The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-22
-FARMgGAReEBAND HoUsEHeLb
,sc.eatiae treatment of Grasshoppetrs.

rscseatiic Treatment Of Grasshopperrs.
1t was reported some two weeks ago
that Senator ingalls,, of Kansas, was
about to introduce a bill in the Senate
asking an appropriation ofS25, 900, and
the appGHtment fa Commission to as!
certain IT,, best means of destroying or
providing, remedies against the ravages
Of the locust or grasshoppef. The $685.
900 was to be for salaries and to pay the
expenses Of FIVE learned entomologists, or
men of culture in the matter of bugs.
Not having noticed any subsequent action
in the Senate or House in the matter, it
is probable that, in the excitement of
canvassing the Electoral vote, an unin-
tended slight has. been put upon the
grasshopper. -
SeThe: duty of the Commission, when Or
sanized on $25,000 cash basis, is in
tended to be to examine into the history
and habits of the insect. They are not
to be confined to the nomadic or grega-
rious caprices of the Kansas and Ne
braska hopper merely, but are expected
to make careful study of the. tastes and
temperament of the isolated insect as oc-
casionally founC. solemnly viewing the
romantic scenery of New England. This
is.ealculated to equalize the investigation,
so far as the $25, 900 appropriation is con-
cerned. The Commission are.t to have
power to send for persons and papers.
Whether the grasshopper will respond to
subpoena d,lces tecuns or not remains to
be seen. S
Professor Packard has beenr for some
time past engaged in the Western Terri
tories, where the lively little insect most
does congregate, in collecting mass of
information concerning its migratory and
dietary habits, and. thinks heShas sufi-
cient data To begin the construction of q
map44a grasshopper' map of the United
States-indicating in colors its distribu-
ton and migration. He has consulted
Professor Able, Of the Weather Signal
Bureau. They ,hayer jointly come to
these conclusions: I. That there is an in
innate connection between the prevailing
winds and their migration-that their
rigging is not adapted to sailing against
the wind, o.,even- clese.hauled-; and 2.
That their. periodical, visits ["coincided
with unusual seasons, and that there are
cycles of years recurring, favorable or
unfavorable to insect life"
Therefore it will be possible to predict
their arrival and prepare for them. In
fact it is thought that the country may be
provided at small expense witt Grass
hopper Bureau and a Grasshopper 'Prob-
abflitiesp "a well as, a Weather Bureau
and Weather Probabilities, and that
they may be of mutual assistance, thus
.dfilslag The grasshopper as we'll as some
of our supernumerarY Professors. The
inability OF the insect, as at present con-
stituted, to sail against the wind, enables
ns; knowing its direction and velocity, to
calculate with reasonable certainty the
course-and, speed with which he will
travel. Preparations can be made at diff
ferent points to discourage and demoral-
ize him. Denunciatory resolutions could
be prepare. to confront him, and his
favorite food supplyremoved beyond his
reach or SO tampered with Us to affect his
stomach detrimentally. -
If the facS of his advent could possibly
De kuOWu year VI tNO III aNN1ACO3 1uo
farmer might circumvent him BY omit
ting to plant his favorite food crops;stch
as grindstoues, Canada thistles and rag
weed-having laid in a good store Of
these delicacies for family use year be.
forehand-thus providing for year of
scarcity, as did the ancient Egyptians:
We are aware there is a prejudice
among a certain class (the undeveloped
Berghs Of society tsgainst anything like
an organized conspiracy against the
peace and comfort of any species of, ami
NAL life-more especially where that con-
'spiracy has a s25,000 appropriation in
the belly Of it. But it should be borne
in mind that the grasshopper, of all the
beasts of TIE field or birds of the air, or
insectsthas infestboth earth and air, is
unreasonably and unjusti6ably prolific,
and lays hiaseff openito . strict applica-
ton of the Malthusian doctrine Of self.
preservation-even to the extent of $685.
600 and a, crop of chronological pro;
fessors.EG Gacianmi Star. y 91jts q Z.