Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1886-05-13
GRAsSHOPPERS.


Last week the Galveston News
published q lengthy letter from Mr..
Bruner who is now in this county
investigating the grasshopPer
plague. After giving an account
of the different varieties choppers
he makes the following suggestions
for getting rid of the pest:
Now that the pest is with us, the
very first thing to be done is to
exert every effort TO get ria OF it,
and in order to do this cooperation
is necessary. Every planter and
all OF his tenants should combine
in their efforts to destroy The
young while they still remain IN
clusters at the outskirts of fields.
This can be accomplished in var
ious ways; but the most effective,
though somewhat dangerous, meth
cd is the use of poisons. During
the past week experiments have
been carried Oh with q view of as
certaining the kinds, quantities
and best methods OF using these,
and has resulted in the adoption OF
the following mixtures: Arsenic
(arsenious acid) four ounces to fifty
gallons of water. First boil tho
arsenic with an equal amount OF
soda in a small pot until 1t has dis
solved as much rs 1t will then add
about two quarts of molasses or
strip to the water in tho barrel and
pour in the arsenic. Spray on the
weeds infected with hoppers, in a
very fine mist, tho finer the better
using o force-pump of some sort.
Be sure not to get on too much OF
the fluid upon tho vegetation; a
stronger solution of arsenic will
kill the vegetation and drive the
hoppers into the field.
Paris green, in the proportion
OF one pound to twenty of flour
and one of very finely-powder.
ed rosin, well mixed, and busted
upon tho leaves while the dew is
still on, is also recommended, and
has been tested with excellent re-
suits.
These poison remedies are dan
gerous, and should be used very
carefully, as they endanger the
lives, not only of stock, but also OF
those using them. Do not spray
or dust with tho wind, but away
from it, and keep stock from vegc-
tation treated until several rams
have fallen upon it.
Aside from poisoning, there have
been many machines and devices
used and recommended IN tho diff
terent localities that are certainly
good and worthy of trial. Among
these by far the simplest and mex
pensive is what is known as the
coal.tar or kerosene pan. This
consists of a pan made of tin, gal
vanized iron or even common sheet
iron, of any size suitable to the in
divIdual using it, in which is put
either or both OF these combusti-
bles in sufficient quantities TO cover
the bottom about one-quarter of an
inch. The pan should be about
two or two and one-half inches IN
depth and divided into sections
and across partitions to prevent
the liquid from all running TO one
end when used upon sloping or I'M
even ground. Mount upon low
runners and protect on the ends
and back by a width of common
muslin or any other cheap cloth,
so as to keep the hoppers from
jumping across it. Drag through
gardens, weed patches, field or pas
ture where there are hoppers, and
they will hop into the pan, where
the oil and tar kill them almost in
simultaneously. Those that jump
out again will die also. This rem
edy is suitable where the poisoning
remedies can not be used, or where
the party is opposed to the use OF
poison. 1t cGn be recommended as
success, having saved many a
gardenpatch from the jaws Of the
| young of the Rocky mountain To-
Gust in Missouri, Kansas and other
of the western States and Terrific
ties. Still other devices can be OK
temporized according to the ingen
uity of the party using them, that
will aid in reducing the pest. All
that Is necessary is to keep in view
the one object, VIZ, the killing OF
the most number of locusts in the
shortest time and with the least
expense and inconvenience to one
self and his neIghbors,
l repeat it once again, that tins
must be a work of cooperation,
and not to be left to your neigh
Dor. LAWRENCE BRUNER,
chronological Agent U. S. Dept
Agriculture.