New-York tribune., 1878-06-10
lBY TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRIBUNE. !

GROUNDS AND THE WAYS OF DESTROYING THIS
TROUBLESOME INSECT.
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRTBUSKl
WASHINGTON, June 9.-1he report of the
United states chronological Commission, created by an
act Of the XLIvth Congress- for the purpose OF studying
the habits Of the Rocky Mountain ocusts, and drvsing,
IL possible, some means Of preventing the disas-
trous ravages OF these insects in the Western
States Is going through the press at the
Government printing Office. This commission consisted
OF Professor Charles V. Riley, Of 50 Louis, Chieii
Cyrus Thomas CarbOndale Illinois, aud A. S.
Packard OF Salem, Mass brief account OF the tray
els and abors OF these gentlemen during the be-
the months Of April, 1877 10 Jauury 1873. with
a summary OF their discoveries, was published In THE
TRIBUNE two or three months ago. The forthcoming
work treats exhausyely OF the subjects for the study
Of which the commission appointed Several OF its
chapters devoted 20 scientific presentation Of the
discoveries which the commission has made aud will be
Of interest only to naturaliss. The remainder is OF
popular interest
One Of the most interesting chapters IA that which
OF the permanent DreednggrOunds OF the locust
The area in which the locust breeds year. IN greater
less numbers the commission says is approximately
100000 square miles in extent IL IA not TO be inferred
that the locust breeds continuously the whole Of
this area each year. for 10 s 90 be understood that the
locust within its native permanent habitat is essentially
migratory In its habits For series Of years u may de-
post s eggs in given river valley, IN some park or IN
II
the mountains yet II may desert ts customary breeding
grounds for adjoining regions low range Of
mountains and breed In more distant valley. Even IN
this area the hatchngrounds are f0r the most part
confined to the river bottoms sunny opes Of upands
OF TO the subdpne grassy areas among the mountains,
rather than continuously the more elevated dry
bleak plains The IN which the locust treeds lies
mainly between longitude 1922 and 11l' West Of Green
wIch and latitude $50 and 400 North.
From this general breodingground the locust Is dis-
trbuted I'm all directions The eastern limit of It's range
is marked by the commission by the following Sine
From the southern end Of Lake Winnipeg
bv way OF Lake OF the Woods 20 Pierce
County. Wisconsin; thence directly south TO
Poweshick County, Iowa; then southwest 70 Worth
County Missouri then south through Montgomery
County Arkansas, TO Houston, Tcxis, curving west
ward from this point 90 Live Oak County, Texas" In
Manitoba the and also the northern limit cor
responds very closely with the timber line. Generally
the norherumos limit OF distribution extends 10 Fort
Pitt in latitude $50 40, and the general northern limit
OF tie range Of c. sprefus, which Is the most
troublesome species Of the locust. extends nearly
&, tlo southern limits OF tie forests which
lie partly upon the dHy-thlrd parallel. but in
greater part between Longitude 1912 and J. 80 aud
above the projected route Of the Canadian Pacific Rail
road II is probable that other species range north of
these limits hut Il IS not probable that the SpTps ranges
beyond the uc Of conlfcrou trees lying along hc north
shore c the northern branch % The Saskatchewan River
ocusts is the eastern flank Of the Cascade Range Iu
Oregon and Washington Territory. and the sierra Nevada
Mouutaus though IN many parts OF the couurJ they 90
not reach point 30 far west
A. 10 the southern limit the commission lacked data
for determining this line satisfactorily. An that ts men,
bors are able say IN reference 20 II Is that the ocus
have been known 10 cross the BIO Grande az Eagle Pas
and 10 penetrate mile aud half into Mexico; that
they have been observed IN Western Texas as tar as the
settlements have extended; that they have penetrate
NeW-Mexco the northeast as far as Las vegas ana
Fort Union, and have passed down in the mountain
region from Colorado TO Taos, ana possibly iurihF
south.
Probably the most important chapter In the book is
that on remedies aud devices for destruction" Tie
means 10 De employed for the destruction Of locust the
commission says very naturally fails into five divisions
nrst encouragement OF natural ageucies secondly /
destruction Of the eggs; thirdly destruction Of The
young or unnedged insects; fourthly, desirutoI OF
the mature winged insects nfhly, preventative
measures The suggested for the destruction II
the eggs are first narrowing In the Autumn. THIS cur
ing dry wild weather has been found 10 De our O.
the most effective modes OF destroying tie
eggs ana preventing further injury. The Commission
suggests that IL be enforced by law revolving haT
row. or cultivator is recommended for this WORK Ihe
second method is by pouging thus bnying the egga 30
far below surface TO prevent their Matching The
third Is irrigation Where this B Iracils'd am ih- /
ground Is light and porous. prolonged and excessive
cation In the Autumn has been found very beneficial
The fourth plan Is trampng Many Of the may bc
DESTROYED IN pastures fields where hogs cattle or
horses can be- confined, when the ground not Toleh
The nfh Is collecting. In cases where nether oi the
means already suggested available the commission
recommends the collection aud destruction Of the eggs
and eugeess that State authorities should offer some
induccuent for this work Every bushrl Of rEs7 de-
The methods suggested Tor the destruction OI the |
young un6edged locusts are first by burning; MhiGh
straw hay, Ia heaps or Wlndf0Wr INTO Nhicn Tue 20
some time after they hatch may De driven @ anu
hcr t5e eroun6 s smoofh aud hard The c0mnhssion
illustrates the subject by numerous engHVihgs Itr
ping can be done by the OF nes seines of long
sfrps Of muslin calico similar mate ias, made Rif
the manner OF quail nets. u n also accomplished D
digging pits and holes aud by the use OF coal TAR OF coa
oil In pans These pans are pushed over the neus, aiI
rs they disturb the locusts they jump into the TAR or Oh
and thus destroyed fOr catching or pasBlnk -
are innumerabe mechanical cOntrNhncos beNtiHi VI
winch described ana Illustrated Dy the ~ coi y, ~
The commission has niue ihith ~ tne hnsOn VI ~ n
miami or Ofauy chemical mixture nud or pO"ue
a. means Of destroying the insect nst because hotb
ing will more quickly ana thOoughil XII % tiol i % sr
o secondly. because OF the mpiacticaDy OI uhlE any
such application the extensive scale that Nod Do
necessary. The commission ao slksos,s .o s 49, sr
of fruit trees by whitewashng their trunks OF ny SUI
rounding them with narrow Strips OF batlhg ,sion |
Tbe destruction OF winged insects the commission
saws s impossible but several means OF GistuiDihR tAe
As a means of protection against the rayages OF the
locusts the commission recommends dlyerslod u,
increase OF native ocusfeedng birds, the introduction
foreign oeusfeoding birds, Inducements offered 70 te
indians 10 collect aud destry the and young the
destroying the eggs young by making the greatest
possbe use by artificial means or the natural water
suDpy burning young I'm Spring. and divertng the
winged swarms by smoke.
the that nothing IA 10 De Ieareo 1ro
these insects after the rst year In the temporary region
The insects which haohed III tins region cause great
destruction before they take wipg' Bpt ateE st h y
Invariably take their flight toward their OIgbAl nome
a. the perpanent breeding grounds. They however do
not siay reach the end OF their journey They become
Infected with parasites diseased during their stay IN
Ire Temporary region and perish on the way.
is report OF the most exhaustive und valuable