The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1877-04-19
fur the farmer.
THE LOCUsTs.
some Th.ashr. from Governor Furna..

Governor Furnas has written letter to the
Westerm Rural, in which he presents his views
briefly with reference to the best method of ex-
Terminating the grasshoppers from the West
We give part of what he says, as follows:
"Any farmer can exterminate the grasshoppers
Matched on his own farm with less labor than Is
usually required to got rid of an ordinary crop
of weeds. To be effective, however, every far
mer must do his duty to himself. For one man
to destroy the pest on his own farm, and his
neighbor neglccts to do so, amounts TO but little
lin fact, is almost labor thrown away.
To preface the mode, or idea of DISCRIMINATING,
grasshoppers in depositing their eggs are choice
in selecting their nesting grounds. they choose
hard clear spots, facing to the East and South
when obtainable. Along roadsides, in beaten
paths, unoccupied barn-yards in stock lots, are
favorite laying grounds. To illustrate: On my
own farm of two hundred and twenty acres
in which to deposit eggs last Fall. Observation
at this time will enable the farmer to know
where TO fight
After LAYING season, and before the ground is
frozen, harrow thoroughly. This destroys many
eggs outright, and breaks large portion of the
cells enclosing the eggs. 1 am satisfied that
breaking the cells soon after laying will insure
the destruction of very large proportion of eggs
by exposure. Narrowing turns most Of the eggs
up to the surface of the ground, and millions are
find them. Repeat the narrowing once or twice
through the Winter, when warm days thaw the
ground sufficiently Would not pillow under, be-
cause, in my opinion that simply covers mp the
eggs, and better preserves them readily. When
the ground is stirred again, they are thrown to
the surface and Matched out, thus actually pro-
longing the hopper season. Flowing destroys
but few eggs, and breaks but few cells.
In Spring when the hoppers hatch, they nei-
Their travel or eat of any consequence until eight
or ten days old. During this early stage of their
existence they huddle together in vast numbers,
in warm sunny exposures-like a swarm of bees.
At this time they are easily destroyed, with a
spade, board, broom made of small twigs, or by
sprinkling them with coal oil-any tcay to Kill.
Coal oil will kill almost instantly, even when
full grown and full dedged.
Mich has been done by ditching against them
after they have commenced to travel: But at
this advanced stage, the hopper has the advan-
tage, and ten times the labor is required to con-
quer.
Machines have been invented-and patented
Ito crush the insect. | have but little faith in
machines. They cannot be used everywhere,
and only add another agricultural implement"
to the list already taxing the agricultural inter
est of the country more than all the railroads,
school houses, and other internal improvements
in the West. We want to nip" the hopper ain
the bud"-destroy the eggs and the young be-
fore they travel.
In the Spring of 1875 lost more, perhaps, by
the grasshopper than any other one man. But
they were my neighbors' hoppers that eat me up.
J destroyed all I raised, and can do it again.
repeat what have often before said in rela-
ton to the grasshopper. There is no kind of
sense in being scared, or whipped out by him.
God never made these broad fertile acres the
nest of the grasshopper! But for man. With
all the grasshopper devastation our productions
are unsurpassed. In 1875 when it was said we
were eaten up, take this State at large, there
wasnever greater crop grown on the same
number of acres! RoBT. W. FURNAs.