Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-07-12
THE GRASSH0PPER PEST.
GraSShoppers Are Devastating Large
Sections Of Minnesota.
Method Used For Their Destruction.

Minneapolis Tribune; DR.. Otto Lug.
ger, ontomologist Of the Minnesota ex-
| perimental station, has returned from
Otter Tail county, where he has been
lighting grasshoppers, and gives an in
teresung account of his work. Shortly
after his arrival there, month ago, he
was called to investigate "a threatening
| scOurg4 IN the Red River Valley. He
| found immense numbers Of the Rocky
mountain iocusts Matching out and nearly
ready TO do great damage. They first
came TO Gorham township, in Otter Tail
1 county, four years ago. The next spring
/ they Matched out on a small area covering
only about three aores. The next year
about forty acres were required for their
operations, and last year they covered
| fout or five thousand a1res. The present
| year they are Matching out over an area
/ of about one hundred square miles.
! Some colonies separated from the main
| body last year, DIR. Logger having found
/ one of those near Battle Lake, thirty 1.-TWO
miles south of the original swamp. He
was on his way 90 attend u farmers in
| stitute at Battle Lake whom he discovered
! this colony. When the real magnitude
of the play was discovered DR.. Lugger
! put OF post haste and asked Gov. McCih
| to render the state aid in preventing the
rayages and spread of these voracious
insects. The request was granted, aud
the state has already furnished 220 bar.
rels of kerosene and tar, besides sheet
iron and other supplies. The farmers
were organized, and even the trades.
people in town induced 20 shut mp shop
half of each day and aid in saving the
crop. The county commissioner APP
propriated $1,000 to pay for the boprd OF
volunteer laborers.
There are three principal methods of
destroying the insects. Who're the land
had been pIowed for wheat none Matched
out, as iayerting the soil destroyed the
eggs, and no hoppers were found in the
fields of growing wheat; but from adjoin-
ing fields, especially those whore wheat
was grown last year and then abandoned
without blowing; they came in armies,
sweeping the fields before them. In
travelling this way line of march is
formed, before which every green thing
disappears. When Dr. Lugger left on
Thursday some fields were eaten into
several rods. The methods adopted prior
to the arrival of kerosene and tar was TO
dig ditch two feet deep and two wide
Just IN advance of the approaching host.
few incl es of straw is then placed in
the bottom, and tho locust are driven into
it by walking slowly along behind them.
They cannot Jump out, and are burned;
OF, if straw il not TO be had, they are
killed by drawing a log through the ditch.
The tar is used by placing it into Il
shallow sheet-iron pan two feet wide and
eight feel long, with wide board fasten-
ed TO one side. This ia drawn sidewise
across the fold, the hoppers jumping
against the board and falling into the
tar, where they perish. But the handler,
more rapid, and most complete method
is TO use kersene on canvass against which
the posts jump. Strong muslin canvass
yard wide and fifteen feet long, is
stretched on frame aud carried on a
sled-ike arrangement pulled by team.
The CANVASS slants back, and Is constant
ly saturated with kerosene. Every one
that hops against this ana touches his
body TO the oil dies instantly. One bar
rel Of kerosene will go over about 100
acres, and will kin 200 bushels or more.
and promises to use IL My for destroying
meets.
DR.. Lugger thinks the means now be-
ing used will coon place them under con
troll as all farmers are warned that they
must pillow their fields this fail 20 destroy
the eggs, but he does not hope to oradi-
cate them. Unfavorable climatic ooDdi
lions will pretty certainly destroy
them the present or next season They
have actually died out the third or fourth
year after coming to our moist climate
from their Rocky Mountain home, Bot
this years crop seems TO be wonderfully
vigorous, as is shown by the large per
cent. Of eggs that have been Matched and
by the yigor OF the Young. The fact that
they are 80 strong, alsO that the original
colony was 80 small, makes IL sesm prob
able that they came directly from the
mountain region. Those not Matched
out are soft, having not developed their
hard covering as yet, and would fare bad
ly should wet weather occur. In response
to question, Dr.. Logger said: "Wot
weather is not so bad as alternate wet and
clear weather. In wet weather they are
moro or less dormant, but when wet and
dry times alternate they gorge Themselves
when the sun shines and suffer IN o3n5e
auenee when rain comes aRHiu. They
ore thus weakened. They will not deyel
op wings for abOnt six weeks, but they
! he'd their coat or mott every week or so.
These melting times are critical periods"
Numerous enemies 10 the grassh upper
are present in great nunbers, prominent
among which is a small red bug that will
soon be ready TO destroy great numbers.
They lay their eggs on the legs and wings
OF the hoppers, which are attacked by the
young Dr Luggsr has returned, and &
pects 10 see all done that the state can do
10 prevent further damage. Governor
McGil expects to visit the region next
week.
IrnM "a MINK HEARA DIED.