pioneer, and tn
number who must be helped or sui
/ fer actual hunger and nakednes
: will probably be found to be bC
f tween 5000 and 10000. To a
? these the State Aid Society will il
t sue allowance of food for about 20
S days. Clothing also sufficient t
2 prevent suffering will be judiciou'
J, ly bestowed through the same effi(
: lent and watchfully agency, an
: seed to plant the smitten distriC
e will be furnished either by the Stat
{ or nation, or both, and be equitabl
b distributed, when this calamity wi
y be over-past, and Nebraska be he
!. self again. J. II. NoTEwARE.
f State Superintendent of Immigrl