The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-12-02

Another Interesting Letter on the Crass-hop-
pers-The Best Way to Fight.
VALLEY VIEw FRUIT FARx,
KAsorA, Mimi. Nov, is, 1876.
Editor Anti- Monopolist:
You expressed desire, in recent is
sue to hear further from me on the
''grass-hopper uestion." do not know
that | have any thing new to offer, ex-
cept, perhaps, to urge upon prairie farm.
ers the Importance of preparing in sea-
son the most practical means Of warfare
| have demonstrated hey ond doubt that
crops can be protected from the young
insects. and to a great extent from the
mature ones and yet found that out
side of Blue Earth and LIE Sueur coun-
ties, very few farmers made any effort
at al to fight them.
l must confess to very little faith in
the practicability OF the labors Of our
present &c asshopper Commission" 1t
was not organized right in the first place,
our wolthy Governor being very plainly
skeptical in the matter. Being con-
strained to do something, he did as little
as possible. With all due admiration for
the pre-eminent business abilities and in
telligcnce of the gentlemen composing
the commission, they have SO far devel-
oped too little capacity for the position.
One OF them has made all manner of rid
icule of'the movement to oppose the en-
enactment OF theihoppers (allhough he
may have changed his mind), which is
scarcely the kind Of spirit to put iuto
the work. And what could they do wi h
$50 for expenses?" 1t does seem as
though Gov. Davis has attempted to
throw Encouragement upon the effort OF
the people to draw attention of the state
and general Cove. nment to the matter.
Of all the men in the state best fitted for
one OF such commission, T. Nj. Ranev
was remarkably Ignored. Tom. wonld
have put his heart in the work, as well
as his money, and we would have had
some practical results. trust that we
may as it is.
The first thing done in spring, lin re-
gions where the eggs are deposited, is
for each farmer to find out to certainty
the precise portions Of his farm infested.
He will find that the insects sought hard,
dry, bare spots-knolls if there are any
and that as general thing the los
lands are free from eggs. Then let him
do just as much diiching as possible. Ii
there is not time to surround these spots
with bitches, then run bitches next to the
cropping ground. and If there is space
enough these bitches should be run on
the most tangent line OF march that
will be taken by the young insects
when the commence their raids which
will undoubtedly be for the nearest
crop These bitches are simple in con
struction. Run two burrows through
the earth from the breeding place,
Shovel out the loose earth and pillow
again. Make the ditch two feet deep,
and OF the same width. with smooth.
perpendicular side. Then, every thirty
feet or so, dig square pits the width Of
the ditch and say two feet in depth.
There you have ,tnplete young hop
per break. they cannot cross it. and
can be driven by women and children
like sheep into it. and along into the
pits 1.-The easier if the ditch is not at right
angles with their line of march. AS the
pits are filled, say to within six inches of
| the top, throw in earth and dig others,
or better still. bag your 'hoppers and
get your bonus, provided always that
there is cne.)
am always supposing that the proper
cannot be done in the spring. Whercv
er possible these egg-nfested spots
should have been plowed. although a
| warm day early next spring may do
Either pillow very deep nor less than ten
inches, or very shallow, say two inches,
and in the latter case harrow thorough
| IT, If this il properly done think lew
eggs will be heard from Still, il is
well to be prepared with the bitches al
| so-Hey are sure thing. Should this
method be generally adopted, with i.
bonus in operation to call out the extra
help, have not the slightest deu II that
every average farmer could protect 4
| full crop. for it has been the general ex-
perience that the damage to be feared
| from the insects hatched in any vicinity
il while they are in the wingless state.
As soon as they shed the she'll and OBJ
tain the use Of their wings they take
their departure
| What Is to be doHe with the mafured
| insects. those which come in On some
| iiI-iavored breeze. is another question.
Here in LeSueur county, they were sue
ce-sfuily fought. and could be. doubl
not equally SO in other localities. The
first and most necessary adjunct OF war
il bonus sufficient to call OFT all the
idlers and make all human kind oDliv-
Gus Of meal time With horse net. ana
hand nets legions can be taken. and
where legions remain they can be STREE
into pretty complete generalization bs
two men and rope. Tie rags to thu
rope. which should be as long a. conIe
be conveniently handled, foot apart
saturate in coal oil, and set on fire. Tn.r
let the two men. stripped to the waist
extend the rope over the field TO he oper
ated on, and run with the wind Thi:
rquires wind but the effect is surpris
ing, TOR the hoppers will leave in clouds
Wire il preferable for the rope. but any
thing can be adopted where haste i nee