The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-11-17

ter animals and plants from their at
tack. In the same year they visited
/ Oregon, Utah and Texas in great num-
beers, destroying every green thing in
their way, and fully One-half Of the en-
tire crops Of all kinds. In 1856 Kansas,
Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Other
+ fully a. destructive as in California the
/ previous year. The principal mode for
I the destruction Of the locust has been
the burning Of the prairies. The In
/ dians take the lOcusts, sweeping them
I into holes OF pits, or surrounding them
by FIRE and driving them into the CEN
ter, thus roasting them, and afterTard
using them for food. As early as the
years l749, 17j4 and 1856, the lOcusts
made their appearance in Maine (sce
Williams's history Of Mainel, and de-
voured almost every green thing, eyen
20 potato tops. So great was the alarm
OccasiOued among the people that days
Of fasting and prayer were appointed
on account Of threatened calamity. In
the year 1926 the lOcusts made their APP
pearance in New Hampshire by mil
lions, and we're fully as destructive as
in Maine. They destroyed the entire
crops Of the State or nearly so. Late in
autumn a heavy food came, after which
cold weather ser in and destroyed the
eggs which had been deposited during
the summer. So abundant were these
insects, that Arnold Thompson, Of Mer-
rimac County, succeeded in catching in
a single evening, between the hours Of
. and u, five bushels and three pecks,
by means Of sack fastened TO cross
pole.
In Dwight's travels through New
York in the years 1877 and 1898, there
Is an account of the lOcusts in Vermont,
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and
the insects in those States were, II pos
sible, even more destructive. They de-
vOured clover, tobacco plants, burdock,
all vegetables, and even garments Of
men busy in The fields. They also de-
vOured the loose particles Of sawdust
left on freshly sawed boards. In 1888
Baltimore was infested by these insects.
The locusts were SO thick and destruct-
i've in gardens and grounds that negroes
were employed to drive them from the
fields and gardens with rods, and in
1 Lll- way TIT Au-fAAr NNAE
whipped out ~ the grounds, leaping
and flying before the line % castigators
like hocks Of fowls (these were red-leg-
I ged lOcusts.)
From Gray's account of the West In
dia Islands lOcusts there are fully as de-
structive as in the L nited States. Where
ever they alighted, either upon trees,
corn or green fruits, nothing was eX-
pected but ruin and barrenness. Ef-
forts were made on the approach Of the
insects - brighten them away by the
blowing Of trumpets and other instru-
ments, and 10 destroy them trenches
were dug, and the young driven into
them. Mexico mas often been infested
I by locustS, and their ravages have
caused IN some localities severe famine.
They often devastate various portions
Of Central America, and according %
accounts given by r. c. Squire, are Of
the same species as those in the United
States. At intervals they afllict the en-
tire country. The means Of defense
there resorted 10 are lighting of fires,
and by shouting and waving branches
10 arrest the attack.
In Palestine the inhabitants AZ the
approach Of the lOcusts endeayOr 70
drive them away with smoke from burn
ing piles Of wood, and with beating of
sticks and rods upon the ground, and
If metal kettles, with musical instru-
ments, shouting, etc.
In Morocco, where people have been
acquainted with locusts, and subjected
10 their ravages some portions Of the
year, time without date, the people I'M
dertake 20 destroy them with wet and
dry bitches, into which the young in
sects are driven and DESTROYED; and
also BY driving horses, cattle and sheep
over the grounds infested by them.
Long ropes have been used these
We're drawn upon the ground Is low Is
possible by two men having hold, one
al each end, who, al the same time,
made noise by brawling and beating,
endeavoring 10 drive them into trenches
dug across, or 10 a cloth stretched out
upon the ground and drawn up 10 a
ridge, where they were trampled upon
snd crushed by rollers. In the province
Of New Russis the most efiectual meth
cd for destroying lOcusts Is by driving
the young into bitches dug two or three
feet deep. The Russian Government
has decreed that a sum equal To ten
cents per pint shall be paid for the To-
I Gust eggs. The locusts in Russia are
gathered at night by the aid Of a sieve,
and thrown into bags and so destroyed
In some countries the experiment of
watering the fields with lime water and
| I've to destroy the eggs Of the locust has
proved impracticable, as the eggs can
hardly be reached to any extent.
In Greece each inhabitant Is required
10 take part in their destruction three
time. = vaaw FIRST IN daefro,.iuf ~