The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-04-19

THE YOUNG INSECTS ARE sREGARlous.
During damp weather they all crowd to-
gether blackenin2 whatever surface they
rest upon. While they have food they are
content to stay and devour it. When the
supply is exhausted, they propose to travel
for more. Without wings they move slow
IL, and in this condition multitudes perish
for want of sustenance. Many die from
disease, from other enemies, and when mott
ing from the attacks of their own kindred.
The grAsshopper encounters numerous
foes. Fowls and hogs fstten on the inva-
den prairie chickens and guails are OF
inestimable service. eating them from every
stage from the egg to the image. All small
birds assist, and reptiles Of every kind take
their share. The most efficient help in the
work Of destruction comes from other in
sects. A species Of mite is known to eat the
egns voraciously, finding them in the
ground. Another fastens in great numbers
on the adult hopper.
PROSPECT FOR THIS YEAR.
The Times hasspecial dispatches from near.
ly all parts of Minnesota, iowa, Nebraska,
Kansas and Missouri where the hoppers de-
posted eggs last Fall, from which We are
able to gather fair idea of the general
prospect Of chopper crop" throughout
the region referred to. A dispatch from
Owa,onna, MINI, Gays:
"The entire territory west Of the Iowa
and Minnesota division of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and ST. Paul railroad in thi.
state, was made the resting. place for the
grasshoppers last fall, depositing their eggs
in nearly every township. This comprises
three-fourths of the state area. Should
the eggs hatch as in previous years, which
seems probable now, the growing crop will
be destroyed. The future looks gloomy
enough. The Matching will not occur to
any extent before the middle Of May"
A St. Paul dispatch, giving a general re-
port Of the situation throughout the state,
is as PILLOWS:
st. Paul, Mimi, April 13.-Opinions
widely differ a. to the outcome OF the pres
ent grasshopper crop, and it Is yet too early
to Judge BY experience. Very general hopes
have been entertained that the warm wealth
er Of February, followed by extreme cold
spells in March, had destroyed large ma
joriry of the eggs deposited. Many still
adhere to this opinion, in which they claim
to be sustained by frequent experiments in
Matching cocoons, showing that not more
than 10 per cent. Of the eggs will bring
forth 'hoppers. Others, and by far the lar
gest number, also sustained by experience,
claim that only q very small per cent. of
eggs have been damaged, and that the hatch
will be fully as prolific this season as in
past years. Which of these speculations
is correct is mere guess-work, but the ma
jority of the testimony is in favor of the
latter. But it will take eight or ten days
of the present warm weather to decide.
However, farmers in grasshopper districts,
encouraged partly by the seed-grain appro-
priation and bounties for the destruction of
hoppers, are going to put in full crops,
hoping that even with perfect
hatch, favorable winds or other caus-
es pests, may result in the removal of the
pests before the crops are sufficiently advanc-
ed to sustain much damage. In the old raw
aged counties in the southwestern and
western sections Of the state the area to
wheat and other small grains will be seme-
what reduced, but this reduction will be
more than made up in the increased acre
age OF corn, peas, beans, potatoes, sorghum,
etc. In the river, central, and southern
counties about the usual acreage Of wheat
and small grains will be sown, while in the
northern section there will be largely in
creased wheat acreage sown, making the
aggregate wheat acreage OF the state this
season probably fully two million acres,
which, with a fair crop, would give about
n II
farmers are decidedly hopeful, AMI are de-
termined to give the hoppers 4 fight for SUI
premacy.
The weather is very favorable for seediDs
operations, which are progressing energet-
ically all over the state, and probably by
Saturday night nearly or quite two-thlrds
Of the wheat acreage will have been Gown.
The outlook in Nebraska is abou, the
same as in Minnesota. The accounts from
the different portions of the state are quite
conflicting, but there is reasonable ground
to fear that the dam age will b. quite ex-
ten.ive. An Omaha dispatch gives gen.
eral summary Of the situation as reported
from different sections of the stlte, as fol-
lows:
OMAHA, April 1S-As yet the weather
Of time to cause q general Matching of
grasshoppsr eggs. The nights are still
cold and frosty and at present the days are
mostly cloudy and damp. A day or two
ago it was reported that the grss.hoppers
were Matching in this vicinity, but If 30 it
was only for day or two. A few days of
continued warm weather, however, will
bring them out by millions upon millions.
1t is reliably reported to your correspondent
that grasshoppers are now being Matched in
the South Platte country. Farmers in this
vicinity and throughout the whole state are
sowing a comparatively small amount of
grain, being apprehensive of ravages by
the 'hopperp. But little danger, however,
is apprehended from 'hoppers that will be
Matched from eggs deposited here as these
'hoppers will Immediately upon attaining
their growth take wings to other sections
But the real danger is feared from grass
'hoppers matched elsewhere which come
swooping down from the north. This has
been the experience in this state in previ.
Gus years of grashopper devastation. 1t is
rather early yet to predict concerning the
results that may be expected from this
plague. Every body hopes for the best
Wholesale business is being condu ted here
on q very cautious basis on account Of the
impending grasshoPper raids.
The Times has dispatches from various
parts of Iowa, concerning the grasshopper
prospect in that State, of which the follow
ing are fair samples:
Carroll, Iowa, April 13.-The grasshop-
pers visited this county last August,
remaining eight days. They deposited their
eggs here, but careful investigation war
rants the statement that not one scre in ten
has been impregnated. Eggs are generally
found on fall blowing, which was done be-
fore the grasshoppers came. Many have
been destroyed, especially on low ground,
and farmers have been busy for several
weeks past narrowing the ground and thus
exposing the eggs to destruction by birds
and otherwise. Spring opened here unusu-
ally early, and wheat-sowing is nearly
done. A full average has been sown. A
few grasshoppers have made their appear
ance, but the principal crop is not expected
to hatch for = week or two. The farmers
have . county and several township organi-
cations, and propose fighting the insects
from their fist appearance. Those who
are best informed apprehend but Little dam
age to crops. A very large area will be
planted in corn, and the season opening &c
early affords almost positive assurance tina,
this crop can be secured. There is no gene
raj despondeBcy, and farmers will 20 ahead
planting and sowing, trusting in Providence