Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-08-21
CHRISTOPHER WAR.
Crops Still Threatened by Incal-
cuable HOrdes.
MACHINES THAT DESTROY THEM.
New Continuance In Minnesota thas Kills
Hundreds of Millions Daily-State
Pays the Expense.

Farmers throughout Minnesota,
and. indeed, tie entire northwest, are
watching with great interest the pro-
gress of the war waged by Prof Otto
Lugger. state entonologist of Mime
sofa, against two species of grasshop-
pers which are becoming uncomforta-
bly, numerous in certain sections of the
state, writes Minneapolis (Minn.)
correspondent of the New York Sun.
There is every reason for them to man.
ifest the deepest concern as to the out
come of the contest, for upon the fail
ure or success of the efforts of the
states official bug-slayer to extermi-
nate the pests depends the making or
marring of the fortunes of many, and
in measure the prosperity of the agri-
cultural and stockraising region of
the northwest. The two species caus-
ing alarm are the White mountain or
migratory and the California hoppers
The latter are the larger species, but
they are not SO formidable as the other,
as they do not multiply so rapidly.
The migratory hoppers are very prolific
creatures, and. furthermore, are exceed
ingly hardy, thriving apparently as
we'll on the toughest weeds as upon
tender grasses.
At present authorized executioners
of bugs has decided advantage over
his miniature foes, though the latter
outnumber him by countless millions,
for they have no means of defense ex
cept their little hop. while he has the
chopper. dozer.' This is an exceed
ingly ingenious continuance, designed
especially for war ON the grasshoppers.
In appearance it conveys suggestions
of lawn-mower, cat-rigged sailboat
and big dustpan. The.latter is sug-
gested by the body of the dozer, which
is trough of tins or sheet iron feet
long, 2 feet wide and s inches deep.
1t is mounted on wheels at either end,
and has along the front edge wide
fange of tin, the front edge of which
reaches within about three inches of
the ground. 1t is propelled from be-
hind with double handle like that
OF lawn-mower, and between the
handle and the main body rises a wall
of white canvas. This wall may be
extended by side wings. slanted for
ward to head off any of the more wary
hoppers who may direct their brief
hops away from the rear wall and to-
ward life and liberty.
There is nothing formidable to the
hopper in the canvas wall in itself.
The small creatures might butt their
heads against it all day and suffer no
harm. 1t is on the rebound from the
wall that the hoppers get the full
benefit of the dozer by falling back into
the sheet-iron trough. This is kept
about half full of cheap grade of
coal oil. touch of which is certain
death to the insect pests The hop
pers that become immersed in the fluid
ole almost instantly, while those that
succeed in hopping out after being
besmeared with the fluid are soon over
taken by symptoms of paralysis and
later die from their inability to move
about in quest of food.
The growth of the grasshopper pest
in Minnesota has been gradual during
the last three years. The first season
they were noticed in the Red River
valley and in Pine and Chicago coun-
ties, where they are now the most
numerous. They were very few in
number and caused no alarm. They
planted their eggs and next season
there were more of them. This sea-
bon there are countless millions, and
in the sections in which they have been
bred they threaten the absolute de-
struction of the crops unless they them
selves are exterminated before they
reach their full growth. They are
now little more than half an inch in
length. and it will be four weeks or
more before they have attained their
growth and are able to fly. Within that
time the campaign of the entomologist
must be completed.
In the sections mentioned there are
now 400 hopper. dozers at work. Each
machine catches an average of about
two and a-half bushels day. and the
hoppers run about 80, 900 to the bushel.
1t is estimated that the hoppers carried
off in the machines number not more
than one-ffth OF the ontire number
destroyed. The remainder hop out TO
die later. Thus it will be seen that
about 400, 900, 900 hoppers daily fall
victims to the 400 hopper dozers.
More machines are being built, and
the state officials are encouraging the
farmers to carry ON the fight with en-
ergy by promising to reimburse them
for any expnese they may incur. 1t is
hoped by Prof. Lugger that the pests
will be SO nearly exterminated this
season that it will be a comparatively
easy matter to complete the work next
summer by making an early start.