Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-11-16
THE GRASSHOPPER.
Historical Review of Ravages and Rem-


@ edfes.
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR PILLsBURY BE-
FORE THE. CONFERENCE OF GOVERN
oRs AT OMAHA, OCTOBER 26, 1876.
GENTLEMEN: While it is not difficult
to obtain Information regarding the ma
ture and habits of the locusts or grass
hoppers, no particular methods for their
determination or for protection from
their ravages have yet been found to
any satisfactory extent. We can learn
without much trouble of the great de-
struction made by them in the different
States, and especially in the Mississip-
pi Valley, but the vital necessity of the
hour-a necessity connected with the
best interests of agriculture-is speedy
remedy for the growing evil. The
Bureau of Agriculture at Washington,
established for the advancement of our
great agricultural interests, is nearly
silent in regard to locust or grasshop-
per devastations, the attention of the
Department not having been directed
to the investigation of the subject. Is
there not a great fault that this Depart
ment has not given this question more
attention.? Surely it could not in any
manner aid or advance the interests of
agriculture better than by q thorough
investigation of subject SO closely al
lied with the vital prosperity of the
country. The fullest information is
embodied in the report of the Regents
of the Smithsonian Institution for 1858.
In order to bring the subject readily
before you, | deem it proper to review
briefly the destruction which has been
made by the locusts in various coun-
tries, and at different periods of the
past, together with some of the means
which have been employed for defense
against their inroads.
Perhaps the earliest recorded appear
ance of the grasshoppers upon the
North American continent, was upon
the lands of the Jesuit missionaries, in
California, in the year 1922. They re-
appeared there in 1746, and in 1853 and
1854, and again for three years sue
cessively, beginning with 17G5. 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 in the Northwest
during the present century is contained
in Neili's History of Minnesota. 1t Oc-
Cured in the Red River settlement in
the years 1918 and 1919, and was an in
vasion in great force, causing much
suffering in young colony already
struggling with the numberless hard
ships incident to early pioneer life. The
account states that the grasshoppers
came from the west one afternoon in
the last week of July, 1918, ate every
thing green and deposited their eggs.
The colonists were obliged to send to
Prairie du Chen to obtain seed for their
next crop. From 1920 to 1855 there
seems to have been no marked locust
invasion in the Mississippi Valley, eX-
cepting the ravages in Texas in 1915
and again in 1S49. This long interval
of quiet may perhaps be explained by
the fact that within the interval severe
visitations were felt in California in
1928, 1888 and 1876, and by the posi-
BILE fact that the locusts may have cross
ed the Rocky Mountains, and made ad-
vance westward during those years.
But tbs plain, from the words of Carver,
alreaky quoted, that the appearance of
the locusts in the Northwest was thing
of repeated occurrence before the time
when he visited the country (1115), and
it is more than probable than even por-
tions of Minnesota were visited between
1919 and 1856.
The invasion of Minnesota in 1867
was confined mostly to narrow belt
upon the Upper Mississippi Valley, and
though limited in area was exceedingly
severe. They reappeared in 1861 and
1860, chiefly IN the northwestern por-
ton of the State, doing but little dam
age except in few localities. Their
next appearance was in 1868, when they
made a slight incursion. They ap-
peared in limited numbers, doing little
damage, in 1912. But the period of
the most prolonged and destructive
visitation OF the pests is that which be-
gan in 1873, and which continues to
this date.
In the vicinity of the Sacramento
Valley, Cal, in July, 1885, the locusts
made their appearance in great num-
bers. The air for three days. at an
elevation of from 20 to 200 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 in the course of a single day.
In some portions of the valley they an
noyed the passengers and horses of the
public stages to such an extent as to
cause the greatest inconvenience, and,
in some instances, so as to positively
endanger human life.
They even consumed the leaves and
bark of the alder tree, and the young
leaves and bark of the small branches
of the cottonwood and willow, and even
the soft green DartS Of the hu1lrT1Shas