Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-08-20
THE CHRISTOPHER MUST GO
Al Least n Member OF the United
states chronological Commission
Thinks He Ian BE Made TO Move
Westward Before the Advance of
civilization.
Chicago Times.

member OF the United states entO-
theological commission, passed through
the city on yesterday, on his way home
from professional tour through Mime
sofa, Dakota and Manitoba.
The professor was met at the SHEER
man house by a reporter of the Times,
to whom he said that the wheat acreage
in the section he visited was immense
largely in excess of anything he had
anticipated, and largely in excess of
what it was last year The grain was
everywhere in splendid condition. In
some localities it wasn't as good as last
year, but on the average it was better.
Its uniform goodness was what chiefly
struck the professor. He found rust
only in one district on the west side Of
the Red river, and in one other limited
district but it only touched the blade
and didn't threaten to injure the grain
according to the periodic visitations of
bad years which have hitherto been
observed, this ought TO have been IL bad
year Il year of great dryness and an
abundance of chinch bugs and grass
hoppcrs. But climate change seem
ed to be III progress There is plenty
of moisture this year chinch-bugs have
only appeared on Il trifling scale, and
the grasshopper has not committed any
deyastations Prof. Thomas found
wheat as far west us the james river,
in Dakota, that was better than the
wheat on the Dalrymple, Cheney, and
Grandicr farms Three or four years
ago he didn't suppose that crops ofany
sort could he re raised as far west MS the
James river.
Prof. Thomas believed that he had
discovered on this trip the solution of
the grasshopper problem. From 1873
to 1877 1t was noticed that the grass
| hoppers hung close to section of high
land prairie i'll southwestern Minnesota.
close to Dakota, known us the couteau
of the prairie. He had satisfied himself
that the reasons for this was that on
this couteau the grasshoppers found the
Typographical and climatic conditions
suited to Il brecding-place On account
of the moisture this year very few
grasshoppers had appeared here,
and Prof. Thomas believed that
they could be driven away from the
locality entirely To do this the ground
must be cultivated, and timber must be
grown. Using the fast-growing cotton
wood, the later could be accomplished
in II short time. CirasshoppcrS would
not breed in wooded country, and the
timber would have the further good
effect of increasing the moisture. and
extreme dryncss is what the grasshop-
per bankers after 1t is hoped TO get
the federal government to help about
timbering this section. If the grass
hoppers are driven out of this couteau
of the prairie they will find no other
breeding place nearer than the couteau
ofthe Missouri, u high prairie plateau,
extending along the river bank for II
considerable distance. This couteau is
now being explored by agents of the
chronological commission for the pur-
pose of locating exactly the breeding
ground of the grasshoppers. The
professor is now satisfied that the To-
Gust plague can bepushcd westward be-
fore the advance of civilization, and
thus 1t is possible to look forward to II
time when the grasshopper will cease to
be burden. The particular fact that
convinced the professor of this was the
discovery ofwheat which grew well 50
far west as the james river This
showed that that country could be set
tied, and the settlement meant the end
of the grasshopperaS wellas the Indian.
The commission would explore the
breeding grounds ofthe grasshoppers in
Montana, and fit was found to be of
limited area he hoped the federal gov
ernment might be induced to cultivate
timber there, and perhaps emgrants
from Russia, who are used to fighting
grasshoppers might be induced to set
letherc
When Prof. Thomas visited Minnesota
two years ago he saw no help for the
farmers Of that state but to fight the
grasshoppers whenever they appeared
but now he is satisfied that the battle
ground may he removed from Mime
sofa To Dakota, and then further west
tho breaking up the soil. the growth Of
timber and the increase Of moisture
constantly driving the grasshoppers
westward i'll search Of breeding place
But the only hope of Minnesota and
Dakota, is not only in fighting the grass
hopper, but in raising something to eat,
lNN " NllNll WY VI Alltll lIlllItt
Gus lakes.
For various reasons. partly because
of the wholesale destruction Of forests,
these lakes are drying up. When they
were gone or much reduced in size, the
climate would become 20 dry that
grasshopperS would thrive vigorously
and no CROPS would grow even if undis-
turbed by the grasshoppers. If they
would pillow, plant trees, and take care
of their lakes, the people Of Minnesota
and Dakota would eventually beat the
grasshoppers,
Prof Thomas was not facinatcd by
Manitoba. A great portion of it is
marsh, but if the people drain the
marshes the whole country will become
y desert Their best course is To let
the marshes alone and 90 westward for
their arabic land the dry prairie in that
region he found admirable for
! wheat
The Slave Trade in Egypt.
Notwithstanding the laws, treaties