Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-22

avail themselves. The trees drop locusts.
the ground casts them W and they vis's
one on every side.
SOME COMFORT FOR FARMERS.
The only thing upon which the farmers
are conrirtuIsting themselves this year
II the small number Of potato-buss.
Seventeen years ago. that II. last LOCUST
year, the potato-bugB entered Union
county for the frst time. Ever SINCE
then they have yearly harassed the farm
erx. but In decreasing numbers. This year
the farmers, mindful Of the double mis-
fortune OF seventeen years ago, expecten
that no pofato-plant would reach the
towering stage. But th1y have peen
happily disappointed, as the potato bugs
have been almost no trouble at all. but
almost every other form OF insect me
has been vastly increased. This year the
earth seems TO be fairly bursting WIN
the small forms OF animal life. especially
with those that try the tempers OF hu"an
beines--gnats. flies. fieas. mosquitoes-an
those things that bite or sung OF Gins
to flesh with sticky feet.
Even more fruitful OF present ninety
than the locusts are the mosquitoes VI
Northern New Jersey. the max, Tow
living salt marshes Of the region around
Newark and Jersey City have ever been
noted az the breeding grounds OF spe.
cies OF mosquito peculiarly poisonous ana
harassing. The few days OF warm weatn-
err have acted upon these salt marshes
and indeed upon those all along the Jer-
sey coast, like heat upon an INCUBATOR
full OF eggs. This neat has brought thc
locusts out OF the forest lands. IL naf
brought the mosquitoes out Of the marsh
lands. And the peculiar poisonous mos
ouito seems 10 have been planting Colo
MES all up and down the coast.
THE MOSQUITO ALSO ON DECK.
In some towns. those that have the mis-
fortune 10 be located near a salt marsh,
the Inhabitants are talking of running
wild. as rational existence seems to DE
well nigh impossible. They are envylns
the hens their feathers. and the doss
and cats their thick fur and thicker hldes.
The mosquitoes bite not only by nignt'
but also in the full brightness or noon
day. They leap upon the tender an"
auivering flesh and. having made an IN
cision, drive home a hypodermic injection
of poison that lifts huge lump, which
grows fiery red and fre,s the unhappy
bearer of II Tor days. The hands. the
wrists. the edge OF the forehead just be
yond the hair, the back of the neck, all
sistent songsters of the swamp. ana
throughout the Jersey coast the people
are scratching and rubbing and moaning
over the welted condition Of their skins.
These swamp products cling to the
reeds and grasses OF their native haunts
until a wind blows. They are blown WIN
Il. and woe to the city or village IL that
wind blows into its streets. There IS no
peace until the wind changes The young
man and maiden counting under the trees
or upon the creeper- Vcranua
cease to sigh TO the large. round moon
The pIaIntive whine of the mosquito. the
snort Of pain, the low-breathed curse ana
the vain slap of hand upon cheek or neck
or other exposed flesh resound throughout
the streets.
TRAINLOADS OF THE PESTS
As the trains to Jersey City cross over
the marshes they often stop In the MIDST
of the Iowlands. The mosquitoes take
advantage Of these stops. They NIL every
car and assault the passengers as II they
would carry them off bodily. Many an
evening train into Jersey city discharges
passengers we'll welted and swollen ana
flled with the anger-strring poison OF the
MOSQUITO The grand centre OF the distur-
bance over mosquitoes Is Snake Hill.
which rises from the midst OF its marshes
They say that even the bars are no pro-
lection at Snake Hin. and that II a man
must walk abroad there even at midday
he would do well 10 wear cage mace
of fy-screen over his head.
What with the rustling singers OF the
forest and the whining singers OF the
81 amps life In some parts of Jersey Is
not as gay as a church festival In straw
berry time