The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-06-09
THE GRASSIIpPPER.
lie il Disspcied by n Learned PROBES

J livered an address upon the grassbopper
Tor locust plague before a special meet
ing of the Academy OF Science he
spoke in substance as follows:
The insect | shall bring to your notice
| shall call the Rocky Mountain locust.
1t passes through the period OF transfer
nation from the time OF Matching until
it acquires wings, without material
change. The female deposits her eggs
in the ground, at the depth of about an
inch, having first drilled hole for their
reception. The eggs, which are joined
together by glutinous substance, re-
main for the most part over winter
and are Matched in the spring, ordi,
narily about the middle Of April. Oh
servation has settled the fact that the
eggs ure never laid in moist ground, but
in soil that Is high and dry. When born
the hopper is euveloped IN Il thin tissue,
which is soon got rid Of and in two
months the full growth is attained. 1t
passes through four forms, or rather
modes, attaching itself to some piece OF
vegetation and shedding its skin With
the last form, full wings are acquired. In
most Of the western counties where the
hoppcrs exist they are one half grown,
though winged insects have been seen IN
the neighborhood of CarsyIIle.
The migratory habit and the power
of destruction belongs to but one species
west OF the Mississippi river, and there
is but one species capable Of doing dam
aye. 1t is not known positively that
those whose ravages we have heard of on
the Pacific coast are the same that are
LAYING waste portions Of Missouri and
adjoining States, but it is probable that
they are. However, throughout the ter
ritorv between the Mississippi river AID
the Rocky Mountains the species Is uni
torn. The Rocky Mountain locust has
relative in the Atlantic States, wherein
diferencces scarcely distinguiShable
The d 4 rTncc lies in the length
of the wings the Western To-
Gust having the advantage, and, being
| able to take more extended flights, does
| greater damage. We hear sometimes Of
/ the ravuges of the migratory locu>tS in
| the Eastern States. Heretofore the mat
/ ter never has been fully understood.
| This species however, is much smaller
/ than ours. We have another kind of To-
Gust scattered all over the land, but they
| cannot tlv, and, except in dry seasons, DO
| little or no damage. The migratory To-
Gusts are divided into geographical spc-
cies. those from the east never coming
westward and rice rcrSa. therefore never
getting mixed.
Referring to the chronological history
as affecting Missouri, we find three yiSi
;ations recorded. The first, in 1920, was
followed by a long period OF relief from
the pests. and in 1866, they made their
appearance again coming very much rs
they did last year. Then, in 1867, the
western counties of the state experienced
avi,itation of the progeny of those that
came in the preceding year. The dis
trict invaded in 1866 was the same us
that visited last year, but the invasion of
1874, was more disastrous and produc-
tive of more distress than any of its pre-
dccrssors. The voracity of this
insect cannot be imagined; it must
b. seen. Their flight may he
likeued unto a vast cloud Of animal
specks. They move mainly with the
wind, and il they meet Il change of at
mosphcre their wings are folded and they
drop to the earth. The noise Of their
laws. when feeding can be imagined by
one who has fought prairie ire, and
has heard the peculiar cracking and
grinding noise. When hard pushed for
food they will eat any thing. They have
been seen at work devourIng the wool
on the back of sheep, and if one of
their number is injured he made to salts.
Cv the hunger of some of his brethren.
Carron does not escape them, and dead
;crim,u, are sometimes bounced upon and
eaten.
The natural home of the insect is in
the northwestern part of the continent.
1t Is ut home in the high and dry plains
of Wyoming, Dol,otu and Manitoba,
where the vegetation Is scant Spring
opens quite rs early there as here, but
10y the middle Of July the vegetation is
burnt and parchrd, and there is nothing
for them to feed upon. At certain peri
obs the insect, multiply So rapidly, and
dcvouring all green things, are forced to
emigratc They rise in the mir, and pass
] with the prevailing wind to the south
/ east. The change in the atmosphere,
as;cr leaving their native haunts, Is such
that IL can but affect them. The first
generation lay eggs, but the young are
not rs vigorous and there are few that
acquire wings, and fewer still that propa-
| gate. The locust is not indigenous to Kan
| sas, Nebraska Or Missouri, and i bound to
die out. Its life is bounded BY the spring
and autumn frosts, and its flight must be
/ limited. 1t will never reach further INTO
| Missouri than it has in the past, and the
/ line will remain essentially the same.
| The parasites which affect the locust in
/ the Mississippi valley are four in number.
/ The two principal ones are winged flies;
the third mite or red bug such as is
seen in the wings of the ordinary house
| fly, and the fourth large mite that de-
stroys the eggs. The natural enemy of
the hopper are the game birds and
number Of the reptiles. In treating of
the remedies the speaker read from the
seventh annual report OF the State Ento-
| mo oSI,t.
The locust will not touch the castor
bean, brown corn, sorghum or sweet po-
tatO, when most pressed for food, while
tnnsy, cocI>le.burr and turnips arc fayo-
rites with every swarm.
Prof Riley has advocated the use of
the gras>hoppcr for food, and having
tried them, claimed TO have found con-
| siderable nutrimcnt therein Hopper
soup was pronounced delicious, while
roasted hopper was immense.
Prof Smart, Of Warrcnsburg, WAS cred
tied with having said that he would stick
to the hopper rs "A article of food as long
as the crop lasted.
Prof. Riley closed his address by say
ing that, as Il result OF the terrible visi-
tation, the farmers would have to take
advantage Of the Suggestions Of science,
protitng in the future by their hardships
of the present.
IN MEMORIAL