Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-06-27
THE FOURTEEN-YEARL OCUSTS.
An Old Farmer In West Virginia Discovers
That They are Blessing.


St. Adams, w. Va, June 15.-One Of
the numerous Billy Wilson's of America
lives at St. Adams, w. Va. A parson OF
that place, having learned that Billy had
q locust theory of some interest, deter.
mined to interview him and write out
the theory. He found Billy at home by
warm fire and in genial mood. He
had q large, well-formed head, and facial
lines that indicate natural wit He look.
ed like man such as an intelligent
leader of doubtful expedition would
keep near him for the benefit CT prac-
tical observations.
Friend William" said the parson, 81
understand that you have some theory
about the fourteen-year locusts, and !
wish to write it up for your favorite pa
per, the Sun, and hope you will give il
to me-"
swell, parson, did you never take any
notice of the locusts YOURSELF"
eyes, l have observed that the SPUR.
rels fatten on them, and become delight.
full eating; that the chickens lay eggs so
fast while they are in existence that the
shells do not form with sufficient thick.
ness to preserve them, and-but shall
soon make the impression on you that ]
am given to the habit imputed to preach.
ers, of thinking too much about some.
thing good to eat. had better remem.
Der that l am interviewing you"
ut Is curious, parson, to see the locust
splitting the bark OH young twig. Two
little knife-like things are thrown out
behind, and, as the insect moves along,
they cut furrow in the bark that does
not close up. Between the cutters the
egg deposition works, dropping the eggs
into the groove with more neatness than
the best corn planter places the seed in
the furrow. The groove is never on top,
but either under or on the side Of the
twig, which soon dies and falls to the
ground. Here, as you can easily see, is
the first benefit the forest gets from the
locust, a cutting back that all trees must
have to perfect their fruit, enlarge the
growth of their trunks, and keep them
from overshadowing one another. But
it is after the locust gets to the ground
that he puts in his best work for the
trees. have seen them dug up twenty
tinues to 90 down until he strikes water,
rock or hard pan. When we remember
that there are at least half dozen to the
square foot of surface we can see how
much the ground is loosened and pre-.
pared for the roots of the trees by this
little insect. And then think how the
soil is prepared to absorb the moisture
necessary for the growth of the trees.
But let us 90 step further. suppose
the hole a locust makes in coming out of
the ground is at least a square inch.
When we recollect how innumerable the
holes are, and their depth, think we
can see what became of the waters in
former wears that now dash into the
river channels and give us such high
floods. Cutting away the forests con-
tracts the work of the locust, and the
subsoil is not in condition to take up
the water"
"Why, my friend, you make a big
thing out of the locust"
"Why, parson, when we take in all
you have said about fattening every
thing that will eat him, the fact that he
eats nothing above ground himself, and
all that is reasonable in what have just
said, he must be called the most unmiti-
gated blessing God gives us. Parson,
what do the scientific men call the IA.
year locust?"
properly speaking. they are not 10.
Gusts, but cicada. The Kansas people
are right when they call their big red
legged grasshopper locust"
WAS it that grasshopper that John
the Baptist ate?"
"Yes. twas a species of that genus"