Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-06-23
Water, so gallons.

This mixture may be made strong
er if desired by adding one pound
more each of bluestone and lime. If
showers follow the application of
Bordeaux mixture TO peach foliage
some burning may result.
4. The HOpper-dozer.
The hopper-dozer has become an
important factor in the control of
grasshoppers in cultivated crops,
pastures or grain fields. The hop
per-dozer consists essentially of a
sheet-iron pan varying in length
from 10 to 20 feet and having a
width of about 20 inches with the
sides inches high. No. 20 sheet
iron is best adapted for making it.
This pan is placed upon a frame
which is built upon flat skids at
least 6 feet long. These skids may
be 2x6, used flatwise. 1t is best to
have the frame extend beyond the
ends of the pan so as to provide a
place for hitching the singletree. A
light sheet-iron back and sides feet
high should be provided so that the
grasshoppers in striking it will fall
into the pan. For long pans it will
be necessary to provide partitions
2 or 3 feet apart in order to stiffen
them as well as to keep the oil from
spilling out, due to roughness of ine-
qualities of the ground. The pan
should be partly filled with water,
on top of which should be poured
kerosene or crude oil. A single
horse should be hitched to the sin
gletree at each end of the hopper
dozer. One horse hitched to the
middle would tend to drive the hop
pers before it, and few would be
caught. With a large machine a
good~many acres can be covered in
day. Those who may desire to
build a machine may secure plans
for making it by calling or writing
this office.
5. Smudges.
For small gardens, smudges may
be used. This method, however, has
it's drawbacks and is not of gen.
eral application. The surrounding of
a garden or tract by ditch, filling
it with water upon which oil is
poured, is even more practical. The
young hoppers do not jump far, and
are quickly killed by coming in con-
tact with oil.
6. Natural Control.
Grasshoppers, like other living
things, are subject to destruction by
various natural enemies. Birds
barnyard fowl, such as chickens and
turkeys, often provide an efficient
means of subduing grasshopper ep-
idemic The turkey is perhaps one
of the best fowls because of it's row
ing habits and being able to devour
large numbers of insects. However
a grasshopper diet alone is not best
so that some other food should be
given the bird.
Grasshoppers are also attacked by
other insects, fungi and bacteria
Cultures of certain fungi have been
used to a very good effect in dis
tricts where climatic conditions are
favorable. During one season in
Nebraska the writer had occasion to
assist in the preparation of cultures
of the South African fungus, and ii
frequent and the humidity high the
grasshoppers were readily controlled
by it, In this work the grasshoppers
are fed with cultures of the fungus
which terminates within them. The
terminating fungus spores produce
minute threads which ramify through
all parts of the grasshopper's body,
killing him. Once a few grasshop-
pers are diseased others become in
fected and with weather conditions
favorable the disease spreads rapidly
among them.
In the middle west certain species
of flies are known to attack the
grasshopper. The female fly lays
her eggs on the body of the grass
hopper. The eggs hatch and the
larvae or magnets enter the grass
hopper's body In due time the hop
per dies and the larvae transform
into the adult fly, emerging from the
dead body.
1t goes without saying that if the
great area in this district, known as
the desert, together with other large
tracts, were entirely under cultiva-
tion and irrigation grasshoppers
would cease to be pest. 1t is the
open, uncultivated land that pro-
vides excellent breeding places fol
them, The wooded areas do not
harbor this insect, pest.
P. ]. O'GARA,