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

OR~ AT OMAHA, OCTOBER 26, 1876.
GrNrLEuEN. While IL is not difficult
| ro obtain information regarding the ma
fure and habits II the l0custs or grass
| b,rpers, no particular methods for their
| determination or for protection from
| ,bc.r rayaEes have yet been found 20
| .rv satisfactory extent. We can learn
| riihout much trouble Of the great de-
.,r1ction made by them in the different
s.ates, and especially in the AIississip-
| uiValley, but the vital necessity OF the
! t-r-a necessity connected with the
rs. interests Of agriculture-is a speedy
| remedy for the growing evil. The
| Bureau Of Agriculture AZ Washington,
established for the Advancement Of our
great agricultural interests, j. nearly
| silent in regard 10 locust or grasshop-
per deyastati0us, the attention Of the
department not having been directed
20 the investigation Of the subject. l.
| there not a great fault that this Depart
ment has not gwen this question more
attention. Surely il could not in any
| manner AID or advance the interests Of
..--.cs.!:urc better than by = thorough
| Investigation Of a subject so closely a.
"A with the vital prosperity Of the
country. The fullest Information i
| embodied In the report Of the Regents
| 4 the Smithsonian Institution for 1855.
II order to bring the subject readily
before you, deem il proper 20 review
briefly the destruction which has been
made by the l0custs in various coun-
tries, and at different periods of the
=. -esL 49,
which have been employed for defense
against their inrOads.
Perhaps the earliest recorded appear
anoe Of the grasshoppers upon the
North American continent, was upon
the lands Of the Jesuit missionaries, in
California, in the year 1122. They re-
appeared there in 1916, and in 1853 and
| l1J, and again for three years sue
eessively, beginning with 1863 Capt.
jonathan Carver, who explored the vast
regiOn Of the extreme Northwest In
1906, describes their appearance at that
early day, adding that "they infest
these parts and the interior colonies in
large swarms, and do = great deal of
mischief"
The first record we find Of the ap-
| pearance Of the locust i'm the Northwest
during the present century is contained
IN Neil's History Of Minnesota. IL Oc-
cured in the Red River settlement in
the years ISIS and 1919, and was an in
yasiOn 10 great force, causing much
suffering in young colony already
struggling with the numberless hard
ships incident 10 early pioneer life. The
account states that the shOppers
came from the west one afternoon in
the last week Of July, ISIS, ate every
thing green and deposited their eggs
The colonists were obliged TO send TO
Prairie du Chen 20 obtain seed for their
next crop. From 1920 to 1856 there
seems 20 have been no marked locust
invasion in the Mississippi Valley, ex-
cepting the ravages in Texas in 1915
and again In 1879. This long interval
If quiet may perhaps be explained by
the fact that within the interval severe
yisitations were felt in California in
ISIS, ISIS and 1876, and by the posi-
bic fact that the lOcusts may have cross
ed the Rocky Mountains, and made adj
vance westward during those years.
But i'll plain, from the words Of Carver,
a-reaky quoted, that the appearance of
me locusts IN the Northwest was athing
% repeated occurrence before the time
when ne visited the country (l975), AID
d y more than probable than even por-
uons 81 Minnesota were visited between
1919 and 1856.
The invasion Of Minnesota in 1867
vas confined mostly 10 a narrow belt
lpon the Upper Mississippi Valley, and
though limited in area was exceedingly
severe. They reappeared in 1864 and
800, chiefly m the northwestern por-
non Of the State, doing but little dam
age except IN few localities. Their
leXt appearance was in 1868, when they
made . slight incursiOn. They APP
peared IN limited numbers, doing little
damage, in 1912. But the period Of
the most prolonged and destructive
visitation 81 the pests j. that which be-
gan IN lS95, and which continues 10
this date.
In the vicinity Of the Sacramento
valley, Cal, in July, 1856, the lOcusts
made their appearance in great num-
oers- The air for three DAYS. at an
elevation IF from 20 TO 30 feet, was
literally thick with them, resembling a
dense snow storm. Great numbers fell
upon the streets Of Sacramento, and the
city seemed actually taken by storm.
They Immediately commenced the
Wholesale destruction OF every thing
green in the neighbOrhOod. In the
Sacramento Valley whole orchards.
Vineyards and gardens have been con
sumed BY them. Entire fields of grain
and other crops and vegetables were
eaten up I'm the course Of single dav.
In some portions II the valley they an
n1yei the passengers and horses Of the
u-H.rT .fns~na a. arfnh ..-sarf -,