The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-09-23
GRASSHOPPERS IN THE WEST.

GRASSHOPPERS IN THE WEST.
OMAHA, Neb., September 18th, 1876.
DEAR WHIG.-We have had the third an.
nual visit from the notorious grasshoppers,
and they have vanished. 1t is more diff
cult to understand the movements of the
hoppers than that of Sitting Bulls army
of red skins, and we presume they cause on
their arrival almost as much alarm among
the farmers and gardeners as do the In
dams among the miners at the Black Hills,
although there is not so much danger of
being scalped. After sojourn of some
nine days, during which time they seemed
to be industriously engaged in burrowing
into the ground and depositing their eggs,
they in the course of twenty four hours
seemed to almost entirely disappear, except
few stragglers, as is usual with an invad.
ing army. A word in regard
TO THEIR HABITS:
Arriving, as they did from the north, they
occupied a space in Nebraska one hundred
and fifty miles in width west of the Missouri
river, and space some seventy miles east
of the river in Iowa, where they seemed
almost to cover the earth in many locali
ties, not combining themselves to the corn
fields or any particular kind of pasturage,
but swarming the lines Of railroads, no
matter which direction they lead and as
many as could possibly get on the iron rails,
no vhool SI, hop 70
render it difficult to propel the trains, and
actually stop the trains on account of the
drivers slipping, rendering it indispensable
to carry on the engines large supply of
sand in order to ascend the grades. This
is no effort of the imagination,
BUT AN ACTUAL FACT,
witnessed day after day by hundreds of per-
sons, as we'll as myself. Whether it is
their intention to commit suicide after de-
posting their eggs all along the road sides,
as they seemed to be industriously engaged
in doing, cannot say. Many are under
the impression that their mission ends with
the depositing of their eggs, which they
engage at Immediately after alighting.-
While thus engaged, they seem to feed on
the most pernicious weeds and a species of
very coarse forage, such as nothing else
will touch. This may be another effort at
suicide by poisoning. From personal OBJ
servation, for some two weeks through
district where they were as numerous as
they could we'll be, you can scarcely see
=, 10, -
which are very abundant. Here and there
for a very narrow space around the edge of
the fields they will take the silk off the ear,
which they consider a sweet morsel A
few of the more tender blades is all they
seem to crave; while they will in most in
stances strip large weeds bare. Currant
and gooseberry bushes they seem to relish,
taking all the leaves, but do no injury to
the stalks; so in regard to some shrubs and
vegetables. Carrots they are passionately
fond of-going down into the roots below
the surface, as also pie plant or almost any
thing acid. They have not touched fruit
trees or fruit of any description, so far as
my observation extends. The great object
DEPosITING OF THE EGGS,
which they have done effectually. From
close examination by many, the average
number would seem to be about twenty.
Some aver they do not excel that number;
while others profess to have taken over
forty from single deposit. We think the
former will he a fair average, as many do
not contain over ten. They show some
instinct in regard to where the deposit is
made, selecting the by places where they
will not be liable to be disturbed by Fall
blowing, being particularly fond of the
narrow spaces along railroads, where the
plowmen do not frequent and along fences
where they are not liable to be disturbed.
So in regard to cities and towns, they con-
gregate along board sidewalks and all out
of-the way places to leave a lasting remem.
brance Of them. Many think this is the
final of them and the Matching of those
eggs will introduce
ANOTHER SPECIES OF SOMETHING.
One popularity they have, if one of them
becomes disabled so he cannot emigrate
with the host, they Immediately devour
him, seemingly with much relish. They
seem to be fond of the hot sun, and the
idea of straw fires or smudges of smoke
frightening them, is a delusion. They will
congregate as close to the fire as they can
get and will sit on iron rails too hot to bear
your hand on
have given you few Of their peculiari-
ties, having been brought in contact with
them first in 1869 and 20 in Utah, where
they were very destructive and l think are
particularly SO in all dry countries. They
are great towards and flee from heavy rains,
and cool winds from the north start them
to emigrate at once, preferring warm eli
mate as we'll as a dry one. AS you are liza.
BILE to have call from them, as you have
! already the potato bug which has left U.S.
some of your scientists can begin to study
the means of their destruction. | fear
Paris Green rM not reach their case. The
most effective means is to drive them over
large bodies of water where they will drown
| by millions. Yours sincerely,