, 1876-08-21
GRASSILOPPERS.

GRASSIIOPPERS.
NfTNSEsoTA.
ST. Eum f4oHter-Irtss. Aug. IL.
About len days since, for the purpose Of oh
talnfnE reliable Information as to tho rayaEes OF
the grusshoppers III Minnesota, the c1teut Of
dan,aEe done, and the cunlltou Of the crops and
residents Of tile infested Districts Gov. Plllsbury
commissioned thu Hon. ID. Dassctt Of this city,
to traverse the devastated territory, to ascertain
and report facts.
In pursuance Ut Instructions, Mr.. Bassctt spent
\ week upon this mtssion, and, returning, nadu
l!s report tn thr Governor yesterday.
Mr. Dassett went Gut On the Sioux City Ruad,
aud first saw grasslloppers iu considerable NUN
to have been done, until Natonwan County was
reached Leaving thc raiiroad Mt st. James,
Mr. Bassett procured team a1lst thoroughly
travtrsed tho Counties Of Watouwau. Cettuti-
wood, Brown, Rcuytlle, Redwood, Yellow Afedt-
ginr, Chippewa. Stevens, kandlyohi, Wilkiu,
Otter Tall, and Swift.
liz fin4s that n nll Of the above countics,nn
und west Of them to the IoEa and Dakota lines,
that 1t least ont half the crups are DESTROYED.
Owing to the drought which prevailed during
the carly part of the seasou the yield wuul1
hare been comparatively HIGHT, and .itls the
Erassliuppcr plague added, he ~ OF opinion that
eight to ten bushels Of wheat per acre il the ut-
must that will he realized, upun an nvcrugy,
throughout thu entire region above referred to,
mud this estimate u undoubtedly liberal onc.
In some portions Of tic district crups Of oil kinds
have beeu totaly DESTROYED, while in other por-
tiuns they have been but partially destroyed,
aud there arc u,any Identities w}iere l,o erop has
been harvested for fur successive Years,
ewing to tho ravagcs Vi the pcstiferous hop
pers. In these latter localities the people arc
In destitute condition, and more or less suf-
ferlhg must cnsue before another season, unless
assistance ia meanwhile rendered them. Tiny
nrc disposed to feel tllst the people and papers
VI Minneapolis aud st. Paul do nut fully realize
thc situation, ur else they are lacking In synl-
patl,y for tbs unfortunate victims Of tle Hop
pera' rapaelty. :.
with stock Of various Kinds, but many IT them
were obliged last spring 10 either sell their
stuek Or nurtsaGe It to procure seed, nnl tbs
ineaas OF maintaining their families Until har-
to harvest. The wheat harvest Is substantially
finished Though the grain Is not yet stackcd)
and what there is Of 1t Il in good condition.
Afr. Basscts's observations extended through
lou miles In breadth III this State, and the e1-
tent of damage beyond tile town aud Dakota
l!nes must nlsU be considerable.
Through all this territory the 'hoppess hare
deposited their eggs, giving thu fariiiers every
season, unless they sl.oultl hatcb this full, and
freeze % eea,li, which !s hardly hoped for.
On the lil,c ot the sioux City Road Watonwan
Culnty bus suffered ni0st severely, and Oh the
line ot the St, Paul & raclhc kandIyohi County
| IL tho greatest sufferer.
Throughout the Infested district mich new
ground has hcen broken this season, for seeding
iiext ytar, aud from expressions u the lurgu
number Df farmers with Whum lie eonyerscI,
Mr.. NaEsett ia CONVINCED that II they are ell
outraged to believe that ctfcrtAa means will be
they will next season take hold with Eeae,setl
tpurasc ulll yigor. aud secd = broader cxpause
Vt trrf!tury, hit they are getting t!lorouglyc1-
|tauhttd aid dislieastened In iha!alsiists si,i-
ii destroying INSECTS. All with wllo,n Mr.: Bas,
sctt coslycrsch spuLu OF the h!cltenns sight OF
SUNDAY, It'll llist., Wien the heareils wcru
t'}l9l al tlay i"3G, viii. on c4d'css cloud al
where, and, flying east and sourh, spread over
the cntire scctluN Ut thu State lying between
| the Northern Paetc au'l the Iowa li,lc. This
! ;,reat bulk Ut tlen!. passed over tI!c afflicted
al!sttd In lae!,littcs, aovourins everything b.
foru thvln-wlleat, eats, corn, and barlcy.
rr.;lou Of tho siatc wouh b. Ii' ahighly pros.
porous condition, mud even u,aer all thssu ad.
LnA communities arr building up. Settlers
throughout the cnt!rs scgih, referred " aru
m"'s than satl.ae1 VIII! tl'e ,seouat.y,
VII s sYss tSisatsn to sis 'eay i sassa svs .r M
abundance ot fresh, pure wutcr Is fnnnt IN ttu
taaltitu,lc of beautiful lakes which dot ttlis
great atretcl, Of fertile prairie, and the farncrs
.tnly ask 10 he let ahAu Ia the lusse4Aion Of It.
Thu luel qAestiun Scouts io have bccl, hapnlly
! solved by the scttlcrs upon tue rrnirlcs uf Wa
I tu1.wan aud adjoining counties, who burn lay,
exclusively, slIlntncr unl wintcr. being destt-
tn1p Of bthtr Incl Of any kjn], thfy
have nsatlc thu valuable discovery that
''ay can be utilized and tnsau' to all-
swer every purpose. u IL wnvcn tby thu
children usually]into as lasge btaius as run bu
conveniently lln,nl!ed, for t!ic purposo Ut conl
prrssipg II, mud is TINS lirurl, 10 tbs satisfar.
ii.n of llunt!rc4sof faIn!lics. One lady WIN l.ad
large falnily tu cure fur, told ar. bassrtt t!lat
last Winter they cooked aud lived BY heas from
II lay fire, a,Ni wcrb made 50 comfortable hyi.
| tIml notwithstanding the UNUSUAL severity nf
t!sr wcatller water MAS frozen In their housc hut
twlyc. Many OF tbs settlers have stoyes tspecl-
aly alaptel' to burning l,ay.tuel, aud the sten-
MONTE settlers lale put In furuArcs for thls
9ucetal uGriKfSe.