The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-09-06

Mr.. Melanoplus is busy in Iowa
this summer, chewing up farm and
garden crops in many localities, Me-
lanoplus being the scientific cogno-
men of plain Mr.. Grasshopsr. The
exceptionally dry season has been
very favorable for the grasshopper's
development and in many places
meadows and fields are alive with
the insects.
Prof. r. L. Webster Of the Iowa
Agricultural Experiment Station has
the following suggestions TO offer to
Iowa farmers on fighting this pest:
An easy way to kill grasshoppers
in the field is by the use Of a poi
soned bait or "Criddle Mixture" This
mixture is a compound Of horse ma
nure, salt and paris green, and is
thrown out over the fields infested
with grasshoppers. The insects take
to the mixture readily and are easily
killed in this way. The "Criddle Mix
ture' has been used with great sue
cess in Canada.
This mixture is made az follows:
Take about 100 pounds Of horse drop
pings, mix in a box or barrel with
2 pounds of salt and l pound Of paris
green. Five ten-quart pals make
about 100 pounds of the droppings.
The paris green should first be placed
in half a pail of water and stirred
we'll before adding to the manure.
More water may be added if neces-
sary to moisten the mixture thor
oughly. Manure with little straw
in it is best. A large shovel full Of
the mixture will be sufficient for
every two rods square in field.
No losses to poultry have been no.
ticed in fields where the mixture has
been used, but due care should be
taken in exposing stock in these
fields.
Generally fall blowing is about the
best measure to take against grass
hopper, but this is remedy that
does not affect the insects that are
doing the damage this year. Plow-
ing only turns under the eggs that
would hatch next spring Grasshop-
pers prefer rather solid ground in
which to lay their eggs. If such
grounds where grasshoppers are
abundant is plowed in the fall, the
injury may be greatly lessened for
the next year. The blowing should
be FIVE to six inches deep,so that the
young insects may have no chance
for escape.
In Minnesota and elsewhere shop
pendozers." Take a sheet Of iron
grasshoppers in the fields. Ordinary
sheet iron is used to make the hop
perdozers." Take a sheet Of iron
about eight feet long and two feet
wide and turn up the edge three or
four inches all around to make a
shallow pan. To the outside bottom
of the pan rivet six small strips Of
wood lengthwise, to which three
small runners may be fastened. At
the rear of the pan erect an upright
frame about two feet high and cover
1t with canvas or heavy muslin. The
purpose Of this frame is to throw the
grasshoppers back into the pan as
they jump, the bottom of the pan be-
ing covered with kerosene, which is
fatal to the insect.
Sometimes the pan is divided into
three compartments, in order to pre-
vent the kerosene from splashing out
on the ground. Small strips of wood
across the bottom will serve
the same purpose.
This apparatus, drawn by horse ;
across the grasshopper infested field.
will kill large numbers Of the pests.
The insects are killed almost as soon
as they strike the kerosene in the
pan. The oil kills by contact. and
even a touch Of it is fat>'