The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-05-27
Correspondence of the News.
A Highlander's Experience
nkanSaS--The CraSShop-
pers at Work Again.

MOUND CITY, Linn Co.. Kan, May Is, 1875.
EDITOR NEws:-I, with my family, left Hillsboro,
March Is, 1874, for this place. Before leaving,
many of our friends requested us to give them
some account of this part of the West. Now, if
you viii give this room in the columns of the News
1t VIII answer many of their questions.
The Spring here very late last year, so we got
our oats in late and no corn planted till 18th of
May. 1t came on finely, and by the 1st of July
never had better prospect for a good crop. By
the middle of July the Chinch bugs made their ap-
pearance, and kept increasing in number until the
whole ground seemed alive with them. They sap
ped the corn so that from so acres we did not get
% bushels of cornl They also took our oats.
Thus we lost all of our labor and raised nothing
but a few potatoes.
make matters worse, early in the fall the
Grasshoppers came, and consumed most of our
fofsier. The year previous crops were also very
short, - you can imagine the scarcity
Well, we tugged through the long winter the best
we could, and commenced early this spring to get
in our crops and gardens, and succeeded well, con-
sidering, for we had everything to buy at pretty
high price, and our teams were very thin ana weak.
We succeeded in getting in 40 acres of corn by the
25th of April and some early garden vegetables, but
by this time the young Grasshoppers commenced
Matching out, and in this locality with the excep-
ton of farm here and there, they have destroyed
everything. had sowed clover, which had come
on nicely, but the Hoppers tooki all in few days
sowed rs bushels of oats at 60 cents bushel.
The HOppers have taken it ALL and the 40 acres of
corn they keep cut close to the ground, otherwise
it would have been from to IS inches high.
They eat garden stuff of every kind, nothing ex-
cepted, and even keep our prairies cropped close
50 we have scarcely any pasture, and along the
creeks in the bottoms in the last two weeks they
have made it as bare as mid-winter. They are
even trimming the buckeye trees. They still con-
time to hatch, and we plow up plenty of eggs.
There is no telling when they will leave here, Il
at all. Some think they viii leave by June 10, and
that if could manage to get in seed so it would
come up about that time, we would be all right
while others think there is no redemption for u.s.
1t will be impossible for them all to leave by thai
time, for those just Matching will certainly not have
wings to fly. Another thing staring in the face
is that the air is full of Chinch bugs, and now the
question arises, will they this year add to our prev
ious plagues7 1 can only say for one, we should
do our best in all respects, and time can only de-
termine our fate.
have read several communications in the News
from other parts of this State, stating that the
Grasshopper scare was about over, and others thai
they are dying. 1t may be so in those localities
but far from it here. There are some localities
where there are but few, and others none.
Having given a little outline of my experience
since coming here, 1 will now give you little
sketch of the country. Linn county is one among
the oldest settled in the State and of the best
AS to health, it cannot be exceeded in the State
and if it not for the insect pests we could raise
more grain than we would know what to do with
Wood and Coal are plenty in this locality. We
can purchase wood for less than at Hillsboro, and
all kinds that grow in Highland. Coal from tC
8 cents at the banks; 10 delivered, per bushel.
Railroad runs within six miles of the county
seat. There is no more Government land in this
county, for homesteads, but you can purchase
good improved farms for less than it would cost
you to Homestead. Farms can be bought here now
for One-third what they cost from to years ago
on account of the scourges we have been having
and the hard times. Homes can be bought here
now for a mere song, that would be worth from
$1,000 to s95, 900 in Ohio.
This is great stock-raising country, and good
fruit country, for nearly all kinds. The seasons ars
I 8 or weeks earlier than in Ohio
To be honest and candid, 1 believe those having
little money to put in a home in the West, could
not do better than invest it in this locality Ever
those that expect to speculate, believe would
double their money every year for several years.
Our town contains churches, drug stores, and
several groceries and dry goods stores, and until
lately was clear of drinking saloon. We have a
Union Sunday School.
There are many Coal and Lead mines in this 10
cality. We are about 70 miles south of Kansas
City, and IS north of Fl. Scott believe if we
can only manage to get through with this scourge,
there will be good opening here for almost any
business. Yours, ST. GROVE.