Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-06-21

4
The fact that the periodical cicada,
or so-called "17-year locust" is to ap-
pear in two great broods the present
season is stated by number of news
papers to have been announced by the
United States department of agricult-
ure and these statements have caused
some unnecessary alarm among those
who do not understand the nature of
the insect or who confound it with
true locusts or so-called "grasshop-
pers." The department has made no
such public announcement the present
year, although the cicada chronology
published by Prof. Riley in 1886, pre-
dicted an extended appearance of the
insects in 1894.
The entomologist Of the department
states that the damage done by these
insects is, as rule, quite immaterial,
consisting in the slight cutting, break
ing and deadening of the terminal
tWigs of fruit and shade trees by. the
females IN the act of laying their eggs
The injury becomes serious only when
the insects are exceptionally abundant
and oviposit in young nursery stock.
/, According to Prof. Riley's chronology
given in his first report on the insects
of Missouri 1SS6), two broods are due
in 1894, and the insects will make their
appearance during the last week in
May Brood XII is composed of the
17-year form (septendecim, and It's
last appearance was in 1877. Ii then
occurred in the vicinity of New York,
Brooklyn and Jersey City, and on both
sides Of the Hudson river as far north
as Troy, and in portions Of Connect
cut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Viz
ginia and the District of Columbia.
Seventeen years previous to 1877 the
insect was recorded in North Carolina,
In Dearborn county, Indiana, and in
Kalamazoo county, Michigan. The last
three localities. however. were not
substantiaIed by reports received in
1877. In all the localities above men
toned cicadas may be expected during
June Of the present year. Brood XVIII
is of the 13-year race (tredeciml, and,
as with other 13-year broods, its range
is in the more southern states. Its last
appearance was in 1881, when it Oc-
CURED in southern Illinois, through
out Missouri Except the northwestern
corner), in Louisiana, Arkansas, In
dian Territory, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and
North and South Carolina.
The larvae, which live underground
and feed to some extent upon tie ioots
of plants, gradually rise 20 the sur
face Of the ground when nearing fun
growth, and from about May 20 to
June / they begin to make tne.r APP
pearance above ground in tie nymph
or pupa condition They crawl mp the
trunks of trees, cast their SHES, and
the winged insect comes forth. The
adults are prevalent for five az SIX
weeks, and, as above stated, do some
damage 10 trees and shrupbcry by
puncturing them for the purpose OF
egg-laying. The eggs hatch In about
two weeks and the young larvae diop
to the ground which they cnter 10 he
gin their long subterranean life.-Cul-
tivator and Country Gentleman
One great thing should be regem-
bered, that the silo is intended to keep
the carbonic acid in, and not to eX-
clude the air, as many suppose This
gas is heavier than air and It will
seek an outlet down below rather
than above The great secret, then.
is to keep the silo very tight below,
stopping every creyice where this pre-.
sentative gas can escape. If this gas
Is kept in the silo very tight the eD-
silage will keep for a long time
Farmers Home Weekly.