The record-union., 1891-06-11
"ORTH0PTERA ACRTDII LATRIELLEE."
Professor Bum Turns the Light Upon
an Enigma,
Something of Interest Concerning the
Grasshoppers-SomeN Novel REM
edies Suggested.


belief that practical, working knowl-
edge Is necessary to successful study. In
becoming familiar with anything but a
mummy, / prefer the field to the mu-
scum as a workshop.
The prevalence of the grasshopper Tor
thoptera-Acrgdit IatrielIe) in the San
Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys led me
to investigate the manner of life of this
omnivorous insect. / was also anxious
to secure new specimens of the proventri-
culus crop and gizzard. When / told
my friend, Mr.. Dorry, that hoppers pos
sess these organs in addition to stomach
and 10 teeth, he said nothing concerning
a grasshopper could surprise him, but
this at least explained the ease with
which the insects devoured the fences in
the Kansas visitation.
''I will give them all the fence they can
eat. if they will let my young orchard
alone" he said. Mr.. Dorry's farm is
bounded by barbed wire. ''They came in
a swarm that darkened the sun at noon,
back in my State"
The species so plentiful this year in
California do not develop their wings
early and hop rather than fly from place
to place. Mr.. Dorry went on TO say that
his young orchard was being deyoured
by grasshoppers. He asked me to go
into the orchard and cast about for
remedy.
Here was the opportunity for which I
mad been looking. | wanted acquaintance
with the grasshopper character and dis
position, and as both are displayed at
home more than anywhere else, l went
when l could find the insect en- funliLJe.
1t transporting duSk-a beautiful evening
The husk of twilight was upon all nature
as L crossed the orchard. A queer little
tx, tx, tx told me that the hoppers were
lying at my approach. The little fellows
are sort of Edmund Russell contrast
with the ground-hardly a shade Of differ
ence. This made it hard to see them
until they moved, then they were gone
Carefully [ looked for them, and at last
found several perched on a spear of grass
then on dog-fennel. This led me too
look on the nearest tree, and here / found
the hoppers in families, clubs, conven-
tons. Here saw him in the privacy of
domestic life. The self poise and air of
repOse impressed me. Then, too, the
consideration for others. No hopper took
more than his allotted inch of room. No
hopper put packages on the seat next to
nm, nor carried an umbrella crosswise.
1t Is hard to enter the charmed circle
Only person of calculating tact touch
can do it. Should you ever have a like
chance to inSinuate yourself be distant
but friendly, Lean toward the tree and
give him two fingers after the manner of
a uulC SIdhIliG udDuS. JfGSS MN kindly
but hrmly TO remain with you, and he
will remain. Laying his remains aside
proceed TO gain the attachment of his
nelghDOr. Such a course makes an i'm
preston as no words can. (Nir Dorry
showed the futility of idle words when
he said hard things about the hoppers,
and pretended If was because he had a
silver in his thumb).
Don't be discouraged in your attempts
II number hop out between the acts
Sometimes when dozen or more are to be
found on one twig you can captivate the
whole by holding one hand at the end
OF the tWlg. Move the other, gently urg-
ing them along toward the stationary
hand. Clasp your hands forcibly and
you hold mixed company, very much
mixed as to legs and heads.
Such advances disturb neighboring
hoppers who go to the ground. When
the tree Is bare as boarding house your
work is not yet done. Since dancing will
attract many who can be reached in no
other way you should next execute a
war-dance on the ground round the trunk
OF the tree. You will go away with the
blood Of many grasshoppers on your sole
the larger the sole the more grasshop-
pers. Only Antaeus would have strength
TO go on long in this manner, so you NAV
resort TO clOdding. This has its adj
vantages, as 1t not only kills, but buries
the hopperS.
are hailed with delight. Some vineyard
lists protect young vines by an inverted
paper sack, tying the top of the sack lust
above the root. The vineyard gives the
impression that the owner raises vege-
tables ready sacked for market
Some try feeding the hoppers with
arsenic and sugar, arsenic for the COM
pIeXion and sugar to give the drug a
pleasant taste. The poultry with laZi-
ness only equaled by Chicago anarchist,
Will eat the arsen1c-fed graSShoppers in
stead of the fresh ones Of course those
fed on arsenic were not good living for
poultry, and after such a meal the hens
never again tasted hoppers or anything
else.
One man laughed at manipulating or
paper-bagging or poisoning a. He deter
mined to strike at the root. He struck
with match. The match was applied to
the dry grass above his orchard, which
lay at the slope. He intended burning
OFT little belt to prevent the grasshop-
pers crossing from the hill. The fire
burned the little belt, then it started up
the hill, the south wind helping it on IT
went pretty fast on another mans land.
and soon about dozen men were trying
10 wet blanket the fireIwith dripping bar
ley sacks. The workers saved the fences.
and the fire burned about 500 acres and
then went out OF It's own accord on the
rock at the top of the hill.
Grasshoppers have not since reported
from the hill, but the men who own the
land don't care to have another holocaust
held in their pasture. Sheep won't eat
roasted grasshoppers, and little else was
left.
Still holding practice above theory, al
though the latter is best known to me, |
have given the various ways of extermi-
nation IN use. Let me add that MANY
sulphur vines or trees, while the primi-
tive way is turning flock of turkeys on
the affected place. Paris green is recon-
mended, but ! cannot offer il as remedy.
! was not obliged to find remedy for
Mr.. Dorry, for after the fire near his
place the hoppers moved on. IN. B.
Mr. Dorry did not set that fre.)
Ii is a matter for congratulation that
though the grasshopper is no less q gour-
mand than the locust, he is nearly voice
less. True the hopper can make a stridu-
laung sound by rubbing the thigh against
The iorewings, but the noise of locusts is
hopper we have been so far free that ii is
almost impossible to find authoritative
description in classification. Ours are
eEiaehtiy the Cd}OpteHttS SpretuS (Uhler),
Whhch Is common between the Missis-
Slppl River and the Rockies. AS to
length and shape of wing, however, il
more resembles the common red-legged
gTassnopper, CdtOpten7tS fenI1tT 41Jr1lH
iHarrls), which has been so abundant in
the New England States and is even
found in Labrador.
how snail California be kept free from
the scourge?
The answer is at hand If fgrasshop-
pers were eaten, as locusts are in Oriental
countries, the problem would solve itself
me true grasshopper is a staple food of
the lndlans' ana Is undeniably as appe-