Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-29
The Grasshopper Plague in Io1Da
Photographs by American Press Association

lit is foolish to believe that few in
sects can destroy our crops" and ne
laughed and said: I'VE have a pretty
good flock of fowls and I expect to see
nv chicks eat them up as fast as they
come
That was encouraging at any rate.
I had some land. field of wheat, just
west of Mr.. Reeds, and the next sun
day morning the boys and ! drove out
to see how it was faring. We had only
about five acres and upon arriving we
found it as good as gone. All around
the outside the wheat was cut just as
short as if by d mower. AS we went
toward the center the stubble was
a little higher and in the center OF
the field some heads were still left.
That was the last time I ever saw my
field OF wheat. I proposed that we
drive past Mr.. Reeds place and we did
SO. We did not cross farm but went
across the prairie for about two miles.
We saw only an occasional hopper and
they seemed to be crippled in some way.
! Arriving at Mr.. Reeds we found lot
of people there, some of Jack Wallace's
family and others. ] drove up and
watched the first great battle OF the
war. A lot of men were out in the
oat field with long rope. should say
from seventy-five to a hundred feet
long ard tied to the rope at intervals
of few inches were rags. This was
being dragged across the field to scare
the hoppers Several men had hold of
the rope and walked from the south to
the north, soaring the toppers in that
direction. The plan was only meeting
with partial success, about as many
| at, MH
Reed had cattle shed which was in
line with the men with the rope.
tied my horses and went inside to
await their coming and was not much
afraid that the shed would break in
with the weight of the hoppers. As
they came nearer could hear the
hoppers as they struck the barn. pit
pit, pit, and I went outside expecting
to find a great lot but did not find
a dozen hoppers along the length
OF the shed. Alas the expert
ment Of soaring the little warriors with
a rope had failed and so had the poul-
try plan. When had a chance asked
Mr.. Reed what effect the hens had or
the grasshoppers and he answered witt
great disgust, None at ALL" At the
very first the hens were hungry bu
in fifteen minutes the hens were quiet
" travelling about and each gently car.
rying q half dozen hoppers upon 1t!
) back The men and women sat dowr
in the shade to consider the situation
1t was not very joyous or merr!
crowd Our living was being destroyed
as surely as tho every hopper was
; hungry sheep. We went out In tn
!. standing grain. The hoppers cut tn
thread-like stems that made up tn
heads. Already there were five or tel
bushels upon the ground.
| At that time my business kept m
mostly in Alyona- Upon meeting
, man the first thing we said to hin
t was well, how are the grasshoppers !?
} and the answer would be. "They are wit
me and eating up everything" The
: would put on look such as Martt
t Luther had when he said: IF ever
s tile in the city was a; devil, Still
: would go to Wurms," They woui
r say it with clenched fists and tnr
I gritting teeth that seemed to say, AN
t I can whip any one who denies 1t.
i In spite of all had heard coul
z no. cutie believe It. One night up J
= Portland township drove over VIVA
y was told was thirty acres OF wnea
9 I looked and said, You can't fool m.
There never was any wheat here "
y got down on the ground and movin
e the top earth we found the living root
IL One day stopped ct the nome