American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-02-26
The Thirteen and Seventies Year Locusts.


PROFESSOR C. ". RILEY, Chief of the
United States chronological Gem mission,
who has been spending n couple of days in
the city, left lust night foe Washington.
Meeting Republican reporter yesterday aft
ernoon, the Professor called his attention to a
dispatch sent out from Washington last week,
in which a statement was imputed TO him
that the Iouusts or grasshoppers were going
to be bad the coming season. This statement,
the Professor said, WINS Incorrect. IL wus
misrepresentation of the language used by
him in the course of some remarks
made by him before the District of
Columbia Horticultural Society. His re-
marks were in relation to the seventeen-
year locusts, more properly known as the
"cicada," totally different inscctAone hav-
ing no power to do great injury OF this in
sect the Professor said there would he two
distinct broois, the -thirteen-year and the sew
enteen-ycar varieties, which will appear in .
large portion of the country, say in about q
dozen different States, including Missouri and
most of the Mississippi Valley States. Their
appearance will be in May and June. Prof.
Riley stated that the simultaneous appearance
of the thirteen and seventeen-year broods had
not occurred before since the year 1860 in the
samerplaces where they will appear. this year.
The cicada are not destructive Ike the pests
known as grasshoppers or locusts. They have
got a sucking beak and therefore cannot de.
your anything. The only injury they can do
is done by the female, which has the habit Of
puncturing the twigs of fruit and forest trees,
to make holes in which to lay her eggs.
Regarding the. grasshopper proper Pl of. Ri
ley said the prospects as to injury from them
nre quite favorable, is Judged from tho
observations made by the United Stu.es En-
Genealogical Commission last year. He said
ne had no reason to fear any serious injury.
1t was found last summer that the eggs and
insects in the natural breedin : grounds of the
Northwest were scarce.-St. Louis Repubttcot,i.
How ShreWd chicagoani Was Trioked.
POLICE circles are,coovuised over the neat
and complete manner in which one of the
smart men of Chicago h'ss been taleen in by
Old process. james b. Storey keeps a private
loan and reaIcstate Office in the Union Build
ing, corner Of LaSaEe and Washington streets.
He has .always, had the Reputation of being
somewhat shrewd, and was the last person in
the world who would be suspected of being
soft enough to allow himself TO be played for
a sucker Askort time since Mr.. Storey had
occasion to go to the Hot Springs of Arkansas,
that bahny locality where rheumatism is sup
posed to give up the ghost. He took with
him a large amount of hard cash and q
considerable sum In greenbacks. and left
a fat, bank account behind him q
reserve in case Of emergency. Now 1t hap
pened that some of the crack crooks of the.
country learned Of the presence of Mr.. Storey
at the Hot Springs with "a barrel of m oney.'
They Immediately decided to 'work him for
all he was worth" In this undertaking they
were cminentiy successful. They tried the
brass brick racket. They informed Mr.. Stor-
ey that the brick in their possession was avery
valuable one. all gold, and the mysterious
manner I'm which they sail to have con-
Quoted the negotiations led Mr.. Storey to be-
lieve all that they said To make long story
short. the gentleman is alleged to have parted
with Sl,so0 in cool cash, and to have become
the unhappy possessor Of fine brass brick,
thus losing the entire sum invested. 1t Is said
that Mr.. Storey is making every effort to
cover the lost money, but thus far he has not
met with any succcss.-ChtcdgO Journal.