Connecticut western news., 1895-08-15
DARK DAYSINKANSAS
GOVERNOR MORRlLL'S HISTORY OF
 THE CHRISTOPHER PLAGUE.

bIe Destruction of All yegetation-Braver
 Men There Never Were Than the Farm
 CTS of Kansas.
 Governor Morrill's favorite story is about the Kansas grasshopper. Here it is:
 up to 1866 there had been no grasshop- pers seen in Brown county. The county had been settled 12 years, and our people wore in blissful ignorance of the existence of this plague In the latter part of Au- gust of that year reports were brought in by settlers on the frontier that they had appeared therein immense numbers and were very destructive. Day by day reports came that they were drawing near, and about Sept. they reached the western line of the county, moving from to l2 miles per day.
 "On Sept 10 the immense army, which no man could number, reached Hiawatha, devouring every green thing from the face of the earth. The co~nflelds were literally stripped, leaving the bare stalk with the ears hanging to it and the latter often badly eaten. The corn was too far ad- yanced, however, for them to injure 1t very seriously, and the only real loss from them that fall was in the destruction Of forage. They deposited immense quanti- ties of eggs, which hatched out in the lat ter part of April and early in May, 1867.
 "This crop was of course obliged tc feed upon whatever was within their reach until they were large enough to travel, ana whenever they matched In large numbers near fields of small grain there was no pos sibility of raising it. The beaten paths and -l,, oi,ia ,ad to be faycrite locations for depositing their eggs. Many fields of small grain were en- tirely destroyed tkat spring, while many others escaped unharmed. The corn was not much injured, though in some locah- ties the early corn was destroyed. About June 20 they left and wero not again seen during the season. But c small portion of the county was under cultivation then, and the total loss was small compared with that of 1874.
 "In the fall of 1868 they again appeared, but far less numerous and causing far less loss. Their appearance at this time caused very little excitement, and but slight inn portance was attached to it. A few eggs were deposited, and the following spring few gardens were injured, but not much attention was paid to it.
 'sIn the early part of August, 1874, they again appeared. At this time the country west was much better settled, and the rail roads penetrating to tho Rocky mountains brought the news of the approaching hosts while they were hundreds of miles away and weeks before they reached here. The season had been very dry one, with ire quent hot south winds, so common an at tendant of droughts and so exceedingly disagreeablc. Tho corn at best would have been nearly failure, but what little there was of grain UT foliage speedily disap- peared. Trees were stripped of their leaves Apple and peach orchards could frequently be seen loaded with rich fruit, but without a leaf to protect it from tho hot sun. In many cases the fruit was much injured, and it was 6 common sight to see peach trees hanging full of pits, the meat of the fruit having been neatly nibbled of. In some cases the bark was eaten from trees. Nothing escaped, for they seemed quite in different as to the quality of their food. Tomato plants, onions and even tobacco plants were utterly destroyed.
 "Again they laid their eggs in immense numbers. Heavy freight trains on the railroads were frequently delayed for hours by their gathering on the track in large numbers, the wheels crushing them and forming an oily, soapy substance.
 "T'he spring of 1875 but little apprehen- sion of much damage was felt, and the farmers put in an unusual amount of small grain. When the warm days of spring came, the littlo pests matched out in numbers far exceeding anything before ex- pericnced. The season was unusually ia vorable for small grain, and on May 1 there was as fine a prospect foV an abun- dant harvest as was ever known. Ten days later the myriads of little hoppers, o-+ T AiYey nu and on June but few fields of grain were left. Tho corn was much injured; nearly all the first planting was utterly destroyed. Many replanted at once, without waiting until they had passed away, and again lost it all. In one case Q farmer planted 200 acres four times.
 "Those were indeed dark days for the farmers. All hope for raising anything for the season was well nigh gone. The mid dle of Juno came, and still the hoppers tar ried. The farmers with wonderful courage and patience had plowod up their young grain fields where the crop had been de- stroycd and were busily engaged in plant ing corn. From June 12 to 20 an immense amount of corn was planted. In an ordi- nary season this would have been too late to mako any crop, but the season proved most favorable. Rains were frequent and not too heavy. About June 20 the grass hoppers commenced leaving, and by the 25tn not one could be found.
 "If ever men showed true pluck under discouraging circumstances, the farmers did during the spring of 1875. Braver men never lived; trucr men never bit bread. The season continued favorable, and all immense crop of corn and vegetables was raised.
 "The plague has not visited Kansas since "-Kansas City Times.