Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-08-23

says that this Year they have lost their
fourth crop. The hopperS made a clean
sweep every time. OF course they are re-
dnccd to the greatest straits. They lave
sold and mortgaged everything they could
| was told by one that knew them that for
the past year they had not had meat nor
butter on their table On an average, oficner
than occe Il week. They use boxes for
chairs, and if friends call to take tea with
them they have not plates sufficient to set
their table. At first friends helped them.
but now II has become an old story, and
they do not like to orcceive charity. | know
>ome will say, " why don't they get away
from there? but people hardly realize
what bitter alternative that is He can
not sell, he has no money to 90 with and
nothing to live on in Il new place, while
lll the time there is hope that the scourre
will pass away. Last year this man WAS
on the point of striking out and seeking Il
fortune elsewhere, but entomoloyi>ts per
,ll;.del him that another year would Wit
ness the end Of their grasshopp"rs and
sraS>hoppcr troubles. Hoping this might
be the case, he ventured to put in Il crop
again this spring and has lost it all His
farm is now rs if the fire had run over it.
The government ought to take this mat
ter i'll hand. There are ways to fight these
insects which may be successfully carried
out rs has been already demonstrated.
Blue Earth county, last summer, paid Il
bounty for catching them, and the little
hoppers We're baggcd by the hundred
bushels. Ingenious contrivanccs were
made to cn>nare them which worked well
out one county couldn't bear the burden
alone and it i, not fair thtt they should.
1t is the opinion of those who have OBJ
served this matter that if this h.,d been
carried on ON ale large in proportion
to the evil, this -courge could be removed
Or at least very materially llcvittcd
The experiment last year was not thorough
enough 10 be decisive. 1t lercepIibly di-
ninishrd the number last year. and this
year the new brood Wt- flr less numerous
where - mtnv were caught than in other
places where no efforts WIS made to catch
them There IS only about one-twelfth Of
the habitablc portion of the state infested
with these hopperS. TO pay bountics for
catching them costs money, which the af
ilicted counties are the least able 10 pay
If the State or the general government
would t..nc hold Of il. they might give
employment t. those made destitute bI
this atl,ction AMI rid he country Of the
enemy. think an army of Volunteers
employed here ull 10 Il worh as credit
.blc and profitable rs anywhere else t ncle
sun could put them.
The weather here has been OF i p &c
with what is reported the country over
.vces>ivclv hot through the months of
June and July. the mercury among the
nine;ics nearly every day. IIvpochon-
lriac~ prophe-icl drluges Of rain about
harvest. but they haven't com" vet. sat
urdly we were treated to ; good shower
which revived tia. parc'r'I ground and
since then it ha~ been cool and clear and
delightful for the htrve-trr-. .Ano, her
week will -c. the wheat secured. Though
the crop i, light tits by no means a failure
What there j. i, plump and good. Very
likely the cnhpncrd price Will make GOOD
he deficiency. or s. nearly 80 that We
-htIl have no excuse for grumbling.