New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-06-26
Grasshoppers..

UIaSSuVppcISs
commission, created by an act of the forty
fourth congress, for the purpose of studying
the habits Of the Rocky mountain locusts, and
devising, if possible, some means of preventing
the disastrous ravages Of these insects in the Wes
tern States, is now going through the press at
the government printing Office. This commits
sion consisted of Prof. Charles v. Riley, of st. 4
Louis, chief; Cyrus Thomas, of Carbonate. 4
. ILL, and AS. Packard, of Salem, Mass. The
forthcoming work treats exhaustively of the
subjects for the study of which the commission
was appointed. Several of its chapters are de-
voSed to scientific presentation of the dis
coveries which the commission has made, and
will be of interest only to naturahsts. The re-
mainder is of popular interest.
One of the most interesting chapters is that
which treats of the permanent breeding
grounds of the locust. The area in which the
locust breeds each year, in greater or less NUM-
berF, the commission says, is approximately
three hundred Thousand square miles in extent.
It is not to be inferred that the locust breeds
continuously over the whole of this area each
year, for it is to be understood that the locust
within its native permanent habitat is essenti-
ally migratory in it's habits. For serious OF
years it may deposit its eggs in given river
valley, in SONS park, or in some favorable area
in some of the plains lying about the noun
tains, yet it may desert its customary breeding
grounds for adjoining regions, Or cross a low
tant valley. Even in this area the true hatch
ing grounds are for the most part confined to
the river bottoms. or sunny slope OF uplands,
or to the subalplne grassy areas among the
mountains, rather than continuously over the
more elevated, dry, bleak plains. The area in
which the locust breeds lies mainly between
longitude 102 degrees, and ia degrees west of
Greenwich, and latitude So degrees and 40 de-
grees north.
From this general breeding ground the locust
is distributed in all directions. The eastern
limit of its range is marked by the commission
by the following line: From the southern
end of Lake Winnipeg, by way of Lake of the
Woods to Pierce county, Wisconsin; thence
directly south to Poweshiek county, Iowa;
then southwest to Worth county, Missouri;
kansas, to Houston, Texas, curving westward
from this point to Live Oak county, Texas.
In Manitoba the eastern and also the northern
limit, corresponds very closely with the tim
Der line. Generally the northernmost limit of
distribution extends to Fort Pitt, in latitude
ern limit of the range of G. Spyetus, which Is
the most troublesome species of the locust, ex-
tends nearly to the southern limits of the
forests Which lie partly upon the ffty-third
parallel, but in greatar part between lon
gitude 1O4 degrees and ia degrees and
cifc railroad. It is probable that other species
range north of these lin it's, but it is not prob
able that the spyetos ranges beyond the line of
coniferous trees lying along the north shore of
the northern branch Of the Saskatchewan river.
The extreme western limit of the distribution
of these locusts is the eastern flank of the Cas-
cade range in Oregon and Washington Terri
tories, and the Sierra Nevada mountains
though in many parts of the country they do
not reach point SO far west.
As to the southern limit, the commission
lacked data for confirming the line satisfactori-
erence to it is that the locusts have been known
to cross the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, and to
penetrate mile and half into Mexico; that
they have been observed in western Texas as
far az the settlements have extended; that they
have penetrated New Mexico on the northeast
as far as Las Vegas and Fort Union, and have
passed down in the mountain region from Col
,orado to Texas, and possibly further south.
Probably the most important chapter in the
book is that on remedies and devices for de-
struction.' The means to be EN- ployed for the
destruction.o locusts the commission says,
very naturally falls into five divisions, first,
encouragement of natural agencies; secondly,
destruction of the eggs; thirdly, destruction of
the young or unfedged insects; fourthly, de-
struction of the mature or winged insects;
filthy, preventive measures. The means sug-
gested for the destruction of the eggs are, first.
narrowing in the autumn. This, during dry,
mild weather, has been found to be one of the
most effective means of destroying the eggs
and preventing further injury. The commits
sion suggests that it be enforced by law.
revolving harrow, or cultivator, is recommended
for this work. The second method is by blowing,
thus burying the eggs SO far below the sur
face as to prevent their Matching. The
third is irrigation. Where this is practiced and
the ground is light and porous, prolonged and
excessive moisture will cause most of the eggs
to perish, and irrigation in the autumn has
been found very beneficial. The fourth plan is
tramping. Many of the eggs may be destroyed
in pastures or fields where hogs: cattle or
horses can be confined, when the ground is
not frozen. In cases where neither of the
means already suggested are available the COM
mission recommends the collection and destruc-
ton of the eggs, and suggests that the State
this work. Every bushel of eggs destroyed is
equivalent to a hundred acres of corn saved.
The methods suggested for the destruction of
the young or unfedged locusts, are, first, by
burning, which may be done by scattering
over or around the fields old straw or hay, in
sometime after they hatch, may be driven and
burned. Crushing can be done by various
machines, but can only be advantageously &C
complished where the ground is smooth and
hard. The commission describes great num-
Der of crushing machines, and illustrates the
subject by numerous engravings. Trapping
can be done by the use of nets or seines of long
strips of muslin calico or similar materials,
made after the manner of quail nets. 1t is
also accomplished by digging pits and holes,
and by the use of coal tar or coal oil in pans.
These pans are pushed over the fields, and as
they disturb the locusts they jump into
the tar or oil and are thus destroyed. For catch
ing or bagging these are innumerable mechanical
contrivances, several of which are described
and illustrated by the commission. The COM