The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-23
prof. RiIey Discusses the GrasshOp.
per Question.

States TO the East, invaded last year, 1
the eggs OF the locust were laid very
thickiy, and the gravest apprehensions
as 20 Injury existed as spring opened.
Nor we're these without warrant. Not |
withdrawing those eggs which were |
DESTROYED during the winter by enc
mics, and those which premsturely |
Matched in the fall and during the mild |
weather OF February, enough batched
in April to cause CONSERVATION.
Throughout the invaded country lying
east OF Colorado. already visited by
the commission, which includes all the
Suites affected, from Texas TO Mime
sota--the insects have disappeared
without, in a general way, doing any
very serious injury. What with the
increased number OF birds and their
other enemies; the more determined
efforts made and improved methods of
warfare employed against them by
farmers; The heavy, cold and continued
rains that followed the principal hatch
ing ana the greater debility and ten
dency to disease among them, every
where noticeable, the young insects
rapidly decreased in number, and those
which survived 10 acquire wings rose
aud flew to the northwest in scattering
swarms. Even in Northwest Iowa aud
Southeast Minnesota, where the injury
was greatest, the insects have not re
MANNED to deposit as they did in past
years. They continued to die off, aud
finally left, Or are now leaving, after
doing more or less injury. There were
more eggs Ibid in Colorado last fall
than during any previous year
that those whom have conSersed with
remember. The principal Matching in
April was followed by continued cold
rains and SHOWS, which would partially
thaw during the day and freeze again
at night, so that the young insects were
alternately subjected TO much slush and
frost. In early summer there was by
far the largest amount OF rainfall known
for many years in the State. The in
sects were weak, and died and disap-
peared. Birds were unusually servicea-
bic in destroying them, and one little
gray, gregarious species, described to
me as being abundant and efficient in
FEBRUARY, and which Is, perhaps, the
horned shore lark (Errm0phiid 0ipestrisl
/ have not noticed in the East. At al
titudes from 5000 to 5000 feet above
the sea, the principal Matching occurred
in May, and was later IN proportion as
we ascend, until. in the passes with All
altitude of 1000 TO 13, 900 feet, the
insects are yet Matching. At such
great heights the mature dead are often
to be found in large quantities under
stones and other shelter, which they
sought last fall when prematurely over
taken by. winter; and their young are
hopping about in great numbers. As
no agriculture is carried on in these
parks and passes no effort is made to
destroy the insects.
It Is in consequence of the above
facts that the locust question becomes
so complicated in your State. Colo
RADIO combines within her limits the
meteorological and climatic features
OF dozen States, In the Mississippi
Valley country there are laws govern
ing the fail invasions from the north
west and the return migrations in sum-
mer on which to predicate with tolera-
ble assurance. This is more pArticu-
larly true south of the forty-foulth
parallel. Your most disastrous swarms
also come from the north and north
west, and TIE insects which hatch out
on your plains east of tine mountains
arc largely governed by tho same laws
aud instincts as those which hatch to
the east. On acquiring wings they
leave, and those that rise before the
second week in July will bear mostly
TO tho north and northwest. This is
more particularly the case south Ct
the Divide. After the middle OF
July the rains increase and the winds
are more variable, prevailing, so far as
have yet ascertained, greatly from
the east or south in the morning, but
stronger from the west or northwest in
the afternoon. Swarms are liable,
therefore, at almost any time after the
middle of July to swoop down from
the parks and plateaus west of the
range upon the valleys and plains to the
east. These remain within your Dor
ders, or, il they pass beyond, bear
enthusiastically towards Texas. From
what hight the commission so far
possesses it becomes more and more
plain that have been correct in con-
sidering the species as subalpine, and
in locating the breeding grounds OF the
more disastrous swarms, like that OF
last year, in the plains regions Of the
extreme northwest, where the summers
are short and the winters long and Sc
we're. find the exodus of the winged
insects from that portion Of your State
lying east of the mountains less COM
plete than in Kansas and Missouri fol
instance, and OF the earlier matured
individuals that have not left, some
commenced ovlposiung q week or Sc
since. The young from eggs laid thu:
early will prematurely hatch this sum
mer or fall AID inevitably perish; Just
as those now Matching toward the
snow line will perish before attaining
maturity. The insect is single brood
ed, and the tendency to produce two
broods where the summers are too
long Is as fatal to the perpetuation o.
the species MS the want of time to prop
efly mature single generation wher'
the summers are too short. Both ex
tremes obtain within the limits of you
State, as also the intermediate condi
tons in which the species can thriv,
permanently whereas in no part of tn
Mississippi valley south OF the forty
fourth parallel, aud probably some de
grees farther north, can the specie
hold its own continuously, and will
few exceptions, it seldom remains
single year. Ia other words, yol
have in parts Of your State the yer,
conditions which prevail in the plain
regions of the Saskatchewan and Re-
River countries, where the species j
mostly at home.
While the record in Colorado up Il
this time is so interesting, in compari
son with that III other State, the prob
abilities during the rest of the season
more deeply interest your people
.sWhat are the prospectsw This
the question put to me on every hand
The farmer who is about harvesting hi
wheat is anxious 10 know whether th
chances are that il will be suddenl
ruined by the winged pests, as it ia
been in past years, or that 1t will b
unmolested.
From what have said above, il 70
lows that cannot predict with tn
same assurance that / have done 70
Texas, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa; but
10 be brief, the prospects are, in m
opinion, quite favorable. Writing Z
Governor Ncwbold, five weeks since
a. 70 the prospects in Iowa, | re
marked:
tp7,hn.. Z. .n,... ...., -. g..