The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-06-04
GRAssHOPPERS.

- G1eASSHOPPEGIS.
Methods OF Destroying TheEaa.
Whether the grasshopper is to be-
come q permanent national BURDENS
hard to say. Certain tits though that
public attention everywhere is now
more than ever drawn to this de-
vouring insect, and many sugges-
tons are being made for the relief
of the people. Certain it is too
that it will not do TO rely on the
heretofore popular mode of venting
the public disgust by swearing.
The grasshOpper cares nothing for
oaths, be they ever so abundant
aud expressive. How to rid our
selves of these devastorR of the SUBJ
stance of the soil is now the great
question. Swearing and said" are
"played out" THE News has al
ready published many receipts for
their destruction, and accounts of
their having been Stayed by the wa
gon load. That is the only thing
we can do now. Below we publish
from the New York Tribune some
suggestions furnished that pa
per by correspondents. The first
one reads as follows:
SIR: Would you please to make
public in your valuable paper the
following extract from book
written by Frederick kirchhOf, q
noted German writer on agricul-
ture. He gives the following adj
vice about the grasshopper pest in
page work, third edition, Part L.,
his pol, on Agriculture
The swarms of this insects have
become an awful pest, since n a
few hours they will devour every
green thing in their pathway. Trees
are stripped of their buds, leaves,
and blossoms. Wheat and grass
are devonred by them. Large fires
built in their track and the firing of
guns will prevent isolated swarms
from alighting. Yet this does not
always suffice, and there remains no
other remedy but for as many peo-
pie as possible to come together,
surround the place where the in
sects have alighted, and by steady
advances encircle and then kill them
with clubs. If the grasshoppers are
on dry meadows it is best to wait
till the next morning and then at an
early hour drive over them and
crush them with heavy rollers, as
they are unable TO fly before sun
rise. If they have settled in the
of swamps and deposited
their eggs, the ground must be dug
up. Pigs may be turned into a
swamp TO destroy the eggs. Guilt
waited land both in the fail and
spring must be worked upon with
the pillow, harrow and roller, so that
the eggs may be destroyed and eX-
posed to birds. ...
AS to the exposing the eggs to
birds, | think that sparrOws would
soon destroy the grasshOppers as
well as their eggs.
killing them with clubs, is good.
The following is rather out of the
course of talk OH this
grasshOpper business, and cannot
fail to attract attention. 1t will be
rather a difficult task though to
the people OF Kansas
that they will ever spray for the
grasshopper year." This commune
cation is dated at Winchester N.
H.:
SIR: Going the rounds of all the
papers is the news of the coming
grasshopper scOurge. And a Gov
erROr of one of the Western States
has appointed a day of fasting and
prayer to beseech God to alter his
laws and kill the insects. Now,
this appointment of q fast day is q
pure relic of heathendOm it is act
ing precisely as do the heathens to
appease what they call the wrath
of the gods. Why not exercise q
little common sense? Why not use
Il small amount of experience !?
When the Eastern World is scourg-
cu Will iOCubJS Tic luIluDlJdlI6 A6In-
er them, dry them, and use them
for food. Why not have our Wes-
tern friends learn this source of
profit and life TO themselves
Why does not the Governor adj
wise every family in all that coun-
try to raise ali the turkeys and
chickens that it is possible for them
to hatch out from all the eggs that
can be obtained in the country. By
so doing the Western farmers can
be saved and made rich by the poul-
try business. If after Matching out
and millions OF turkeys and
chickens, The grasshopper crop
should fail, then feed corn and 9TH
er grains-and much profit will
come to them, whichever course
they pursue. Do this work, and
the farmers of the West will be liv-
ing in keeping with the laws of
God, and prosper. Let the grass
hOppers come, and be ready for
them, and all in that country will
soon praise the Lord for them, and
by and by will pray fora grassEop-
year to appear to feed the poultry.
A.