Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-05-28
The Grassllopper Plague.

OUR reports of the present localities
of the grasshoppers show that Missouri
is completely overrun with them. They
have left the wheat-tields bare, have
stripped the fruit-trees of leaves, buds
and blossoms and swept even the grass
from the pastures as il an army of NOW
ers had been through them. The farm
ers are panic-stricken. The cattle are
dying Even the earth in fower-pots
has resurrected clouds of them. "And
yet no power cometh to help u.s." The
sprouting fields of grain in Nebraska
have already been stripped bare to the
earth. Millions Of grasshoppers have
made their appearance, and millions yet
remain in the ground to. come out event
ually. Kansas is in the same plight as
Nebraska, and whatever the grasshoppers
may happen to leave the chinch- bugs
are waiting for, which is not a very
hopeful outlook for the corn. From
Northwestern Iowa comes the same
story; also from various portions OF
Minnesota. The prospect, therefore, is
simply pitiful, and full of distress and
Encouragement for the farmer. It is
an element of destruction against
which he can make no provision. He
cannot destroy the pests in sufficient
number to materially reduce their raw
ages. He cannot relieve the situation by
changing the crops, for nothing yet of a
vegetable character has been discovered
that the grasshopper will not eat. He is
condemned, after using all his energy
and invention to destroy them, to stand
idly by and see millions upon millions
of them lay waste his acres and destroy
his cereals, his grass and his fruit, leav-
f.1 l.. I,
stock The farmers have hitherto con-
tested the situation with resolute cour-
age. They have fought these insects
with fire and water. They have gathered
them into trenches, and crushed them
by thousands with rollers. They have
plowed in the eggs SO deep as to make
resurrection seem hopeless. They have
turned in hogs and poultry TO feed upon
them; but all their efforts have been
idle. Where one was killed, q hundred
came to the funeral. While the farmer
fights them in one spot the air becomes
clouded with millions of new arrivals set
tling down in other spots. There is a
small CLEAN of hope which comes from
Nebraska in the announcement that q
small red bug has made it's appearance
there which feeds upon grasshoppers
in bulk, and is more than q match for
every grasshopper he tackles. We are
not inclined, however, to place over
much confidence in the bug story; at
least until we hear further details from
him. AS there are millions upon mill
ions of grasshoppers to be eaten, there
must be millions upon millions OF
red bugs to eat them. Even grant
ing that the red bug may sue
ceed in devouring the grasshopper, how
can we tell that he may not turn about
and go to work on the crops next, for a
bug that will eat grasshopper is pos
sessed of an appetite equal to devouring
and digesting anything vegetable, ami
NAL or mineral? Again, we are not in
formed as to the locomotive powers OF
this red bug. Your grasshopper is
good traveller, and does not stop long at
his way-stations for refreshment. IT 1t
should happen, therefore, that the red
bug is not eliyely traveller, of course
the grasshopper will not remain to be
eaten, but pack up and leave his aDtag-
onist far in the rear. All things consid-
cred, we place but little confidence in
the red bug as an annihilator of grass
hoppers.
What is to be done is a question more
easily asked than answered. Cannot the
Changers find its solution? They are the
principal ones to be affected when this
lively insect gets fairly across the Mlssis-
sippi and commences his march OF de-
struction and distress across our fertile
prairies, with nothing to stay his onward W !
course. Among all these thousands OF
sons and daughters of Ceres somebody
should have wit enough to contriye some
method of destroying them. What is 10
be done, however, must be done quickly.
The vast army is headed this way. 1t
eats quickly and traveis fast. The buzz
ing of its wings will soon be heard all
about US, and then, in very truth, he viii
be burden which must be borne with
such equanimity and philosophy as can
be summoned. It is evident that some
antidote must be found, or else the VIC
tim must look out upon his broad acres
stripped bare, and console himself with
that thinnest of all consultations, that ev-
erything is created for some good pur-
pose.--Chicago Tribune, Nay IS.