Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-11

resident of Smyrna furnishes some inter
estiug facts concerning the locust pest in the
East He says: I'm the month of May, 1878,
l went by rail to village situated about five
miles from the town of Smyrna. On one part
of the line there is an incline which l noticed
We were ascending at an unusually low rate
of speed, and the engine was putting and Ia
boring in a most unaccountable manner. On
looking out of the window to ascertain the
cause, perceived that the ground was liter
ally covered with locusts, and scarcely min
ute had elapsed ere the train ceased to move,
owing to the wheels having become wet and
slippery from the number of these insects
that had been crushed on the line. Sand was
thrown on the rails, and brooms were placed
in front of the locomotive, by which means
the train was again set in motion and we fl
nally reached our destination in thirty five
instead of fifteen minutes the usual length of
the journey. On entering the village call
ed at friends house, and found the inmates
assembled in the garden drawn up in battle
array, armed with broOms, branches of trees,
and other implements of destruction, waging
war against their unwelcome visitors, the To-
Gusts which, it appears, had scaled the outer
walls of the premises, taking the place by as
sault, and were committing sad havoc on ev-
cry green thing to be found in the garden.
The united efforts of the household, however,
were powerless against their enemies, which
were momontarily increasing in number; so
they were compelled TO beat an ignominious
retreat and seek refuge in the house.
'Locusts are first seen toward the end of
April on the slopes of the hills, where the
eggs of the females had been deposited the
previous autumn. When born they are about
the size of ants, but develop in a wonderful
ly short time to their full size. Early in May
they are sufficiently strong to travel all day
on foot, collecting together at night in dense
masses. At sunrise they reeommence their
march-their heads invariably turned to the
south-devouring every green herb that
comes in their way, grass especially being
their favorite food In the rear of these ad
vancing armies others are following, which
subsist on what is left by their more fortu-
nate companions of the advanced guard
Toward the end of May locusts are sufficient
ly developed to take short flights on the wing,
and wherever they alight woe betide the un-
fortunate owners of the property In June
and July they rise to a considerable height in
the air, their infinite numbers occasionally
darkening the sun. As at this season of the
year there is no more grass in the plains, and
the corn has been harvested, the vineyards
are numerically attacked as well as the
leaves of the trees and when hard pressed
for food, even the bark of trees is not spared
by these voracous insects. Locusts die of in
August; but before this occurs the females
bore holes in the ground on the slopes of the
hills, sufficiently large TO insert their bodies
then the males-I am assured by eyewitness
es-cut of their wives heads and thus the
eggs which are contained in the females's
bodies-averaging about seventy in number
are preserved against the inclemencies of the
winter season.