, 1875-07-03
Tho Devastation that lfaS Decn
Wrought in Nebraska.
The Extreme Destitution Oaus.
ed by the Loss Of
Crops.
The LOCUST Belt About Eight Miles
Wide, Extending Along tho
River.
Critical Examination Of The Sick and
Disabled 'lloppers Left Behind.
Benaticent Operations Of the Little Red
Bugs Of Prey.
Tho Mischief Done by 'I1Oppcrs
Hntchcd in Nebraska.

FROM Our ElfH tdEFf9bGHatHs
NEDnAsKA C17Y. Ncb., juno 2s.-" jump into
my buggy and you shall tavo opportunity TO soo
for yourself how tic grasslloppors lave cleared
US out In otoo County," said Mr. Jnmes II.
Moore, Tho well-knowu hortlcuIturat, who hap
peued to be ono Of tho many gentlemen lc1e ot
whom made inquiries ns to tho extent OF tho
ravages Of thoBo pests. and in what condition
they had loft The fatn1ots. promptly accepted
Tie Invitation, aud ktragLtway wo aot
out Driving west from Tho town. wo
entered upou splondi1 prairie coun-
tn, equal In fertility 10 tho best
Illinois lanls,-wolt fencol. dottod with
comfortable, many Of them spacious anl hantl-
sorne. farm-houses, nearly o,ery one Of which
waa surrounded by IN orchard. Viewed from
tho crest Of one Of tho knots at tho towns odgo.
tho country before liz WIS q vast e1panRe Of
FINE, HoLLISd PRAIRIE,
With rich, deep sandy SOIL lu high state Of
culture; and. from ali outward Indications. ro-
gion tho culture Of which had enriched tho OWL
are, and such on examination no found It.
Withta radius Of from IL to 20 m,los quito half
tho land WAS under cultivation, and III every
direction ware aeon men and teams 1t work In
The corn.ielda. As NO dsoTe on, noticed thofo
N&4
NO pnow1SH conn
visible. We passed Oaags orange hedges on
eIther eido the rad. These wosp dry and leaf
1osa az In December. Eilos Of It, alike dry aud
ioai1oss, stretohel ac1osa the p1aifio on other
hand.
I" The hoppers ara especially fond Of 0sago
orange" observed my companion, in an explains
tory tono.
Tho fields within the hedge.rors waro markod
BY frash1y-plowed futrows, about feet apatt.
I asked what that meant. G. Hopper clear
ed outline corn, }" was the response. "T41eo wooks
ago It wns ncarly foot high in thuso tielda
They arc roplantine 1t now. That's what those
mon you sec working of there arc doing"
Next re passed finld Of about co acEea Of
cora Just popping above ground, but Of q
healthy. vtgorous-looktng growth. Observing
my look Of inquiry, he remarked: "hlr. G.
Hopper took that. too, but It's been replanted,
and Ia up, as you Rse."
On our right WAS little o1ump Of strnsed-
growth timber,-ono Of thoso islands Of trees
such AZ are common in the pra!ries. What at
tractca my attention to 1t was tho remarkably
cloanly appearance Of that oitmp Of asuntod
timber. There was no tangled. rank undor-
growth about It, aud 1t vaB easy enough to sec
through II To tho other aids aay 60 rods.
"That," said Mr. II. quietly, "wna we'll rot
with
'hLuE-anAes,'
in excellent condition. u few weoks since, Tho
'hoppcrs arc dainty In their tastcs. They wont
touch the prairio grass. You zoo It growing wolt
over there, pointing to tract Of open prairie,
"but they are fond Of everything that is cuits-
gated, costs labor, and Ia valuabte. They laYo
elearod ont tho pasture completely" So they
s. lad, saw, for not ves.igo Of grass was left
,xcart fuv scattering stubby snires Of Tia
,l,ds. ma rn.d..t,,s ~. H., 81 ,r,,, ,saa..s
rf@ tfp.k - .t
'osnee, too t'pH u tue "'aoa OF when "cro baro
md white as tho bones Of gkeIcton Mo told
ne they were hazet-bunhes, Of which tho grasH-
.opnara vera alan fnnd. md which thev hod
,tao oohh,sd .Tt,o .k.,.,nns =, @ ,.at.
,aa.,s e ~. ~ ea''Stuo er, =. saulas,"oeas
saofneo the road-o'de' These. too bad been
aid bare by the 'Aoppers. We paseed uumber
II
spzsEn1rs
H,t possa II. ps". a., a"u 49, eet ~ t
",'u sune'ooafas sos ~ tho enc oa shs fo"s. On
which were marked the varieties Of eaci,. The
inch In diameter, wcro almost. wholly ntrlunaa ii
bark. Tins also wAa tho work Of tic crasahop-
per-: sqme of tho nursol'os illus dessroyel vsfe
endlssa succession Of corn fields, atre!cLing
AwaY On si.hor hand Is lar ~ tho e,o could
re.eb, in which thera .as 10 corn vi.iblo.
pecping through tho around. Occasionaiiy ws
bosn osss resenet atukn aes'a c,,'s ~ nn ,t
80 low ~ ususl. Tho eayos and heals }atl been
pibblsd oa y the 'orsc!oas loppers, ~. ony to-
Gasa had han. "as ~. w.. ino Sheas.
tbs piscsu where thsy % ad bocn Wera onv az. AZ.
tinRuiehabla by the dssn ureen .1ntlarr1os,,,
half-ooncsa3nl by Tho IspS wseas thsa na.' ~
sprung In sInce tho lata Ynins, Amont a. .ssl, ss
atep az oar horss '~ ''''o' 1>AA'''' - 'sst
'uorrrns
juuspsd up Them ws1a mt many ~ than,
peshapn oN{y ,l,ont twirn ~ n"anp ~ vn,i '. T..
Tho uambss of In ordin,ry h.-n,a.s rr.ssi,r' w
pors that would spr;nr IT., bcfnrn n',o ,;,eI ,ir;p
tpR thrnncb ,swivp w. og1otS ne15 ~ pe wi,en lily
"fths4 nen ,he sn!loux ~tr 49,. - ,' 49, .h , sH.o. o.
wore tlsabiad and cmidnt o. Iii, ~ }Us ~ Il