Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-16
LnrnSfS IN the East.

L0cuStS in The East.
A resident of SMYRNA furnishes some
interesting facts concerning the locust
pest in the East. He says: In the month
of May, 1878, | 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 | noticed we were
ascending at an unusually low rate OF
speed, and the engine was pulling and
laboring in a most unaccountable manner
On looking out Of the window to ascertain
the cause. | perceived that the ground
was literally covered with locusts, and
scarcely minute 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 beer
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
finally reached our destination in thirty
five instead of fifteen minutes, the usual
length of the journey. On entering the
village. called 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 unwecome visitors, the
locusts, which it appears, had scaled the
outer walls of the premises, taking the
place by assault, and were committing sad
havoc on every green thing to he found in
the garden. The united efforts of the
household, however, were powerlesS
against their enemies, which were mo-
mentariy increasing in number; so they
were compelled TO beat an ignoninious
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 Il
wonderfully 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
re-commence their march-their heads
invariably turned to the south-'deyouring
every green herb that comes in their way,
grass especially being their favorite food.
In the rear of these advancing armies
others are following which subsist on what
is left by their more Fortunate companions
of the advanced guard. Toward the end
of Nav locusts are sufficiently developed to
take short flights on the wing, and wher-
ever they alight woe betide the unfortunate
owners Of the property! In June and July
thev,rise to considerable height in the air
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
we'll rs the leaves of the trees; and when
hard pressed for food, even the bark of
, trees is not spared by these voracious
insects. Locusts die off 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 eye
witnesses-cut off their wives heads and
D thus the eggs which are contained in the
/ females bodies-a averaging about seventy
: in numher-are preserved against the
b. inclemences of the winter season.
u at occasionally happens that locust;
disappear for number of years in sue
cession; it is therefore presumed that il
!. seasons Of scarcity they are compelled
before the breeding season to take long
$ flights in search of food; and when this
II occurs millions of their dead are found on
S The shores OF the sea, and the ef1luvia from
= their hodies often occasions great sickness
e In the wear 1882 locusts lay two feet deeI
i in the Bay of Smyrna. Ship and typhu:
e and other fevers became so prevalent ir
e the town that many families in n position
IL to leave took refuge in the country villages
Il With a proper government, this eastern
y plague could by degrees be done ava.
with; but the Turks leave everything tt
IF fate; and although occasional orders ar
n given by the governors in the interior 70
e their destruction when they first appear
z in the spring, only half measures ar
~ taken, and little is gained by these futile
attempts to destroy them. In former
'e times Cyprus was annually devastated b
'e ocusts; but of late years this great inhic
10 tion has almost ceased to be Il source o
l. anxiety TO its agricultural population
IS owing to the intelligence of II Europea
II who holds property on the island, an
re who invented the following simple melho
y of destroying them in their infancy, whic
or has been already alluded to in the publ
u journals.
a. "I,ocusts, rs mentioned before, are Dor
n, n, on the slopes of the hills, and when the
'lt are sufficiently developed to commenc
IN their work of destruction, descend into til
r. plains in long and regular columns, neve
IN devating from their path. Anticipatin
r. this method of progression, trenches ar
$: dug at the base of these hills; and whe
RI the locusts are within few yards of th
Is pits, they are inclosed between two Ion
J., IN strips of canvas placed perpcndicularly
IL. parallel lines leading to the mouths OF til
10 pits. A piece of oil-cloth is then sprea
"a on the ground, extending few inch
Al oI,,, e1n
DIT over which the locusts continue to advan
ut and are precipitated into these traps
nd innumerable quantities, and immediate
destroyed If the Turkish governme
be followed the example set them by t
,rs inhabitants of Cyprus, Asia Minor wou
ne soon be free of locusts; but as there
II little chance of this being the case, '
le- must expect yearly increase of the!
IN insects, and trust to natural causes +
their destruction"