The state journal., 1875-05-14
NOxIOUs INSECTS.
The Forthcoming Report Of
Prof. Riley, the State
EtOmOlOgist.
His Predictions Respecting the
Ravages of the GrasshOp-
Ders this Season.

port. The demand Tor this document is
and it is to be regretted
that sufficient number of copies have not
been published to allow general distr-
button to the people of the State. The
report is filed with matters of interest.
especially to the farming community, and
it should he placed in the hands OF all
who desire it. Some extracts of general
interest are given below, but without the
plates maps and complete text they al
ford but meagre indications OF the real eX-
tent and value of the work st. Joe Her
add
THE GRASSIIOPpER--WiIAT INJURY MAY BE
EXPECTED IN MISSOURI IN 1875.
After very interesting description of
the locust and It's propagation, together
with history of its ravages in the coun-
try, Prot. Riley hazards the following
coniectures as TO the probable ravages of
the pest in Missouri this year.
Setting aside possible but not probable in
jury from new invasion. we may consd-
er the probable injury that will result in
1875 from the progeny of those which
came in 1874. The eggs which are de-
posted on southerly hillsides often hatch
before cold weather sets in, if the fall is
warm and protracted, while many hatch
soon after the frost is out of the ground in
the spring. Yet the great bulk of them
will not hatch till into April. That most
of the eggs will hatch may be taken for
granted unless we have very abnormal
climatic conditions and unprecedently wet
and cold weather following mild and
thawng spell. he young issuing from
from these eggs will also, in all probabili-
tv TO much damage, rs they did in the
| spring ana summer ot 1867. But the ac-
| tual damage can not be ioretold, rs so
much depends on circumstances. In 1867,
| in many counties of Kansas and Missouri,
where the ground had been filled with
eggs the previous fall. little harm was
done in the sprng--so small percentage
of the eggs came to anything and so un-
mercifully were the Young destroyed by
natural enemies. a severe frost kills the
young after they have hatched, where Il
moderate frost does not effect them. In
Missouri, if we have no weather that
proves fatal to either eggs or young. con-
siderable damage may be expected but not
as much rs in the country to the West
tor, us already stated, we received the
more scattering remains OF the vast army
and the eggs are neither as numerous, nol
will they hatch as early in our territory a.
farther West. Following rather mild
February the March of '67 was II very Sc
we're one. the thermometer frequently in
dicat;ng IS degrees below zero, and ac-
cord;ng to Mr.. w. +. Globe. of pleasant
Ridge, Kas., who wrote an excellent ac
count OF the insect this severe weather
caused many of the eggs 20 perish; an,
he expresses the opinion that, ''judgin!
from the voraciousness of those that di,
appear, doubt not Kansas would lav,
been made perfect desert if all had liz
ed.n
IT, after the young hoppcrs hatch, w
have much cold wet weather, great mum
hers of them will congre@ate in shcltere,
places and perish before doing seriou
harm but if, on the contrary. our sprin:
: and early summer prove dry and ho
(Which is hardly to be expected after tn
several dry seasons lately experienced
! much damage will result from these youn
locusts. where no effort is made to preven
, it. They will ruin most garden truck, d
much injury to grain, and affect plant
very much in the order previously indicat
ed under the head OF Food plants.
,, They will become more and more injur
Gus rs they get older, until, in about tw
months from the time of Matching, @
about the middle of June. they will begi
to acquire wings, become restlestless, an
= in all probability leave the locality wher
j. they were born, either vending their wa
further South, or returning in the diret
tion whence their parents came the prev
. Gus year. Some bevies may even pass t
I the eastward of the limit line reached i
= 1874. and fall upon some OF the countie
; bordering that line; but they will lay II
. eggs, and will. in time, run their cour>
. and perish from debility, disease and par;
: sites. In 1876 the Rocky Mountain locu
will scarcely be heard of within our Dor,
= = ers; 4 few remnants from Kansas or NJ
braska, or the country 20 the southwes
= may make their presence manifest, il I'll
year should be exceptionally favorable
:. their developments; but whether delaye
- til! 1876, or even to 1877, the last one wi
> eventually vanish from Missouri soil, an
- their race will no more be known anon
= us--till perhaps in the next six or eigl
:, years. perhaps not within the next twel
"a ly-a fresh swarm wings its way to OF
u borders from the plains along the noun
p , ain regions. There is, therefore, no dan;
!; Ell of their overrunning the State to tt
y /, east of the limit line; nor of their doi
Il permanent injury in the counties they no
=, occupy.
" WHAT THEY FEED ON