Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-02-09
The GrasShOppers Reported On.

The committee appoin:e ed by Gov. Davis
Of Minnesota, to investigate grasshoppc,
ravagcs in that state, in an exhaustive ar
ticle, report that the specific genus of the
locust tribe that played such havoc will
the crops in some of the western states
and territories last year and before. is
styled tie Rocky Mountain locust" OF
Cal0ptfnuS Spretus. In 1918 and 1919, 50
far as the committee could learn from
records, they had male their first incur
sion into Minnesota, and DESTROYED the
crops of Sclkirk s colonists From 1910
20 lSiJ they were Il prevailing pest in
Texas, destroyed large areas of crops and
dcnuded trees of their foliage. In 1873,
1876, 1857 they seemed to have deplovcd
into pretty heavy skirmish lines and took
possession of the entire country from Tex
Us to Iowa. and from the Pacific coast to
Manitoba. In 1864 to 1863 they maSsrd
on the northwestern territories, east of the
Missouri River principally. and carried
everything by storm. They, perhaps. cs-
tabllshed winter quarters in the latter wear
| somewhere between the Red and Bra Zos
Rivers, for early in 1866. in heavy columns.
they invaded northern Texas, Kansas, the
Indian Territory, and Western Missouri.
and since then have annually infested the
trans Mississippi country
Their rlvageS have always been hcavi-
est in the thicklv settled districts. They
seem intuitivelv to know. or have leaders
OF great genius who concentrate them for
attack, on the points where the most good
things can be found in the smallest space
Leather, books. tobacco, everything we're
tab.e-save pea vineS-go down before
their onslaught. In 1864 they made It
terrific charge through Minnesota Valley,
and among other deprc,l,tionS, actually
eat up some thick cowhide boo,s. After
deSpositing their ergs they withdrew
south, and when the following spring came
their vOung-left behind to hatch made a
sortic from the nests and swallowed the
crops of half a dozen counties. In 1865
Il rec"nnoltering party visited the countrv
west of WinOnl, and retired without in
ficting much damage. Another made 4
dash on the northwest conntics Of the
state i'll 1871, and WAS apparently the van
guard of immense swarlns that moved
through Minnesota to Colorado, and desc
lated the whole track of country in its
route, destroying in Minnesota alone up
wards of S3,oO0,0o0 in crops. Wheat ar-
peared to be their favorite food. They
prefer the thinly-~owed fields to thick
straight, wcll-slooled crop. But when
driven by hunger no vegetai ion is saf, from
their attacks. They take usually to Grani
and timothy first, then garden Vegetables,
bark and leaves of fruit trees. Generally
they do not modest the morning glory,
though they like flowers, and 90 with Il
vengeance for the ash, willow. cottonwood
poplar. black walnut. hickory. maple
Sumach and evergreen trees. Smudging
is strongly recommended as Il means OF
destruction, and the enclosing of fields
with green pea vines is advisel The
sowing in spots of their ftvorite plant and
poisoning the srmc with Paris green is
suggested. \ liberal bounty for the de-
struction of the e@-s is recommended
and birds and reptiles are reported the
most efficient dcStroyers of the pest
Chemicals have proved unsatisfactory.
Their btccdin@ ground is the sandy and
dry plateau and higher valleys of British
North America. Wyoming. tah. Color,-
do. ctc. They generally migrate southeast
ward. the committee states (othcr author-
ties say they travel with air curl ents. as
i ia" habit of the nOmadic quatirupCds of
the great pllin>). The soil and climate OF
the Mississippi valley is not congenial to
them. and the pine regions Of Minnesota
have heretofore barred their progress east
ward. Last year the bounty system of
Minnesota WAS successfully applied in scv-
cral counties. The total damage to the
crops throughout the State by the pest in
ls1.l. is stated at about S2.O0O.0l0.