Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-11-16

of fasting and prayer were appointed
on account of threatened calamity. In
the year 1926 the locusts made their ap-
pearance in New Hampshire by mill
lions, and were fully as destructive as
in Maine. They destroyed the entire
crops of the State or nearly so. Late in
autumn a heavy flood came, after which
cold weather set 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 II, five bushels and three pecks,
by means of a sack fastened to a cross
poe.
In Dwight's travels through New
York in the years 1897 and 1898, there
is an account of the lOcusts in Vermont,
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and
the insects in those States were, If 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
this way the insects were repeatedly
whipped out of the grounds, leaping
and flying before the line OF castigators
| like flocks of fowls (these were red-leg-
ged locusts.)
From Gray's account of the West In
dia Islands locusts there are fully as de-
structive as in the United States. Where
ever they alighted, either upon trees,
corn or green fruits, nothing was eX-
pected but ruin and barrenness. Eff
forts were made on the approach of the
insects to frighten them away by the
blowing of trumpets and other instru
ments, and to destroy them trenches
were dug, and the young driven into
them. Mexico has often been infested
by locusts, and their ravages have
caused in some localities severe famine.
They often deVastate various portions
of Central America, and according to
accounts given by Z. G.. Squire, are Of
the same species as those III the United
States. AT intervals they atflict the en-
tire country. The means of defense
there resort2d to are lighting of fires,
and by shouting and waving branches
to arrest the attack.
In Palestine the inhabitants at the
approach of the locusts endeavOr to
drive them away with smoke from burn
ing piles of wood, and with beating of
sticks and rods upon the ground, and
of metal kettles, with musical instru-
ments, shouting, etc.
In Morocco, where people have been
acquainted with locusts, and subjected
to their ravages some portions OF the
year, time without date, the people I'M
dertake to 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
were drawn upon the ground as low as
possible by two men having hold, one
at each end, who, at the same time,
made noise by brawling and beating,
endeavoring to drive them into trenches
dug across, or to a cloth stretched out
upon the ground and drawn up to a
ridge, where they were trampled upon
and crushed by rollers. In the province
of New Russia the most effectual 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-
Gust eggs. The locusts in Russia are
gathered at night by the aid of sieve,
and thrown into bags and so destroyed.
In some countries the experiment of
watering the fields with lime water and
proved impracticable, as the eggs can
hardly be reached to any extent.
In Greece each inhabitant is required
times . year. First, i'll destroying
young larvae, and lastly, in destroying
the adult locust. In China and the Ro-
man empire, and in many parts of Tur-
key, the rural authorities are required
to have the inhabitants attend to the
destruction of the locust in order to
prevent their becoming L public
scourge. The means for their destruc-
ton were sheets spread out and the
young locusts driven on them, and put
into bags and destroyed; also, brooms
ana ShOVelS were used tor their deStruc-
ton. A reward is paid for the destruc-
ton of the insects and their eggs by
those Governments. In France, when
the locusts made their appearance, all
the people who are able go to the res
cue-men, women and children-and
use whatever means may be at hand.
From the earliest times, by regulation
of the Government, common price has
been paid for the locusts collected and
their eggs. The reward of one-half
franc is paid for two pounds of eggs,
and one-quarter franc for the same
weight of the insects. Twenty five
thousand francs have been paid in one
year for collecting 295,0OO pounds of
eggs and insects. In Italy, Hungary
and Spain the Governments pay rewards
for the destruction of locusts Or their
eggs