The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1911-02-16
LOCUST PLAQUES.
Onslaught of the Ravenous Tribe
During an Invasion.
GlUTT0NS BY THE MILLIONS.


Dense Enough to Obscure the LIGHT
of the Sun-The Hoppers That Come
After the Crops Are Devoured.
There are several species or varieties
OF the migratory locust which are
mostly to be found In dry. semitropical
countries, such as the south Of Eu-
rope. Egypt, Syria and Morocco, for
their native home seems to be in the
countries bordering on the Mediterra-
mean, though migratory locusts are to
be found In regions as remote as South
Africa and South America, where they
form veritable scourge to the agri-
culturistS. In Argentina, especially
the northern half of the country, they
are very destructive, for they will an
initiate the farmers entire crop in q
few hours.
n locust invasion, writes John d.
Leckie in Chambers Journal. Is an
event not easily forgotten. The first
sign Of the approaching incursion is
horizon. But the dark cloud is no
forerunner Of rain. Instead of the
precious liquid. which the farmer has
probably long expected in vain, it por-
tends the approach Of his greatest en-
envy, the omnivorous locust
AS the dark cloud comes nearer 1t is
seen to be composed of countless mil
lions Of locusts on whirring wings.
Soon the cloud appears overhead and
is sufficiently thick to obscure the sun,
which Is only seen opaquely, as
through a mist, although the sky is
cloudless and the air clear
Now we are in the midst of a dense
swarm Of flying, whirring locusts,
which dash into our faces, enter our
houses and fill our rooms with their
presence. The air is simply alive with
them. All open wells must be instant
ly covered or they will be polluted.
Fowls and turkeys welcome the ad-
vancing hordes. They simply fatten on
the locusts as they run around and
gobble them up. But this is no bless
ing to the farmer-far from it, for the
flesh of poultry becomes so tainted by
this form of diet as to be quite IN
eatable, and even their eggs have an
unpleasant taste.
So well is this fact known that as
soon as the locusts make their appear
ance in the locality the price of eggs
drops to one-half or one-third Of their
former figure, and even then there are
few buyers. All the animals about the
farmyard seem to be affected adverse
aversion to eat grass which has been
polluted by the presence Of locusts, and
unless very hungry they will not touch
1t.
The advance Of the locusts takes
place as follows: First a few pioneers,
the advance guard Of the vast army, |
then the main body Of the army, a host |
which is as invincible as it is destruc- |
tive. All true locusts are migatory by |
nature. for the simple reason that. be- |
ing gregarious in their habits, 1t would |
be impossible for them to exist with
out cOnt1nual mlgrat1On.
The ground on which they settle is
cleared in a few hours, and
they must perforce seek other fields
and pastures new, where they can re-
peat their depredations. For the same
reason the destruction which they eff
feet is purely local. One district may be
devastated, while another a
few miles away is altogether spared
from their presence.
When the locusts have eaten their
Oil the females commence to deposit
their eggs, which they do by making
an opening in the ground, in which
the eggs are laid. The infant locusts
soon make their appearance, scarcely
30 large as a pea, hopping about in
swarms. In this stage Of
their existence they have no wings,
but progress by hopping. While In
his state-that is, before their wings
Ire developed-they must be ruthlessly
destroyed.
Long trenches are dug. into which
he "hoppers" are driven by rows Of
men. women and boys armed with
branches Of trees. with which they
peat the ground, driving the insects in
he direction Of the trenches. On the
opposite sides Of the trenches sheets Of
galvanized iron are placed upright so
Is to form an effectual barrier.
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